Author(s): J. D. Fenton; G. V. Nalder

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Abstract: The St Venant equations hold a central place in the theory of the propagation of waves and floods in open channels. Their one-dimensional simplicity is in keeping with the approximately known flow and geometry of the problem, however the effects of curvature of the stream have generally been neglected. The present paper is an attempt to incorporate the effects of channel curvature on the propagation of floods and long waves, retaining the relative simplicity of the one- dimensional equations. The effects of stream curvature are expressed only by the offset of the centroid of the cross section and the middle of the stream relative to the local radius of curvature. The essential structure of the equations is the same as the traditional form, and the usual methods may be modified relatively simply to solve them. An expression is given for the speed of long waves as modified by curvature effects in arbitrary channels. It is seen that in real rivers floods travel faster due to the effects of curvature than they would in the same channel straightened out fictitiously for computational purposes, which may have important practical consequences.

DOI:

Year: 1995