Size and effect on the mean flow of large-scale horizontal coherent structures in open-channel flows: an experimental studyThis paper is one of a selection of papers in this Special Issue in honour of Professor M. Selim Yalin (1925–2007).

Abstract

The size of the largest horizontal coherent structures (HCSs) of turbulence in open-channel flows is investigated experimentally on the basis of three series of flow velocity measurements. These are further used to explore the dynamics and morphological consequences of HCSs. The flow velocity measurements were carried out in a 21 m long and 1 m wide channel, with a bed formed by sand with average grain size of 2 mm. The bed surface was flat. The turbulent and subcritical flow under investigation was uniform, with a flow depth of 4 cm. The bed slope of 0.0015 was such that, for the present flow depth, the bed shear stress acting on the bed was substantially below the threshold for initiation of motion, thus ensuring that the bed remained flat throughout the measurements. To the knowledge of the writers, this work is a first attempt to systematically investigate HCSs in open-channel flows. It should be viewed as an extension to the case of horizontal structures of work previously carried out by a number of authors on large-scale organized turbulence motion in open-channel flows, so far focusing exclusively on vertical coherent structures (VCSs). The horizontal burst length was found to be between five and seven times the flow width. A slight internal meandering of the flow caused by the superimposition of burst sequences on the mean flow was detectable. Both of these findings lend support to the longstanding belief expressed by many prominent researchers that the formation of large-scale river forms is directly related to the large-scale turbulence. In particular, the present measurements for the first time provide some direct evidence in support of hypotheses previously raised by Yalin and da Silva regarding the formation of alternate bars and meanders through the action of HCSs on the mean flow and the mobile bed and banks.