Experimental investigation of flow characteristics of discretized triangular hydrographs

Abstract

In this study effect of discretization of triangular hydrographs on flow characteristics is investigated. All experimental tests are carried out in a rectangular flume of 70 cm width and 18 m length and having a slope of 0.004. The flow rate is measured by an electromagnetic flow meter mounted on the inlet pipe and the time variation of flow depth is monitored at various locations. The point velocities are measured by a side-looking ultrasonic velocity meter at 17 different elevations along the water column by repeating the same hydrograph 17 times in unsteady flows, so that the velocity time series could be obtained at each location. A pump speed control unit (PSCU) is used to generate the hydrograph. The results of a three step discretized hydrograph and a continuous triangular shaped hydrograph generated in the flume are compared. Rising and falling periods of both hydrographs are 5.5 minutes and the base and peak flow rates are 14 l/s and 62 l/s respectively. The time varying mean of velocity time series in both stream-wise and vertical directions are investigated. The velocity profiles as well as the turbulence characteristics are compared with the ones obtained from the triangular hydrograph and the discretized hydrograph at unsteady flow conditions. The effect of discretization of the triangular hydrograph on flow velocities and turbulence characteristics is also discussed.