Implementation of a physical model to determine the hydraulic behavior of mountain rivers

Abstract

The present work consisted in the implementation of a small-scale physical model of a mountain river according to the similarity conditions that these models must satisfy, this model was implemented in a channel with measures 200 cm length, base 20 cm and height of 15 cm; a variable slope between 1% and 5% was handled, it was evaluated with the design conditions of open-flow channels, developing a methodology of physical modeling of channels and rivers of mobile bottom without distortion, according to a turbulent flow over rough contour, so that the values determined in the physical model complied with the laws of similarity and represented the most accurate way to a mountain river. The results showed a minimum flow of 8.03 l/s and a maximum of 17.96 l/s in the physical model, which in the prototype represents a flow of 284 m3/s and 635.04 m3/s respectively. On the other hand, it was determined that the average diameter of the granular material required in the physical model is 2 mm corresponding to an average diameter of 100 mm for mountain rivers.