NUMERICAL MODELLING OF BANK EROSION IN A CIRCULAR CHANNEL WITH COHESIVE BANKS INCLUDING EFFECT OF SLUMP BLOCKS

Abstract

In this paper two numerical models are analyzed and then, the advantages of each model are combined in order to simulate bank erosion in a river bend. The coupled model includes the effect of slump blocks produced by cantilever failure in cohesive banks and a corrected velocity profile that takes into account the lateral inclination of velocity profile at a bend. The model is developed for simulating flow in an infinitely long circular channel and is applied to seven cases. Four cases are tested for cohesive banks and three cases in non-cohesive materials. The capacity of the model to simulate the effects of slump blocks in cohesive banks is qualitatively analyzed and, for the case of non-cohesive banks, the numerical model is validated using experimental data obtained from the literature.