Experimental analysis on the channel adjustment processes by weir removal

Abstract

This study investigates the adjustment processes of the rivers after weir removal through laboratory experiments. Delta upstream eroded rapidly by flow at the initial stage of the experiments and the knickpoint migrates upward. Moreover, the knickpoint moves fast upward on the condition of alternate bars. The head cutting in the bed is developed fast at the initial stage. However, the erosion speed in the bed decreases with time. The well developed alternate bars migrates with keeping their shape downstream, and the bars affect the channel downstream to adjust new environments after weir removal. Maximum scouring depth downstream and the migration speed decrease over time after removing the weir. The scouring depth in the channel without alternate bars migrates with speed. However, the depth in the channel with alternate bars migrates slow downstream. The channel with alternate bars, in turn, is adjusted well to the new equilibrium states. The maximum scouring depth migrates downstream with time, and the scouring depth and its migration speed decreases with time. The dimensionless maximum scouring depth decreases with the migration speed of dimensionless maximum scouring depth because the deeply scoured places capture the sediments from upstream and the migration speed is slow as the places are filled with them. The dimensionless maximum scouring depth is shallow as the dimensionless backfilling speed is high. The dimensionless maximum scouring depth decreases rapidly less than 5 of dimensionless backfilling speed. However, the depth decreases slow more than 5 of it.