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Macro-turbulent characteristcs of pressures in hydraulic jump formed downstream of a stepped spillway

Características macroturbulentas das pressões em um ressalto hidráulico formado a jusante de um vertedouro em degraus

ABSTRACT

Stilling basins are structures built at the base of the spillway to dissipate energy, by means of a hydraulic jump. Hydraulic jump is a turbulent phenomenon that causes large pressure fluctuation in the stilling basin bottom, and can damage the sink structure through mechanisms such as fatigue, upflit pressure and cavitation. The use of stepped spillways allows the dissipation of a parcel of the energy while the water falls by the spillway, allowing a reduction in the stilling basin’s dimensions and cost. The present article presents the analysis of the longitudinal distribution of mean pressure, pressure fluctuations, skewness coefficient and kurtosis coefficient, derived from tests on physical hydraulic models. Pressure values measured in a stilling basin downstream of a stepped spillway (for Froude numbers between 5 and 8) were compared with data observed in a stilling basin downstream of a smooth spillway with a radius of concordance between the chute and the basin (for Froude numbers between 4.5 and 10). The results of these studies show that the mean pressures and the pressure fluctuation observed in the stilling basin downstream of stepped spillway present maximum values at the spillway’s closest point, differing, thus, from those at the smooth spillway. The longitudinal distribution of skewness and kurtosis coefficients enabled to define the positions for flow detachment start, roller ending and as well as the ending of the influence of the hydraulic jump over the flow.

Keywords:
Stepped spillway; Stilling basin; Hydraulic jump

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