Search

Results of a numerical simulation investigating the complicated flushing process of an isolated trapped volume of salt water from a bar-blocked estuary are presented. A multiphase model, a part of the commercial code FLUENT 6.2, is applied. The governing equations together with initial and boundary conditions and the numerical scheme are described. The time-dependent salt-wedge position, vertical-density distribution, and proportion of total input kinetic energy converted into potential energy are examined for various incoming flow densimetric Froude number and estuary bed slope. The vertical position and thickness of the interfacial mixed layer between freshwater and salt water as well as the local gradient Richardson number are determined from simulated density profiles and velocity fields. The good agreement between the simulated and measured results indicates that the numerical model can be successfully applied to investigate the complex flushing process involving stratified flow. CE Database subject headings: Flushing; Numerical models; Simulation; Salt water; Estuaries; Stratified flow; Boundaries.

Results from combined laboratory experimental and turbulent numerical modeling studies are presented to investigate the effects of bed roughness (discrete square strips) and slope on the flow over a free overfall in a rectangular channel. A broad range of model parameters such as the bed roughness, channel slope, and incoming upstream Froude number is investigated. The water surface profiles upstream of the brink of the channel, the velocity fields in cavity between two strips, and end depth (water depth at the brink of the channel) are simulated, measured, and discussed for various input conditions. The results show that for a given dimension of bed roughness the relative spacing of roughness (defined as the ratio of the center to center distance to the height of the strip) has a significant effect on the flow. The computational results are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. CE Database subject headings: Stream improvement; Channel design; Geomorphology; Water discharge.

In this paper, an analytical solution for the four-equation model describing fluid-structure interaction in liquid-filled pipes subjected to impact-induced water hammer is presented. The analytical solution is derived for the case of both Poisson coupling and junction coupling. The results obtained from the analytical solution are in good agreement with experimental measurements and with numerical solutions determined by the method of characteristics. Taking advantage of the analytical solution, some features of coupled wave propagation are presented and discussed. CE Database subject headings: Pipe flow; Fluid-structure interaction; Water pipelines; Coupling; Poisson ratio; Wave propagation.

The purpose of this research is to study the influence of aspect ratio and end conditions on the strength and failure mode of remolded soil samples in unconfined compressive strength tests. The digital image correlation method is used in this research to obtain the evolution process of the horizontal displacement field in remolded soil samples and analyze the deformation and failure characteristics in various sample sizes. Two-dimensional discrete element models of the soil samples are established to simulate the impact of different end-frictional conditions on stress-strain processes of samples. Results show that, with the growth of aspect ratios, the failure of samples transforms from tensile mode to shear mode, and the defects in the middle of samples become more obvious. Characteristic values of earthen sites' soil, such as peak strain, elastic modulus, and residual stress, change with various aspect ratios. The simulation results are in accordance with typical experiments, thus verifying the rationality of established discrete element models. By comparing the particle displacement directions and the respective proportions, the constraint caused by loading plate on samples is proved to be one of the reasons for the size effect. When the aspect ratio is higher than 1.0, the size effect disappears in end-frictionless samples. The research has practical significance to deepen understanding of the mechanism for unconfined compressive strength of site soil samples and provides scientific references for protection and reinforcement of earthen sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]