Author(s): Keyue Chen, Huan-Feng Duan, Xufeng Yan, Xiekang Wang, Xingnian Liu

Linked Author(s): Keyue Chen

Keywords: Uncertainty analysis, stochastic model, perturbation method, lateral flow, unsteady open channel flow

Abstract: Flow modeling has become essential and crucial to the hydraulic design of river channel structures such as dams, bridges and piers and to the water resources management of river networks such as flooding control and risk analysis. However, the open channel flow process, especially for mountainous rivers, is usually unsteady and highly uncertain due to the variability and randomness in both natural and artificial characteristics of parameters such as initial and boundary conditions. This paper aims to investigate the uncertainty influence of the lateral flows along mountainous river channel to the unsteady flow process in the channel. To this end, a stochastic model based on the 1D Saint-Venant equations is firstly developed by the perturbation method to express the uncertainty propagation characteristics of the lateral flows, which is solved through finite difference method. This model includes both the spatial and temporal variation and propagation of the lateral flows along the river channel, so as to fully understand the influence of uncertain lateral flows on the unsteady flow process in the channel. The findings of this study may provide practical significance and implications to the flooding risk control and water resources management of mountainous watersheds as well as to the extension and development of unsteady open channel flow models for complex mountainous rivers

DOI:

Year: 2017