This thesis focused on investigating flow, coherent structures, and mechanisms leading to scour around a series of three submerged groynes in a high curvature (radius of curvature (R)/channel width (B)=1.5) channel bend using a Large Eddy Simulation Numerical (LES) model. Flow was investigated during both an initial and a later stage of scour. The results showed that the groynes appeared effective in keeping the main core of high streamwise velocity away from the outer bank wall in the region where they were installed, although high potential still existed for local scour around the groynes. During the initial stage of scour, horseshoe vortices (HVs) showed the greatest propensity to induce scour immediately upstream of the groyne tips. During the later stage of scour, the HV in front of the first upstream groyne (G1) induced very high mean pressure fluctuations on the outer bank wall. Scour was also of very great concern around the tip of G1 due to severe mean bed pressure fluctuations. Downstream of the groyne field, the presence of a counter-rotating outer bank cell was capable of endangering the stability of the outer bank. The second focus of this thesis was to investigate flow in a 135° channel bend using both Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) and LES numerical models. The RANS study examined the effects of curvature ratio (R/B), and aspect ratio (B/H, where H is the inlet flow depth), on secondary circulation strength, and bed shear stresses. The study revealed that a decrease in R/B was associated with an increase in secondary circulation strength and peak bed shear stress. A change in B/H also substantially affected cross stream circulation strength. The LES study was conducted in a 135° (R/B = 1.5) bend flume with a fixed bed corresponding to near equilibrium scour conditions, and the results were compared to a similar high curvature 193° bend numerical study. Inner bank vortices and shear layers were present in both cases although their characteristics were substantially different. Distributions of boundary friction velocities, and turbulence were also quite different for each case.

This thesis focused on investigating flow, coherent structures, and mechanisms leading to scour around a series of three submerged groynes in a high curvature (radius of curvature (R)/channel width (B)=1.5) channel bend using a Large Eddy Simulation Numerical (LES) model. Flow was investigated during both an initial and a later stage of scour. The results showed that the groynes appeared effective in keeping the main core of high streamwise velocity away from the outer bank wall in the region where they were installed, although high potential still existed for local scour around the groynes. During the initial stage of scour, horseshoe vortices (HVs) showed the greatest propensity to induce scour immediately upstream of the groyne tips. During the later stage of scour, the HV in front of the first upstream groyne (G1) induced very high mean pressure fluctuations on the outer bank wall. Scour was also of very great concern around the tip of G1 due to severe mean bed pressure fluctuations. Downstream of the groyne field, the presence of a counter-rotating outer bank cell was capable of endangering the stability of the outer bank. The second focus of this thesis was to investigate flow in a 135° channel bend using both Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) and LES numerical models. The RANS study examined the effects of curvature ratio (R/B), and aspect ratio (B/H, where H is the inlet flow depth), on secondary circulation strength, and bed shear stresses. The study revealed that a decrease in R/B was associated with an increase in secondary circulation strength and peak bed shear stress. A change in B/H also substantially affected cross stream circulation strength. The LES study was conducted in a 135° (R/B = 1.5) bend flume with a fixed bed corresponding to near equilibrium scour conditions, and the results were compared to a similar high curvature 193° bend numerical study. Inner bank vortices and shear layers were present in both cases although their characteristics were substantially different. Distributions of boundary friction velocities, and turbulence were also quite different for each case.

This thesis focused on investigating flow, coherent structures, and mechanisms leading to scour around a series of three submerged groynes in a high curvature (radius of curvature (R)/channel width (B)=1.5) channel bend using a Large Eddy Simulation Numerical (LES) model. Flow was investigated during both an initial and a later stage of scour. The results showed that the groynes appeared effective in keeping the main core of high streamwise velocity away from the outer bank wall in the region where they were installed, although high potential still existed for local scour around the groynes. During the initial stage of scour, horseshoe vortices (HVs) showed the greatest propensity to induce scour immediately upstream of the groyne tips. During the later stage of scour, the HV in front of the first upstream groyne (G1) induced very high mean pressure fluctuations on the outer bank wall. Scour was also of very great concern around the tip of G1 due to severe mean bed pressure fluctuations. Downstream of the groyne field, the presence of a counter-rotating outer bank cell was capable of endangering the stability of the outer bank. The second focus of this thesis was to investigate flow in a 135° channel bend using both Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) and LES numerical models. The RANS study examined the effects of curvature ratio (R/B), and aspect ratio (B/H, where H is the inlet flow depth), on secondary circulation strength, and bed shear stresses. The study revealed that a decrease in R/B was associated with an increase in secondary circulation strength and peak bed shear stress. A change in B/H also substantially affected cross stream circulation strength. The LES study was conducted in a 135° (R/B = 1.5) bend flume with a fixed bed corresponding to near equilibrium scour conditions, and the results were compared to a similar high curvature 193° bend numerical study. Inner bank vortices and shear layers were present in both cases although their characteristics were substantially different. Distributions of boundary friction velocities, and turbulence were also quite different for each case.

Les plumes d'oiseaux abritent de nombreux microorganismes qui pourraient être acquis dans l'environnement, ces microorganismes pouvant exercer une sélection intense sur leurs hôtes en réduisant leur fécondité et leur survie. Plusieurs taxons bactériens qui vivent sur des plumes ont la capacité de dégrader la kératine des plumes et causent des dommages à leur structure et peuvent modifier aussi leur coloration. Les oiseaux utilisent des signaux visuels tels que des couleurs vives ou des ornementations exagérées pour la communication socio-sexuelle ainsi que la reconnaissance des espèces. Seuls les individus en bonne santé sont capables de produire des caractères sexuels secondaires exagérés et restent résistants aux parasites débilitants. Le paon (Pavo cristatus) est une espèce polygame qui a plusieurs décorations exagérées, les caractères sexuels secondaires les plus remarquables du paon sont leur traîne décorée avec des ocelles magnifiques qui contiennent trois couleurs irisées différentes. Grâce à une technique basée sur la culture, j'ai isolé la communauté bactérienne des plumes de différentes parties colorées des ocelles de la traîne du paon. L'étude révèle qu'il y a eu une répartition hétérogène des bactéries parmi les différentes parties colorées des ocelles. L'abondance et la prévalence des taxa bactériens spécifiques étaient liées au degré de dégradation des plumes, à l'expression de différents caractères sexuels secondaires, à des changements dans la coloration des ocelles et à l'augmentation de la croissance quotidienne des plumes. En outre, nous avons constaté un petit effet de l'expression de caractères sexuels secondaires sur la proportion sexuelle des couvées avec un biais en faveur des individus masculins. Les travaux présentés dans cette thèse fournissent des preuves que les ocelles de plumes peuvent être considérés comme un signal fiable de la diversité et de l'abondance de bactéries chez le paon. En conséquence, ils représentent une indication pour la qualité individuelle, ce qui permet aux femelles de choisir des mâles avec une communauté bactérienne spécifique. / Bird feathers harbour numerous microorganisms that could be acquired from the surrounding environment, these microorganisms may exert intense selection on their hosts by reducing fecundity and survivorship. Several bacterial taxa that live on feathers have the ability to degrade feather keratin and cause damage to feather structure and may alter the feather colouration. Birds use visual signals such as bright colours or exaggerated ornamentation for socio-sexual communication as well as species recognition. Only healthy individuals are able to produce exaggerated secondary sexual characters and still remain resistant to debilitating parasites. Peacocks (Pavo cristatus) is a polygamous species that have different exaggerated ornamentation, the most notable secondary sexual characters of the peacock are their long-decorated trains that comprise the magnificent ocelli which contain three different iridescent colours. Through a culture based technique we isolate feather bacterial community from differently coloured parts of the ocelli of the peacock’s train. The study reveals that there was a heterogeneous distribution of bacteria among the differently coloured parts of ocelli. The abundance and prevalence of specific bacterial taxa was related to the degree of feather degradation, expression of different secondary sexual character, changes in ocelli colouration and daily growth increment. Furthermore, we found a small effect of the expression of secondary sexual characters on biasing of brood sex ratio towards production of more sons than daughters. The work presented in this thesis provide evidence that feather ocelli may consider as a reliable signal of the diversity and the abundance of bacteria in peacock and in consequence indication for the individual quality and that allowing the choosy females to pick males with a specific bacterial community.