Experimental analysis of 3D flow structures around a floating dike

Huang, W., Ni, Y., Creed, M. and Yu, S. (2023) Experimental analysis of 3D flow structures around a floating dike. Water, 15(4), 703. (doi: 10.3390/w15040703)

Abstract

Floating dikes have several advantages over spur dikes including less influence on riverine sediment transport, bed topography, and ecosystems, and a good adaptability to fluvial conditions. Despite these advantages, floating dikes have not been used in many river regulation schemes due to the limited understanding of the 3D flow structures around floating dikes. In this study, a series of experiments were conducted to investigate the 3D flow structures around floating dikes. Results show that, after installing a floating dike on one side of a flume, the surface water flow is deflected to the opposite side of the flume, and a backflow develops around the outer and downstream side of the dike, where both the vertical turbulent intensity and the absolute magnitude of the Reynolds stress are relatively large. Due to the blocking effect of the dike, the cross-sectional area decreases, causing an increase in velocities below and alongside the dike, as well as a decrease in velocities upstream of the dike. Increasing the submerged depth or length of the dike results in an increase in flow velocity adjacent to the dike, as well as an increase in the vertical or lateral scale of the backflow. On the contrary, increasing the dike thickness leads to a weakening or disappearance of the backflow, along with a decrease in the acceleration rate of flow adjacent to the dike.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This study was funded by the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Public Welfare Research Institutes (Grant No. CKSF2019175/SL).
• Keywords: Floating dike, 3D flow structure, experimental study, hydraulic structure.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Creed, Dr Maggie
• Authors: Huang, W., Ni, Y., Creed, M., and Yu, S.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Infrastructure and Environment
• Journal Name: Water
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2073-4441
• ISSN (Online): 2073-4441
• Published Online: 10 February 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Water 15(4): 703
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License