Improving a 1D Hydraulic Model to Include Bridges as Internal Boundary Conditions

Abstract

The paper describes the implementation of internal boundary conditions in the 1D ORSADEM hydraulic model to simulate the effect of a hydraulic in-line structure. The proposed model introduces a simplified representation of the bridge geometry by imposing an equivalent narrowing, computed according to the opening size and characteristics, combined with the mass and energy balance at the structure. The model is then applied to a series of experimental tests concerning the propagation of shock waves through different types of bridges, representing different flow conditions, from free surface flow to overflow. The tests are also simulated with the original 1D ORSADEM model, including the standard head losses and the cross-section narrowing due to the presence of a structure. The comparison with the experimental measurements shows that the proposed model can simulate the shock wave flow through the bridges with a higher accuracy than the standard formulation. These findings highlight the possibility of properly evaluating the backwater effect at bridges even with a simple 1D model if the physical narrowing of the cross-section is modeled.