Thesis (MScEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This work investigates methods to theoretically determine the lateral velocity distribution across a river from which factors may be derived to translate a single point velocity into average velocity for the river as a whole. A wide range of field data from vanous nvers was analysed. This produced over a hundred velocity distributions with which to compare theoretical distribution results. Four theoretical approaches were considered: the one-dimensional method (Manning's equation), a two-dimensional flow formula solved as an initial-value-problem, a two dimensional flow formula solved as a boundary-value-problem and an empirical method developed from energy principles. The one-dimensional and initial-value-problem approaches were unsuccessful. The boundary-value and empirical approach did however produce promising results. Surprisingly the analysis of the field data revealed patterns of similarity which could produce accurate results without the need of a theoretical approach. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Metodes word ondersoek om teoreties 'n laterale snelheidsverspreiding oor 'n rivier te bepaal en sodoende 'n faktor te vind waarmee 'n gemete enkelpuntsnelheid in die rivier omgeskakel kan word na 'n gemiddelde snelheid vir die rivier in geheel. Vloeimeetdata van verskeie nviere IS geanaliseer. Sodoende is meer as 100 snelheidsverspreidings gegenereer waarmee die teorie vergelyk kon word. Vier teoretiese benaderings is gevolg: Manning se een-dimensionele vloeivergelyking, 'n twee dimensionele vloei-vergelyking opgelos met behulp van 'n beginwaarde, 'n twee dimensionele vloei-vergelyking opgelos met behulp van randwaardes, en 'n empiriese metode ontwikkel vanuit energie beginsels. Die een-dimensionele- en beginwaarde-benaderings was me suksesvol me. Die randwaarde- en empiriese benaderings het wel belowende resultate gelewer. Selfs verwerking van die gemete stroommetings het waardevolle inligting gelewer: daar bestaan duidelike ooreenkomste in die snelheidsverspreidings wat gebruik kan word om die verspreidingsfaktor mee te bereken sonder om teoretiese oplossings te soek.

Thesis (MEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Segmentally lined tunnels are increasingly being built to transfer water from one water scheme to another. The segments that line such tunnels are often in the form of pre-cast concrete sections, which are placed around the perimeter of the tunnel. As these tunnels are very expensive to construct, it is imperative that their hydraulic capacities can be calculated accurately. Even a slight variation in the design diameter has a significant effect on the cost of the tunnel. Due to the construction method involved, alternative segments are not always properly aligned. This creates roughness elements in the tunnel commonly known as steps. These steps occur randomly and vary in size. Since the steps lead to increased roughness and thus decrease the hydraulic capacity of the tunnel, it is essential that this effect be allowed for in the design of the tunnel. A hydraulic model was used to determine the contribution of steps to the hydraulic roughness, according to step size and frequency of steps. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tonnels word al hoe meer gebou om water tussen waterskemas te vervoer. Die voering van sulke tunnels word dikwels saamgestel uit voorafvervaardigde beton panele wat geplaas word om 'n huls langs die omtrek van die tonnel te vorm. Aangesien hierdie tonnels geweldig duur is om te bou, is dit uiters noodsaaklik dat die hidrouliese kapasiteit van 'n tonnel akkuraat bereken kan word. 'n Klein variasie in die diameter van die tonnel het 'n betekenisvolle effek op die koste daarvan. Die konstruksiemetode van sulke tonnels veroorsaak dat opeenvolgende panele nie altyd presies oplyn nie. Sulke afwykings in die belyning van die tonnelpanele veroorsaak klein trappies, wat bydra tot die ruheid in die tonne I en sodoende die kapasiteit daarvan laat afneem. Die afwykings varieer in grootte en kom in geen spesifieke patroon voor nie. 'n Modelstudie is uitgevoer om die bydrae wat die afwykings in the belyning van die opeenvolgende ringe tot die hidrouliese weerstand maak, te bepaal.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Rivers are one of the earth's major readily available sources of fresh water. Abstractions from rivers are however not without problems. Firstly, river ow is variable and to deliver a constant yield is difficult. Secondly, rivers transport sediment which will be included in the diverted ow. Sediment control at diversion works have been studied for many years and this study attempts to gain further knowledge on certain sediment control features of diversion works. Sediment control at diversion works and abstraction works is crucial to prolong the life of the mechanical components like pumps and turbines. A Commonly used diversion works design is one with a low weir and a graveltrap. The weir dams water for abstraction, which is of importance in South Africa with its variable rainfall and river ow. The study focused on the following design features of diversion works: (1) the intake angle, which is the angle at which the structure is pushed into the river, (2) the intake opening height above a datum, (3) the river ow range where sediment is sufficiently scoured from the graveltrap and (4) the efficiency and river ow range of sediment ushing through a sluice gate at the graveltrap. A Physical model study was conducted in the laboratory of the University of Stellenbosch, which consisted of designing the diversion works that were to be tested. The designs were based on guidelines from previous studies, case studies and hydraulic principles. The above mentioned features (1-4) were studied at three structures with prototype weir sizes of 2.5 m, 3.5 m and 4.5 m. The river was modelled as a straight rectangular channel with a loose bed surface, which was simulated with crushed peach pips. Sediment was also fed into the system with a conveyor belt feed system. Pumps were used to abstract water and sediment through the intake opening, during the diverted sediment tests. Flow was diverted at a specific ow rate for each structure. The diverted sediment was caught and weighed. Each structure was designed to divert sediment through one of three intake opening heights, to determine whether a higher intake opening sufficiently reduces the amount of diverted sediment. The self-scour efficiency at the graveltrap was determined with a sediment level survey in the graveltrap. From the survey a clearance ow was determined, which is the minimum river ow that clears the intake opening of sediment along its complete length. It was also determined what intake angle induces secondary ow which results in the lowest clearance ow. The sediment ushing through the sluice gate was evaluated by recording the time it takes a full graveltrap to be ushed clean at various river ow rates. The maximum river ow at which the graveltrap still ushes efficiently was determined for each structure. It was found that between the 300, 450 and 600 intake angle that were tested, the 60 0 angle yields the lowest diverted sediment ratio (DSR) over the range of structures as well as river ows tested. The tests yielded a river ow at each structure where the DSR is at minimum. During the self-scour tests of the graveltrap, it was determined that a 450 intake angle promotes better self-scour at the graveltrap. To promote both features, a 450 intake angle is suggested, as it reduces diverted sediment and has a lower risk of issues due to too large ow constriction. The intake opening height was evaluated with analysis of diverted load and concentration. The conclusions on the intake opening vary between structure sizes. In the case of the smallest structure, with a 2.5 m weir height, the improvement observed for intake openings higher than the first (lowest) were variable. In the case of the 3.5 m weir structure, the results showed three consecutive intake openings could be feasible. In the case of the 4.5 m weir structure, less improvement was observed between the highest two intakes. Flood frequency should determine whether an intake opening with top-of-inlet of 1.6 m or 3.3 m above the minimum operating level should be designed. It was observed during the sediment ushing tests that submergence of either the graveltrap wall and/or the downstream water level affects the ushing efficiency. y3/y2, which is the downstream ow depth over the contracted ow depth under the sluice gate of the graveltrap, was evaluated as an indicator of efficient ushing. The study found that a good guideline would be to ush during river ows where y3/y2 < 1, while also ensuring the ow over the graveltrap wall entrains the sediment in the graveltrap. A figure which plots the downstream ow depth over sluice gate opening size was developed to serve as an operational guideline to efficient sediment ushing. The figure shows zones of efficient and non-efficient ushing. Further, the observed sediment ushing and self-scour ranges at each structure are also represented graphically. The fact that there was designed for a specific river scenario and also the lack of varied model sediment size, limits the applicability of the findings and conclusions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Riviere is van die aarde se hoof, maklik beskikbare bronne van vars water. Onttrekking uit riviere is wel nie sonder probleme nie. Eerstens is rivier vloei wisselvallig en om 'n konstante lewering te handhaaf is moeilik. Tweedens, vervoer riviere sediment wat ingesluit sal wees in die uitgekeerde vloei. Sediment beheer by uitkeerwerke word al vir baie jare bestudeer en hierdie studie poog om verdere kennis te verkry oor sekere sediment beheer funksies van uitkeerwerke. Sediment beheer by uitkeerwerke en onttrekkingswerke is noodsaaklik om die lewensduur van meganiese komponente soos pompe en turbines te verleng. 'n Algemeen toegepaste uitkeerwerke ontwerp is een met n lae keerwal en gruisvangkanaal. Die keerwal dam water op, wat nodig kan wees om die lewering te handhaaf, veral met Suid-Afrika se wisselvallige reënval en rivier vloei. Die studie het gefokus op die volgende ontwerp funksies van uitkeerwerke: (1) die inlaathoek, wat die hoek is waarteen die struktuur in die rivier ingedruk is, (2) die inlaatopening hoogte bo 'n datum, (3) die rivier vloei reeks waar sediment voldoende uitgeskuur word uit die gruisvangkanaal uit en (4) die effektiwiteit en rivier vloei reeks van 'n sediment spoel aksie deur 'n sluishek in die gruisvangkanaal. 'n Fisiese model studie was onderneem in die laboratorium van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch, wat bestaan het uit die ontwerp van die uitkeerwerke wat getoets sou word. Die ontwerp is gebasseer op riglyne van vorige studies, gevallestudies en hirouliese beginsels. Die bogenoemde funksies (1-4) was bestudeer by drie strukture met prototipe keerwal hoogtes van 2.5 m, 3.5 m en 4.5 m. Die rivier was gemodelleer as 'n reguit, reghoekige kanaal met 'n los bed oppervlakte, wat gesimuleer is met fyngemaakte perske pitte. Sediment was ook in die sisteem ingevoer met 'n vervoerband voer sisteem. Pompe was gebruik om water en sediment te onttrek deur die inlaatopening tydens die uitgekeerde sediment toetse. Vloei was uitgekeer teen 'n spesifieke vloeitempo vir elke struktuur. Die uitgekeerde sediment was gevang en geweeg. Elke struktuur was ontwerp om sediment uit te keer deur een van drie inlaatopening hoogtes, om te bepaal of 'n hoër inlaatopening hoogte die hoeveelheid uitgekeerde sediment voldoende verminder. Die self-uitskuur effektiwiteit van die gruisvangkanaal was bepaal deur 'n sediment vlak opmeting in die gruisvangkanaal. Vanaf die opmeting was 'n skoonmaak vloei bepaal, wat die minimum rivier vloei is wat die inlaatopening skoon maak van sediment oor die totale lengte. Dit was ook bepaal watter inlaathoek veroorsaak sekondêre vloei wat die laagste skoonmaak vloei oplewer. Die sediment spoel aksie deur die sluishek was geëvalueer deur die tyd wat dit neem om 'n vol gruisvangkanaal skoon te spoel, teen verskeie rivier vloeitempos te bepaal. 'n Maksimum rivier vloei waarteen die guisvangkanaal steeds effektiewelik skoon spoel was bepaal vir elke struktuur. Dit was bevind dat tussen die 300, 450 en 600 inlaathoeke wat getoets is, lewer die 600 hoek die laagste uitgekeerde sediment verhouding (USV) oor die reeks van strukture, asook rivier vloeitempos wat getoets is. Die toetse het 'n rivier vloei opgelewer by elke struktuur, waar USV 'n minimum was. Gedurende die self-uitskuur toetse was dit bepaal dat 'n 450 inlaathoek beter uitskuur in die gruisvangkanaal bevorder. Om beide funksies te bevorder word 'n 450 inlaathoek voorgestel, omdat dit ook uitgekeerde sediment verminder en 'n laer risiko van probleme as gevolg van te groot vloei vernouing het. Die inlaatopening hoogte was geëvalueer met analise van die uitgekeerde sediment lading en konsentrasie. Die gevolgtrekkings oor die inlaatopening hoogte varieer tussen struktuur groottes. In die geval van die kleinste struktuur, met 'n 2.5 m keerwal hoogte, was die verbetering wat waargeneem was by inlaatopeninge hoër as die eerste (laagste) inlaat, wisselvallig. In die geval van 'n 3.5 m keerwal struktuur het die resultate getoon dat drie opeenvolgende inlaatopeninge kan uitvoerbaar wees. In die geval van 'n 4.5 m keerwal struktuur was minder verbetering waargeneem tussen die hoogste twee inlate. Vloed frekwensie moet bepaal of 'n inlaatopening hoogte met 'n bokant-van-inlaat vlak van 1.6 m of 3.3 m bo minimun bedryfvlak moet ontwerp word. Dit was waargeneem dat gedurende die sediment spoel toetse dat versuiping van die gruisvangkanaal muur en/of die stroomaf watervlak die spoel effektiwiteit beïnvloed. y3/y2, wat die stroomaf vloeidiepte oor die vernoude vloeidiepte onder die sluishek van die gruisvangkanaal is, was geëvalueer as 'n indikator van effektiewe spoel aksie. Die studie het bevind dat 'n goeie riglyn sal wees om te spoel tydens rivier vloeie waar y3/y2 < 1 is, terwyl dit ook verseker moet word dat vloei oor die gruisvang kanaal sediment meevoer in die gruisvangkanaal. 'n Figuur wat die stroomaf vloeidiepte teenoor die sluisopening grootte plot was ontwikkel om te dien as 'n bedryfsriglyn tot effektiewe spoel aksie. Die figuur toon zones van effektiewe en nie-effektiewe spoel aksie aan. Verder is die waargeneemde sediment spoel aksie en self-uitskuur reekse van elke struktuur ook grafies voorgestel. Die feit dat daar ontwerp is vir 'n spesifieke rivier scenario asook die gebrek aan variëerende model sediment grootte, beperk die toepasbaarheid van die bevindings en gevolgtrekkings.

Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracture stimulation have enabled the economic development of unconventional resource plays. An average horizontal well in the Barnett Shale requires 3 to 4 million gallons of fresh water, 90% of which is used for hydraulic fracture stimulation. While the water consumption of Barnett Shale operations is less than 1% of total Region C consumption, extended drought conditions and competing demands for water resources are placing pressure on operators to reduce terminal water consumption. Strategies which reduce water requirements associated hydraulic fracture stimulation without compromising the efficiency and cost of energy production are essential in developing a comprehensive policy on energy-water management. Recycling and reuse technologies were evaluated on the basis of performance, cost, and capacity to treat reclaimed flowback water and oilfield brine. Recycling flowback fluids for future hydraulic fracture applications is the most practical repurposing of oilfield waste. The low TDS content of flowback derived from water-based fracs permits multiple treatment options. Mobile thermal distillation technology has emerged as the prevailing technique for recycling flowback water, yielding maximum water savings and reduced operating costs. The estimated cost of recycling flowback water by thermal distillation is $3.35/bbl. Compared to the current cost of disposal, recycling provides an opportunity to minimize waste and reduce the fresh water requirements of hydraulic fracture stimulation at an incremental cost. The stewardship role of the Texas Legislature is to protect the water resources of the state and to facilitate the Regional Water Planning Process, ensuring future water needs are met. The support and participation of the Legislature and other planning entities is critical in advancing the energy-water nexus. As operators pursue innovative water management practices to reduce terminal water consumption in the oilfield, the Barnett Shale positions itself as a model for sustainable water use in the development of unconventional shale resources. The cost of recycling and reuse technology limits the participation of small and mid-size operators who possess the greatest market share of the Barnett Shale. Funding for research and implementation of water-conscious strategies such as shared recycling facilities, CO2 capture and storage, and pipeline infrastructure would create multi-user opportunities to promote conservation and reduce net consumption of fresh water supplies. Through the integration of technology and policy, terminal water consumption in the Barnett Shale can be greatly diminished. / text

Permeable friction course (PFC) is a porous asphalt pavement placed on top of a regular impermeable roadway. Under small rainfall intensities, drainage is contained within the PFC layer; but, under higher rainfall intensities drainage occurs both within and on top of the porous pavement. This dissertation develops a computer model—the permeable friction course drainage code (PERFCODE)—to study this two-dimensional unsteady drainage process. Given a hyetograph, geometric information, and hydraulic properties, the model predicts the variation of water depth within and on top of the PFC layer through time. The porous layer is treated as an unconfined aquifer of variable saturated thickness using Darcy’s law and the Dupuit-Forchheimer assumptions. Surface flow is modeled using the diffusion wave approximation to the Saint-Venant equations. A mass balance approach is used to couple the surface and subsurface phases. Straight and curved roadway geometries are accommodated via a curvilinear grid. The model is validated using steady state solutions that were obtained independently. PERFCODE was applied to a field monitoring site near Austin, Texas and hydrographs predicted by the model were consistent with field measurements. For a sample storm studied in detail, PFC reduced the duration of sheet flow conditions by 80%. The model may be used to improve the drainage design of PFC roadways. / text

<p>Simulation of the planing hull in waves has been addressed during the last 25 years and basically been approached by strip methods. This work follows that tradition and describes a time-domain strip model for simulation of the planing hull in waves. The actual fluid mechanical problem is simplified through the strip approach. The load distribution acting on the hull is approximated by determining the section load at a number of hull sections, strips. The section-wise 2-dimensional calculations are expressed in terms of added mass coefficients and used in the formulations of both inertia and excitation forces in the equations of motions. The modeling approach starts from the hypothetic assumption that the transient conditions can be modeled based on those section-wise calculations. The equation of motion is solved in the time-domain. The equation is up-dated at each time step and every iteration step with respect to the momentary distribution of section draught and relative incident velocity between the hull and water and catches the characteristic non-linear behavior of the planing craft in waves.</p><p>The model follows the principles of the pioneering work of E. E. Zarnick differing on model structure and in details such as the modeling of the lift in the transom area. A major part of the work is concerned with experiments and evaluation of simulations with respect to performed model tests and to published experiment data. Simulations of model tests have been performed and comparisons have been made between measured and simulated time series. The link between simulation and experiment is a wave model which is based on a wave height measurement signal. It is developed and evaluated in the thesis.</p><p>The conclusions are in favor of the 2-dimensional approach to modeling the conditions for the planing hull in waves and among further studies is evaluation of simulated loads and motions to full-scale trial measurement data.</p>

<p>Mosquitoes are found in extremely large numbers in the lower parts of the River Dalälven. In the year 2000 the mosquito nuisance was especially high, resulting in foundation of the Biological mosquito control project. Since 2001 mosquito larvae are controlled by using a biological pesticide BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis ssp israelensis). The mosquito fauna in the area is dominated by flood water mosquitoes, a group of mosquitoes that are very aggressive and form new generations of mosquitoes during every single flooding event during the summer. To be able to efficiently control the mosquitoes it is essential to know the extension and locality of the flooding. A flooding event is evaluated by how high the water level will reach and at which time the top of the hydrograph is accruing. There is a need for a tool for short time prediction of flooding events in the Nedre Dalälven region. In this study a hydraulic model in the software HEC-RAS has been used, here called HEC-RAS NEDA. The hydraulic model came up with good results when predicting water surface levels. The validation process made from figures of a period with large amplitude in water levels showed that the modelled water level was within ± 0,05 m from the observed water stands. It is a stable model that can handle 100-year flows with quick changes in the flow. The correspondence is good concerning the water levels and it functions well when studying the top of the hydrograph. HEC-RAS NEDA is an accurate and easy to manage tool for prediction of flooding in the lake of Bysjön, Österviken and Färnebofjärden. Modelled results have been compared with the model made by Swedish meteorological and hydrological institute on the request of Räddningsverket. The results from the two models shows large discrepancies, probably because of low accuracy data entered into the model from Räddningsverket. Räddningsverket has used the Geographical Sweden Data height data bank´and I used the height data from a laser scanned digital terrain model. Area studies have also been made according to how the area of the water surface changes with the water stand. These studies show that during the flood in year 2000, 55 km2 was flooded based on laserscanning in Färnebofjärden.</p> / <p>Mygg förekommer i extremt stora antal i området kring nedre delen av Dalälven. År 2000 var myggplågan särskilt stor vilket medförde att projekt Biologisk Myggkontroll bildades. Myggbekämpning har bedrivits i Nedre Dalälven sedan 2001 med ett biologiskt bekämpningsmedel, Bacillus thuringiensis ssp israelensis (BTI). Områdets myggfauna domineras av så kallade översvämningsmygg, en grupp stickmyggor som är mycket aggressiva och bildar nya generationer efter varje enskild översvämning under sommaren. För en effektiv bekämpning av mygglarverna krävs att man vet översvämningens omfattning och lokalisering. En översvämning bedöms med avseende på hur högt vattenståndet når samt vid vilken tidpunkt hydrografens toppvärde inträffar. Det finns ett behov av ett verktyg som kan utföra korttidsprognoser av översvämningar i Nedre Dalälven. I denna studie har en hydraulisk modell i programvaran HEC-RAS använts, här kallad för HEC-RAS NEDA. Den hydrauliska modellen fungerar bra till att användas för prediktering av vattenstånd i Nedre Dalälven. Valideringen av modellen mot värden under en testperiod med stor amplitud i vattenståndet visade att modellerade vattenstånd var inom ± 0,05 m från de uppmätta värdena. Modellen är stabil och klarar av att hantera 100-årsflöden med snabba flödesfluktuationer. HEC-RAS NEDA är ett noggrant och lätthanterligt predikteringsverktyg för översvämningar i Bysjön, Österviken och Färnebofjärden. Överensstämmelsen är god gällande nivån av vattenståndet och den fungerar bra för att studera hydrografens topp temporärt. Modellerade resultat har jämförts med karteringar som Sveriges meteorologiska och hydrologiska institut har gjort på Räddningsverkets begäran. Resultaten skiljer sig betydligt mellan HEC-RAS NEDA och Räddningsverkets modell, troligen på grund av att Räddningsverket har stora svagheter i indata till modellen. Räddningsverket har använt Geografiska Sverige Data-Höjddata och modellen HEC-RAS NEDA är framtagen med höjddata från en digital terrängmodell baserad på laserscanning. Areella studier i GIS över hur arean av vattenspegeln förändras med vattenståndet visar att Färnebofjärden under augusti år 2000 lade 55 km2 under vatten.</p>

Drought-induced tree mortality is an emerging global phenomenon that appears related to climate change and rising temperatures in particular, and may be an early indication of vegetation change. However, vegetation response to climate change is uncertain, particularly for future novel climates. Notably, no current models of vegetation change attempt to mechanistically predict plant mortality, and in particular, mortality of trees, which exerts strong influences on ecological function. Resolving uncertainties surrounding the physiological mechanism and temperatures sensitivity of tree mortality is a current challenge in global change ecology. The objectives of this dissertation were to 1) consider tree mortality consequences for earth system processes related to carbon, water, and energy exchange that include climate regulation; 2) explore tree mortality effects on the water cycle by developing hypotheses and research needs; 3) quantify the temperature sensitivity of drought-induced tree mortality and gain insight into the physiological mechanism of mortality; 4) quantify the relationships among temperature, stored carbohydrate resources, and gas exchange to further elucidate physiological tree mortality mechanisms; and 5) quantify the sensitivity of two species of pine seedlings to progressively elevated temperatures and relate mortality to the effect of temperature on carbon metabolism. Major findings of this dissertation relate to the temperature sensitivity, physiological mechanism, and implications of tree mortality. Assessment of the potential consequences of tree mortality for earth system processes documented the contrasting influences of tree mortality on the terrestrial C cycle and land-surface energy exchange, the balance of which will determine the net effects on climate regulation (Appendix A). Following a survey of the ecohydrology literature, thresholds for tree mortality to cause watershed changes were hypothesized at ~20% loss of canopy cover, ~500 mm of annual precipitation, and whether flows are snowmelt dominated (Appendix B). Elevated temperature (~+4°C) accelerated tree mortality by 28% during experimental drought, a difference related to cumulative respiration dynamics in piñon pine (Appendix C). Stored carbohydrate resources were declined during lethal drought but were not entirely depleted prior to mortality (Appendix D). Seedlings exhibited progressive declines in time-to mortality with increased temperatures, a response related to C metabolism (Appendix E).

Durban is the busiest container port in Africa and there are plans for significant expansion during the next few years. This expansion includes the widening of the port entrance channel to accommodate larger "post-panamax" vessels. Complex crosscurrents near the port entrance, coupled with severe wind and wave conditions, may lead to the intermittent closure of the port which in turn could lead to significant economic implications. Information on the nature of the crosscurrents and how they affect the ships could assist harbour pilots in developing their skills and reduce the risks associated with steering ships into the port. The research involved a case study to develop an innovative new method for directly measuring the effect of wind, waves and crosscurrents on ships entering the port. The technology is based on the application of digital image processing to track the position of ships as they manoeuvre in the port approach channel. The key innovation of this research is the extraction of the heading direction of the ship from the image data. The angle between this heading direction and the true velocity vector (the "crab angle") is then a direct measure of the cross-track drift velocity (CTDV) due to the combined effects of wind, waves and currents. The crosscurrents are usually the main contributing factor to the cross-track drift. The aim of this research was to develop a fully automated image processing system for real-time ship monitoring, and to determine cross-track drift within a wide range of weather conditions and ship parameters. The methodology presented in this research allows the spatial structure of the CTDV along the harbour approach channel to be studied. The relationship of the CTDV to local surface winds was analysed. For deep draught vessels, measured CTDVs were found to be poorly correlated to surface winds. The spatial structure of the measured CTDVs shows distinct regions along the approach channel where vessels experience significantly larger drift velocities. In summary, with the software tools developed by this research, digital images can be captured automatically and analysed to produce ship tracks and crab angles. From this information an extensive database for ship manoeuvring in the approach channel can be developed and the safety and efficiency of port operations improved. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

In the past decades, engineers have started to realize the importance of the interaction between vegetation, biota and water flow, in riverine and marine environments; a discipline that has been named “Eco-Hydraulics”. Scientists have valued this coupled phenomenon for much longer than their engineering colleagues. As early as 1970, marine researchers presented the evidence that colonies of micro-organisms might alter the stability of fine cohesive sediments (Neuman et al., 1970). However traditional models of sediments transport (e.g. Shields, 1936) have been derived using abiotic sediments and did not consider that most wet surfaces would soon be colonized by micro-organisms and their extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), a combination called “biofilm” (Lock, 1993). Scientists during the 1990s, after observing this phenomenon in the field, coined the term “biostabilization”. During this period they showed that colonies of cyanobacteria and diatoms coating fine sand or cohesive sediments can increase their stability by up to 960% compared to abiotic sediments (Grant and Gust, 1987; Dade et al, 1990; Paterson 1997). Only recently have engineers started to take into consideration the effect of such increased cohesion and adhesion due to biogenic forces within the sediment transport model (Righetti and Lucarelli, 2007); yet all of those studies have low applicability because they are linked to specific environmental conditions. Moreover no data are available on the effect of biofilm on larger sediments (e.g. coarse sand and gravel). The present thesis provides experimental data carried out in a flume laboratory pertaining to biostabilization of non-cohesive coarse sand and gravels at a scale representation of a real river system (from 0.2m to 1m). Four sediment substratum (glass spheres of D50 = 1.09mm and 2.00mm; sand of D50 = 1.20mm and gravel of D50 = 2.20mm) were colonized under unidirectional flow by a cyanobacterium (Phormidium sp.) for between 1 and 10 weeks. The increase in erosion threshold for biotic sediment is then investigated using a series of different methods ranging from traditional sediment transport techniques (e.g. Yalin, 1972), to image thresholding and particle image velocimetry (PIV) assessments of flow modification due to biofilm presence. Moreover, tensile strength analysis of ex-situ biofilm/substratum specimens will be presented to understand better the mechanical property of this composite material. Data indicates that: i) biostabilization of sediments in the range of coarse sand and gravel occurs (9%-150% more shear stress required to induce entrainment compared to abiotic sediments) but to a lower extent compared to critical entrainment thresholds for fine sand and cohesive sediments (Paterson, 1997); ii) flume experimentation can be employed to control specific variables affecting biostabilization and could help to unfold the complicated interactions between environmental variables, and the affect of flow on the growth and strength of biofilm colonization over sediments; iii) strong biofilm growth generated a more uniform velocity field, with reduction in shear stress (up to 82% compared with abiotic sediments) and decreases in roughness length of the bed (up to 94% compared to abiotic sediments); iv) Composite biofilm/substratum specimens presented a clear elastic behaviour when tensile tested; v) Conventional models of sediment transport (e.g. Wiberg and Smith, 1987) do not consider the presence of biofilm and will not work in the case of bio-mats smoothing the surface of the bed; hence the need for new models which include the biofilm elasticity and the bio-mat smoothing process. This thesis suggests two theoretical examples where the biofilm action is considered at a grain to grain and bio-mat scale.