Analysis of River Wave Types,
Abstract
In this paper, we consider long-period, shallow-water river waves that are a consequence of unsteady flow. River waves result from hydroelectric power generation or flow control at a dam, the breach of a dam, the formation or release of an result form hydroelectric power generation or flow control at a dam, the breach of a dam, the formation or release of an ice jam, and rainfall/runoff processes. The Saint-Venant equations are generally used to describe river waves. Dynamic, gravity, diffusion, and kinematic river waves have been defined, each corresponding to different forms of the momentum equation and each applying at some subset of the overall range of river hydraulic properties and time scales of wave motion. However, the parameter ranges corresponding to each wave description are not well defined, and the transitions between wave types have not been explored. This paper is an investigation into these areas, which are fundamental to river wave modeling. The analysis is based on the concept that river wave behavior is determined by the balance between friction and inertia. The Saint-Venant equations are combined to form a system equation that is written in dimensionless form. The dominant terms of the system equation change with the relative magnitudes of a group of dimensionless scaling parameters that quantify the friction/inertia balance. These scaling parameters are continuous, indicating that the various types of river waves and the transitions between them form a spectrum. Additional data describing the physical variability of rivers and waves are incorporated int the analysis by interpreting the scaling parameters as random variables.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA158683
Entities
People
- M. G. Ferrick
Organizations
- Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory