Experimental Studies on Water and Solute Transport Processes in a Hydraulic Model of the Severn Estuary, UK

Abstract

A physical model that consisted of a glass reinforced plastic model, constructed to a 1:25,000 horizontal scale and with a 1:125 vertical scale of the Severn estuary was designed and fitted into a tidal basin at Cardiff University. The model, which was first of its kind, was used to conduct studies on the hydrodynamic (i.e. water levels and velocities) and solute transport processes in the estuary, with the latter being studied through dye tracer studies. This basin is particularly significant since in recent years the estuary has attracted a lot of attention, especially with the potential of renewable energy generation. Thus any studies that can help mimic the water behaviour in the estuary, and replicate conditions in the prototype, would help address the many concerns relating to tidal dynamics and water quality in the estuary. The physical model could not match the prototype exactly due to scaling and space constraints, however, the results obtained agreed well with field studies and other studies reported in the literature.