In fluid dynamics, the flow along a solid boundary produces shear stresses which decrease the velocity of the fluid in the boundary layer. One important application of shear stress measurement is the ..
In fluid dynamics, the flow along a solid boundary produces shear stresses which decrease the velocity of the fluid in the boundary layer. One important application of shear stress measurement is the evaluation of soil erosion and sediment transport in water bodies. Due to climate change, extreme rainfall events are occurring with more frequency and intensity causing overflowing and breach of water retaining structures. The experiment conducted will consist of a controlled environment and a flume that will stimulate a riverbed at an angle. The Wave Lab houses a 4,000-gallon tank measuring 30 ft in length, and 4 ft in width, within which, a flume will be installed measuring 2 ft by 25 ft with a slope of 5%. On the 20 ft marker, the flume will have a working envelope where a plate with shear stress sensors will be installed. A MicroPIV system consisting of microscopic fluorescent seed particles and a laser will be used to measure the flow velocity. The data from the MicroPIV will be captured by an AOS high-speed camera that has the capability of shooting 2,000 frames per second. Successful execution of our research will produce shear stress and flow velocity ranges at given flow rates. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model using COMSOL will be developed to demonstrate the flow variables including turbulence and roughness of the bed.
