This paper presents an application of a quasi-3D numerical model to a flood flow in a composite river channel. First, surface velocity distribution of a flood flow was measured in a reach of 20 km long of the lower Tone River by analyzing a series of aerial photos taken in a flood of September, 1998, and then the results were used for verification of the numerical flow model. Before the numerical simulation, hydraulic condition at the time of photo shooting was examined through comparison of published hydraulic data and the results of aerial photo analysis, which suggested that onsite measurement by floating rods overestimated the river discharge by 20-30% and that quasi-steady flow was developed when the photos were taken. Being based on the findings, numerical simulation was carried out under constant boundary conditions with a flow discharge estimated from the aerial photo analysis. Manning's roughness was determined for each surface condition of flood plain by referring to values published in literatures. Computation results fairly reproduced not only the distribution of observed surface velocity in cross sections but also the deviation of surface streamline from the channel centerline which may be caused by secondary circulation in the meandering river channel. In addition, wavy patterns of surface turbidity along the boundaries of low water channel and flood plains, which were observed in the photos, were corresponding to ordered motion of large horizontal eddies appearing in the computation result. Comparison of observed and calculated longitudinal profiles of transverse velocity at the boundaries showed that the scales and intensities of the eddies were well reproduced by the computation.
View full abstract