Tidal stream power generation offers the prospect of predictable, low-CO2 power at a number of locations around the UK and the world. Previous assessments of tidal energy resources have taken the form of desk studies based on simplified navigational data. Where numerical model data has been used it has been at too low a resolution to capture high velocity tidal flows constrained by coastal topography. Analytical solutions for maximum energy extraction in simple tidal channels have been produced, but they have not been extended to more complex open-boundary cases such as flow around headlands and islands. There is therefore a role for site-specific numerical modelling, which when validated, offers the twin advantages of a high-resolution picture of the resource and allowing simulation of momentum extraction within the model to take place. In order to parameterize the sub-grid-scale momentum extraction in such models, a new analytical model of the velocity reduction in a large array of tidal turbines has been derived. The model extends previous models of large wind turbine arrays and uses analogies with flow through submerged vegetation. It provides an equivalent added drag coefficient suitable for use in a 2-D coastal numerical model. A numerical model of the flows in the region of the Portland Bill headland has been produced, forced by tidal elevations at the free boundary. A site selection exercise was carried out for the Portland Bill location and an area of around 12 km2 was identified as having a high potential for development using mean cubed speed found through tidal analysis of model results without energy extraction. A large tidal stream generator array has also been simulated within the Portland Bill model—linked to the new model for momentum extraction—and was found to have a significant effect on the tidal parameters in the locality. This was the first time that a large tidal array has been simulated in a realistic coastal domain of large extent, with a parameterization that takes into account the interaction of the turbines with the rough-wall flow in the natural state. Results predict that there is a region downstream of the array extending approximately 5–10 km around the simulated tidal stream turbine array in which the tidal stream ellipse major axis is reduced by at least 5%. In the area of momentum extraction the principal semi-diurnal tidal stream ellipse major axis length was reduced by 10–15%.

A model was developed to simulate the groundwater of 8,300 acres of the Northern Cities Management Area (NCMA), which encompasses the northern portion of the Arroyo Grande Watershed and a small subset of the Santa Maria Valley Groundwater Basin. This watershed and groundwater basin is located on the coast and contains Oceano and the Cities of Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach. Groundwater in the NCMA is used heavily for agricultural irrigation in the southern portion and municipal applications in the northern portion. Up to 18 of these municipal wells and over 50 irrigation wells are drawing groundwater at any time. Due to the critical nature of both uses, and location on the coastline, both supply and quality is a significant concern. The objective of this research was to improve an existing groundwater model with a longer model duration, a more detailed and discretized recharge estimation, and incorporation of addition municipal well data. Some data was preprocessed in ArcMap. Groundwater modeling was accomplished with Aquaveo GMS using MODFLOW-NWT upstream weighting package (UPW). Elevation, hydrologic soil conditions, stream gauge heights and flows, recharge rates, fault locations, well locations and pumping rates, and transient head boundaries were created via coverages in GMS and mapped to MODFLOW. The model was calibrated using Parameter Estimation (PEST) with Singular Value Decomposition-Assist (SVD-Assist) to observation data in six select monitoring wells and fifteen Sentry wells. The model showed outflow from the domain to the ocean with groundwater flows shifting to parallel the coast following dry periods and significant simulated drawdown from one particular municipal well. These trends can provide water purveyors in the area with additional information on groundwater trends and effects of pumping rates on formation drawdown.

The San Joaquin Valley is regarded as one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. This extensive agriculture has, however, caused extensive pollution of both ground water and surface water. This thesis develops a hydrologic model of the surface and ground waters of the San Joaquin Valley. Such modeling is useful in the development and implementation of water quality regulations such as Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). A properly validated watershed simulation model can supplement data collection and can account for watershed characteristics including topography, soils, climate, land cover, anthropogenic activities, as well as simulate watershed responses including streamflow and contaminant concentration at detailed spatial and temporal scales. Models can be used as a decision support tool to manage complex agricultural watersheds such as the San Joaquin Valley. Once developed, such watershed simulation models can be used to identify contaminant source areas, locate hot-spot areas that have high pollution risk, identify optimal monitoring sites, and determine best management practices to cost-effectively reduce pollution. As a step towards developing a model as a decision making tool, the objective of this study is to appraise effectiveness of a widely used watershed simulation model known as Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate hydrology of the San Joaquin Valley watershed. For this thesis SWAT was successfully calibrated for streamflow at several locations in the watershed, thus demonstrating the capability of the model to represent the complex, snow-driven hydrology of the San Joaquin Valley watershed including dams and reservoirs located in the mountains, and agricultural activities and flow diversion systems in the valleys. Calibration of sediment and nitrate loadings in the surface waters were also attempted; the results were, however, less than convincing compared to stream flow calibration. Future studies are recommended to improve accuracy of the water quality predictions and to evaluate long-term effectiveness of various watershed management policies in improving surface water and groundwater quality in the San Joaquin Valley. The hydrology model developed in this study can be used as a foundation for future studies that focus on water quality.

Thesis (MScIng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary aim of the research was to determine the optimum diversion location in a curved channel to minimise the abstraction of sediment. The secondary aim was to determine the optimum diversion angle for a diversion channel located on the outside of a bend at the optimum diversion location. The velocity distribution in the curved channel was investigated to try obtain a better understanding of curvilinear flow. The scour patterns in the channel were monitored in order to compare them with the measured velocity distributions. Simulations were carried out with the DELFT 3D (hydrodynamics) and Mike21C (sediment dynamics) modelling programmes and compared with the results obtained from laboratory experiments and with existing empirical formulas. The optimum diversion location was found to be located on the outside of the bend in the downstream section of the bend. Three main scour zones were identified with the third scour zone at the location of the maximum velocity. The location of the maximum velocity was found to be relatively constant with varying Froude numbers, but moving in the downstream direction with increasing radius of curvature-to-width ratio. The velocity distributions in the horizontal and vertical planes are well defined and correspond to descriptions in the literature. It is evident that the diverted discharge ratio increases with an increase in the diversion angle while it decreases with an increase in Froude number. Higher Froude numbers in the curved channel lead to more favourable conditions for the diversion of water. The diversion does not influence the secondary flow patterns (for the range of Diversion Discharge Ratio’s tested) and that the maximum velocity zone stayed in the same location as in the tests without a diversion. The hydrodynamics of the laboratory experiments were well simulated with the DELFT 3D hydrodynamic model, using three-dimensional and two-dimensional formulations. Mike21C was used to simulate the sediment dynamics of some of thelaboratory experiments that gave relatively good agreement with experimental data. A two-dimensional depth averaged model could therefore be used with reliability to simulate field conditions in relatively shallow rivers, and is preferred to empirical methods to predict maximum scour that were calibrated under very specific hydraulic conditions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primêre doel van navorsing was om die optimum uitkeer-posisie in ‘n draai te bepaal om sodoende sediment onttrekking te minimiseer. Die sekondêre doel was om die optimum uitkeringshoek vir ‘n uitkeerkanaal te bepaal wat geleë is aan die buitekant van ‘n draai by die voorgestelde optimum uitkeer-posisie. Die snelheidsverspreiding in die draai was ook ondersoek om te probeer om spiraalvloei beter te verstaan. Die uitskuurpatrone in die kanaal is ook gemonitor om dit te kon vergelyk met die gemete snelheidsverspreiding. Numeriese simulasies is gedoen met DELFT 3D (hidrodinamika) en Mike21C (sediment dinamika) modelleringsprogrammatuur en is vergelyk met die resultate van die laboratorium eksperimente asook met die van bestaande empiriese vergelykings. Daar is gevind dat die optimum uitkeer-posisie aan die buitekant van ‘n draai aan die stroomaf-kant van die draai geleë is. Drie hoof uitskurings-areas is gevind terwyl die derde area ooreenstem met die posisie van maksimum snelheid. Die posisie waar die maksimum snelheid voorkom is relatief konstant met ‘n verandering in Froude-getal, maar beweeg in die stroomaf-rigting met ‘n styging in die radius-tot-wydte verhouding. Die vertikale en horisontale snelheidsverspreiding is goed gedefinieer en stem ooreen met soortgelyke beskrywings in die literatuur. Die uitkeer-vloei verhouding styg met ‘n stygende uitkeerhoek terwyl dit daal met ‘n styging in Froude-getal. Daar is ook gevind dat groter Froude-getalle meer gunstige omstandighede skep vir die uitkeer van water. Die uitkeer-kanaal beïnvloed nie die sekondêre vloei-patrone nie (vir die reeks van uitkeer vloei-verhoudings wat getoetsis) en die sone van maksimum snelheid bly in dieselfde omgewing vir hierdie toetse as vir die toetse sonder ‘n uitkeer kanaal. Die hidrodinamika van die laboratorium eksperimente is goed gesimuleer m.b.v die DELFT 3D numeriese program, terwyl Mike21C gebruik is om die sedimentdinamika te simuleer. Die resultate van die Mike21C simulasies vergelyk relatief goed met die eksperimentele data en kan met ‘n redelike graad van vertroue aangewend word om veldkondisies te simuleer in relatiewe vlak riviere. Dit word aanbeveel bo die empiriese vergelykings om maksimum uitskuring te voorspel aangesien die empiriese vergelykings gekalibreer is vir baie spesifieke hidroulise kondisies.

No description available.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Civil Engineering)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Engineering, 1992.

No description available.

The main objective of this research is to estimate the sizes of riprap (loose rock) on highway or railroad embankments approaching bridges, that would be stable in major floods. Two assumptions about the flow direction were made: one horizontal to the bridge abutment and the other normal to the projection of the bridge abutment. Three dynamic conditions of stability of riprap were observed and classified as shaking, some movement, and large movement (washing out). Shaking is the most conservative criteria for design because it indicates more stability than is necessary, requires larger rock, and is less cost efficient. Some movement suggests a conservative design criteria and is the most desirable because it requires smaller riprap and is therefore less expensive. Large movement or washing out means the least stable condition; it may leave the structure as well as human lives exposed to danger.

National efforts to reduce energy dependency on fossil fuels have prompted examination of macrotidal nearshore zones around the UK for potential tidal stream resource development. Although a number of prospective tidal energy sites have been identified, the local hydrodynamics of these sites are often poorly understood. Tidal-energy developers rely on detailed characterisation of tidal energy sites prior to device field trials and installation. Although first-order appraisals may make macrotidal tidal straits appear attractive for development, detailed, site-specific hydrodynamic and bathymetric surveys are important for determining site suitability for tidal stream turbine (TST) installation. Understanding the ways in which coastal features affect tidal velocities at potential TST development sites will improve identification and analysis of physical constraints on tidal-energy development. Ramsey Sound (Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK) will soon host Wales’ first TST demonstration project. However, the local hydrodynamics of the sound have been underexamined. Ramsey Sound experiences a marked tidal asymmetry, with local bathymetric features that affect flow fields which are spatially heterogeneous in three dimensions. Using Ramsey Sound as a case study, this thesis has three objectives: (1) to examine the wake created by submerged objects through field- and laboratory-based measurements, (2) to experimentally investigate the effect of submergence on wake development and decay downstream of a conical island, and (3) to develop a TST suitability tool, which examines the effects of velocity, water depth and bed slope on power availability within a macrotidal coastal area. Laboratory experiments have shown that submergence level is an important parameter controlling wake structure and extent, and that changes in submergence level affect both the 3-D flow structure in the near wake and the 2-D far wake of islands. Analysis of physical and hydrodynamic characteristics in Ramsey Sound, including tidal velocities across the swept area of the pilot TST, vertical shear in the stream flow, estimated power output, water depth and bed slope, suggests that the spatial and temporal variability in the flow field may render much of Ramsey Sound unsuitable for tidal power extraction. Although the resource potential depends on velocity and bathymetric conditions that are fundamentally local, many prospective tidal energy sites are subject to similar physical and hydrodynamic constraints. Results of this study can help inform site selection in these complicated, highly dynamic macrotidal environments.

The large scale and smaller production scale motions contain over the half of turbulent kinetic energy in the flow. These motions are responsible for sediment transport and deposition processes, contaminant mixing and stream bio-diversity. These motions are corresponded to the left and right bounds of -1 power region of the spectral energy. The most well recognized and highly studied power law has been upon Kolmogorov’s -5/3 power law region of the streamwise spectral energy density and this research focused on investigating the -1 power region bounds and energy. Energy budget and time-average turbulence calculations along with spectral analysis are performed to investigate the characteristics of large scale and smaller production scale motions in the flow. Spectral analyses of turbulent flows offers the utility of investigating the distribution of turbulent energy across wavenumber scales as well as identifying prominent wavenumbers at which the periodicity of coherent processes are centered. In turn, the results of spectral analyses can be coupled with visualization of coherent vortices and time-average turbulence results to advance our understanding of turbulent energy distribution and dominant processes that drive environmental phenomena such as sediment transport and solute transfer. A new method for identifying the wavenumbers associated to the macroturbulence and bursting is introduced. Also this study offers a new scaling method of energy spectral that derived from the turbulence energy model for an equilibrium boundary layer. Results of this study show an equilibrium boundary layer for the outer region of the flow in which the flow is uniform and fully-developed. Also for a given roughness, the results of this study provide an approach to calculate the streamwise turbulence kinetic energy of bursting and macroturbulence which show a linkage of this work to applications such as bedload and suspended load sediment transport.