On Hydrodynamics of a Density Current on an Incline

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Haghiabi, Amir Hamzeh | Ghomeshi, Mehdi | Kashefipour, Seyed Mahmoud

Affiliations: Academic Member of Lorestan University, Iran. [email protected] | Associate and Assistant Professor of Shahid Chamran University, Iran

Abstract: Investigation of the behaviour of density current released down a sloping surface in a tank of freshwater is reported here. The influence of slope on the behaviour of density currents, head velocity and body entrainment are experimentally investigated. The experiments were carried out in a tilting flume with different sediments to reasonably get a wide range of results. Based on the dimension analysis, dimensionless parameters were determined. Observations and measurements revealed a variety of phenomena depending strongly on the Richardson Number and the angle of incline. Also the non-dimensional head velocity and non-dimensional sediment fall velocity were being considered. Power type equations were found between head velocity and Buoyancy flux. Based on present study and previous investigations of other researchers, regression equations of water entrainment as functions of Richardson number and slope were determined.

Keywords: Density currents, turbidity currents, gravity currents, reservoirs, Richardson number, sediment transport, water entrainment

Journal: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 1-8, 2005