Study on Boundary Shear Stress Distribution in Meandering Trapizoidal Open Channel Flow

Abstract

The determination of boundary shear stress distribution in meandering trapezoidal open channel flows is crucial in many critical engineering problems such as channel design, calculation of energy losses and sedimentation and in the study of shear stress distribution. In this study, velocity distribution is experimentally investigated in a smooth rectangular open channel. Wall shear stresses are calculated using measured local velocities. Assuming logarithmic velocity distribution along perpendiculars to a wetted perimeter, wall shear stresses were calculated. With the purpose of obtaining shear stress distributions at the walls and at the bed of an open channel, experimental data available in literature, for smooth open channels and smooth trapezoidal ducts, are analyzed and confronted.