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Flow Resistance, Channel Gradient, and Hydraulic Geometry

This document discusses key concepts in fluvial geomorphology including: 1. Flow resistance equations that relate velocity to channel roughness and slope. 2. Controls on longitudinal channel profiles including downstream fining of bed material size and adjustments in channel gradient. 3. Hydraulic geometry relationships that describe how channel width, depth, and velocity change with discharge both within a channel reach and downstream.

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30 views29 pages

Flow Resistance, Channel Gradient, and Hydraulic Geometry

This document discusses key concepts in fluvial geomorphology including: 1. Flow resistance equations that relate velocity to channel roughness and slope. 2. Controls on longitudinal channel profiles including downstream fining of bed material size and adjustments in channel gradient. 3. Hydraulic geometry relationships that describe how channel width, depth, and velocity change with discharge both within a channel reach and downstream.

Uploaded by

sarkawt muhammad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Flow Resistance, Channel

Gradient, and Hydraulic Geometry


1. Flow Resistance
Uniformity and steadiness, turbulence,
boundary layers, bed shear stress, velocity

2. Longitudinal Profiles
Channel gradient, downstream fining

3. Hydraulic Geometry
General tendencies for exponents, technique
for stream gaging

Flow Resistance Equations


Chezy (1769)

u C RS
23

R S
Manning (1889) u
n
Darcy-Weisbach
(SI units)

12

8 gRS
u
f
2

wd
d for wide channels
w 2d

Resistance Coefficients

By assuming a roughness coefficient, u can be determined


Use an input parameters for numerical models

(Julien, 2002)

Resistance Coefficients as a function of Bed Shear


Stress (Bed Configuration)

(van Rijn, 1993)

3. Longitudinal Profiles
Outline
Controls on channel gradient
Downstream variations in discharge, bed
slope, and bed texture (downstream
fining)
Downstream fining channel concavity

Amazon River

Longitudinal
Bed Profile

Rhine River

(Knighton, 1998)

River Bollin

River Towy

Nigel Creek

Longitudinal
Bed Profile

(Knighton, 1998)

Controls on Gradient (1)


Mackin (1948) - Concept of a graded stream: Over a
period of time, slope is delicately adjusted to provide,
with available discharge and channel characteristics, just
the velocity required to transport the load supplied
Rubey (1952): for a constant w/d, S Qs, M (size of bed
material load), 1/Q

Q DsW
S k

2
Q d

2
s

13

Controls on Gradient (2)


Leopold and Maddock (1953): S 1/Q

S tQ z ; z 0.25 to 0.93
Lane (1955): Expanded concept of graded stream

QS Qs D50
Hack (1957): S D50, 1/AD

D50

S 0.006
AD

0. 6

Longitudinal Variations in Q, S, and Bed Texture, MS River

+4

-3

-3

Downstream Fining
MS River

Allt Dubhaig

Downstream Fining
D D0 e L ; 0.0006 to 0.12
D0 initial grain size, L downstream distance, sorting or abrasion coefficient

Sternberg abrasion equation


Abrasion mechanical breakdown of particles
during transport; rates of DS fining >> rates of
abrasion
Weathering chemical and mechanical due to
long periods of exposure; negligible
Hydraulic Sorting size selective deposition
mainly due to a downstream decrease in bed
shear stress and turbulence intensity of the river

For Mississippi River Data


US
DS

QB (cfs) S
DB (mm) d (m) (Pa)
260
0.035
270
0.4 124
2,070,0000.00008 0.16
13 10
+4
-3
-3
+1 -1

d = cQf, f ~ 0.3 to 0.4


S = tQz, z ~ -0.65
= gdS
ds, (Qf)(Qz)
Qn, where n = -0.25 to -0.35
Assuming ~ cmax downstream fining

1D Exner Equation
Qs
qb
h
1 p

u s Cb E
t
x
x
Change in bed
height with time
Change in total
load with distance

Change in bedload with distance


with gain/loss to suspended load
as modulated by grain settling
velocity

Volume transport rates


Can be written for sediment mixtures and multiple
dimensions
Spatial gradients in Qs due to spatial gradients in
Slope adjustment, and downstream fining, can be
brought on by aggradation and degradation

DS Fining Profile Concavity?

Modeling suggests the time-scale for sorting


processes to produce downstream fining is
shorter than the timescale for bed slope
adjustment
Fluvial systems adjust their bed texture in
response to spatial variations in shear stress
and sediment supply

Measurement of Stream Channel Gradient


x
Rod
Level

e1

x,y
1

Rod

d1
1

e2

Water surface
Ground surface

x,y

d2

Water surface slope:


2
2
(taken positive in the downstream direction)
x = x2 x1
y = (e2 d2) (e1 d1)
Ground surface slope water surface slope
slope = y/x

Hydraulic Geometry
Q is the dominant independent parameter, and
that dependent parameters are related to Q via
simple power functions

w aQ

d cQ

u kQ

Q w d u aQ b cQ f kQ m

b f m 1

ack 1

Applied at-a-station and downstream

DS

Determining hydraulic geometry

(Richards, 1982)

f = 0.52

m = 0.30

At-a-station;
Sugar Creek, MD

b = 0.18
(Leopold, Wolman, and Miller, 1964)

Same flow frequency

(Morisawa, 1985)

Downstream

m>f>b
and
m>b+f
b = 0-0.2
f = 0.3-0.5
m = 0.3-0.5
At-a-station

(Knighton, 1998)

Downstream

b > f > m; b~0.5, f~0.4, m~0.1

(Knighton, 1998)

Hydraulic Geometry
At-a-station: rectangular channels;
increase in discharge is accommodated
by increasing flow depth and flow velocity
Downstream: increase in discharge is
accommodated by increasing flow width
and depth

Hydraulic Geometry as a Tool


Used in stream channel design
Identification of unstable stream corridors
and unstable stream systems
Concept of channel equilibrium

Additional Considerations
Channel geometry also controlled by

Grain size and bed composition


Sediment transport rate (bed mobility and roughness)
Bank strength, as assessed by silt-clay content
Vegetationdifferent exponents depending upon
presence and type

Curved channels and non-linear trends


(compound channels)
Pools & rifflesdifferent exponents

Additional Considerations
depth

velocity

width

(Richards, 1982)

Typical Stream Discharge Determination


w0,d0,v0

Tape
measure

wn+1,dn+1,vn+1
w1

w2

Q1

Q2

Left Benchmark
(looking downstream)

d1
v1

Q3

d2

v2
Current meter
v3
For d<0.75 m, located at 0.4d ;
For d>0.75 m, average of 0.2d and 0.8d

Discharge determination:
Discharge = width depth velocity
Q=wdv
Q = Q1 + Q2 + Q3 + Qn+1

wn,dn,vn

w3

Qn

Qn+1

T
Right Benchmark
(looking downstream)

d3

Ground surface

Implications for Stream


Restoration
Roughness coefficients (1) enable
determination of velocity and (2) are critical
input parameters for numerical models
Exner equation is most commonly used
analytic expression to determine bed stability
Hydraulic geometry is (1) the most widely
used analytic framework for stream channel
design, and (2) used in the identification of
unstable stream corridors and unstable
stream systems

Conclusions

Flow velocity can be determined by assuming


a friction coefficient
Downstream variations in channel gradient,
bed texture, and bed shear stress despite
increases in discharge and total sediment load
Hydraulic geometry assumes discharge is the
primary independent parameter
Hydraulic geometry of river channels shows
world-wide tendencies; very powerful tool
A technique for gaging streams is presented

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