Toward the Validation of Depth-Averaged, Steady-State Simulations of Fluvial Flows Using Three-Dimensional, Steady-State, RANS Turbulence Models

Author

Pedro Abdiel Mateo Villanueva, Utah State University

Date of Award:

12-2010

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Committee Chair(s)

Robert E. Spall

Committee

Robert E. Spall

Committee

Thomas Hauser

Committee

Thomas H. Fronk

Abstract

Calculations of fluvial flows are strongly influenced by geometry complexity and large overall uncertainty on every single measurable property, such as velocity and shear. Moreover, a considerable portion of the data obtained from computational simulations arose from two-dimensional, steady-state models. The present work states a different approach to perform computer-based simulations and analyze fluvial flows. For the first part, the suitability of OpenFOAM to be used as the main CFD solver to analyze fluvial flows is studied. Initially, two well documented channel configurations are computationally studied using OpenFOAM. Finally, these results are compared to the output obtained from one of the widely used quasi-3D CFD solvers used to perform studies about environmental hydraulics.

Checksum

0f3f618076c1a69b00f9442623aa63f4

Comments

This work made publicly available electronically on December 23, 2010.

Recommended Citation

Mateo Villanueva, Pedro Abdiel, "Toward the Validation of Depth-Averaged, Steady-State Simulations of Fluvial Flows Using Three-Dimensional, Steady-State, RANS Turbulence Models" (2010). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 826.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/826