Construction of Meandering Channel and Its Application in Investigation of Bed Topography around Hydraulic Structures

Considering river behavior analysis, numerous researchers worldwide have so far attempted to construct experimental channels. Beginning from the upstream side, the channel respectively consisted of an 8-meter-long straight path, two consecutive 180-degree bends, and another 8-meter-long straight path downstream. In addition to presenting the stages of design and construction of this channel, this study provided some instances, where different hydraulic structures, including a T-shaped spur dike, a gate, sharp-edged and wide-edged spillways, submerged vanes, and a bridge pier, were implemented in meandering paths. A comparison of the results from the use of different hydraulic structures in this meandering channel showed that these structures had different effects on bed topography variations. For instance, under similar flow conditions, the maximum scour depth increased in the sharp-edged spillway experiment by approximately 40% compared to that in the wide-edged spillway experiment. In addition, the maximum scour around the T-shaped spur dike located in the external bend was 2.7 times greater than that with the case it was placed at the upstream internal bend. Upon reviewing the outcomes of two scenarios involving the implementation of submerged vanes in proximity to a single pier situated at an angle of 180 degrees within a meandering channel, as compared to the scenario involving a single pier without the use of vanes, it was identified that the maximum scour depth surrounding the bridge pier was reduced by approximately 10% when utilizing submerged vanes in conjunction with the single pier.