Experimental and numerical investigation of breaking bores in straight and meandering channels with different Froude numbers

ABSTRACT This study investigates the propagation characteristics of breaking bore in meandering channels focusing on the effects of Froude number (F) on the breaking bore. The experiments are conducted with different Froude number conditions of F = 3.99 for high F and F = 1.53 for low F in a straight and meandering channel. The experimental results are compared with calculated results by Shallow Water Equation (SWE) model and three-dimensional calculation model. In the low F condition, the oscillation of water level like a soliton fission was observed and it was amplified along both banks in the meandering channel. This was explained using the temporal variation of the transverse water surface gradient calculated by SWE model, that is not related with non-hydrostatic pressure component and vertical distribution of the velocity. The high F condition is characterized by the longitudinal gradient of bore head caused by large energy loss. In the meandering channel, the SWE model overestimated the wave height near the bore front along both banks. This is because the secondary flow in the meandering channel increases the velocity near the bed and the flow resistance compared with low F condition and reduces the wave height.