Velocity Distribution in Open Channel Flows: An Analytical Approach for the Outer Region

This paper presents an integration procedure for the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations for the determination of the distribution of the streamwise velocity using the vertical component. This procedure is dedicated to the outer region and central part of channels. The proposed model is applicable to both rough and smooth flow regimes, provided the velocity at the inner / outer boundary has been properly defined. To generate a simplified expansion, a number of hypotheses are proposed, focusing in particular on the analytical modeling of the vertical component by adopting a negligible viscosity. The proposed hypotheses are validated by the experimental data existing in the literature. The proposed simplified expansion is studied through a sensitivity analysis and proved consistent in regards to model experimental data. The proposed model seems capable to model different kinds of flows, including dip phenomenon flow patterns.

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Additional Info

Field Value
Source ISSN: 0733-9429
Author Lassabatère, Laurent, Hui Pu, Jann, Bonakdari, Hossein, Joannis, Claude, Larrarte, Frédérique
Maintainer CCSD
Last Updated May 10, 2026, 02:26 (UTC)
Created May 10, 2026, 02:26 (UTC)
Identifier hal-00851934
Language en
contributor Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Fluviaux (EHF) ; Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) ; Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
creator Lassabatère, Laurent
date 2013-01-01T00:00:00
harvest_object_id 86497f77-e434-4035-a35b-af86908106a9
harvest_source_id 3374d638-d20b-4672-ba96-a23232d55657
harvest_source_title test moissonnage SELUNE
metadata_modified 2023-08-07T00:00:00
relation info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000609
set_spec type:ART