Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow in River Bends and Confluences Using the k-ω SST Turbulence Model and Comparison with Standard and Realizable k-ε Models
River bends and confluences are critical features in fluvial environments where complex flow patterns, including secondary currents, turbulence, and surface changes, strongly influence sediment transport, river morphology, and water quality. The accurate prediction of these flow characteristics is e...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Rawaa Shaheed Abdolmajid Mohammadian Alaa Mohammed Shaheed |
| author_facet | Rawaa Shaheed Abdolmajid Mohammadian Alaa Mohammed Shaheed |
| author_sort | Rawaa Shaheed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | River bends and confluences are critical features in fluvial environments where complex flow patterns, including secondary currents, turbulence, and surface changes, strongly influence sediment transport, river morphology, and water quality. The accurate prediction of these flow characteristics is essential for hydraulic engineering applications. In this study, we present a numerical simulation of turbulent flow in river bends and confluences, with special consideration given to the dynamic interaction between free-surface variations and closed-surface constraints. The simulations were performed using OpenFOAM, an open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFDs) platform, with the k-ω SST (Shear Stress Transport) turbulence model, which is well-suited for capturing boundary layer behavior and complex turbulence structures. The finite volume method (FVM) is used to simulate and examine the behavior of the secondary current in channel bends and confluences. Two sets of experimental data, one with a sharply curved channel and the other with a confluent channel, were used to compare the numerical results and to evaluate the validity of the model. This study focuses on investigating to what extent the k-ω SST turbulence model can capture the effects of secondary flow and surface changes on flow hydrodynamics, analyzing velocity profiles and turbulence effects. The results are validated against experimental data, demonstrating the model’s ability to reasonably replicate flow features under both free- and closed-surface conditions. This study provides insights into the performance of the k-ω SST model in simulating the impact of geometrical constraints on flow regimes, offering a computationally robust and reasonable tool for river engineering and water resources management, particularly in the context of hydraulic structure design and erosion control in curved and confluence regions. |
| format | Article |
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| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-4d20a36ca7c44eba99d6cf41f41dcac22025-06-25T13:56:20ZengMDPI AGHydrology2306-53382025-06-0112614510.3390/hydrology12060145Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow in River Bends and Confluences Using the k-ω SST Turbulence Model and Comparison with Standard and Realizable k-ε ModelsRawaa Shaheed0Abdolmajid Mohammadian1Alaa Mohammed Shaheed2Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, CanadaDepartment of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, CanadaAl-Bayan University, Baghdad Governorate, PO Box Jadirya 2268, IraqRiver bends and confluences are critical features in fluvial environments where complex flow patterns, including secondary currents, turbulence, and surface changes, strongly influence sediment transport, river morphology, and water quality. The accurate prediction of these flow characteristics is essential for hydraulic engineering applications. In this study, we present a numerical simulation of turbulent flow in river bends and confluences, with special consideration given to the dynamic interaction between free-surface variations and closed-surface constraints. The simulations were performed using OpenFOAM, an open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFDs) platform, with the k-ω SST (Shear Stress Transport) turbulence model, which is well-suited for capturing boundary layer behavior and complex turbulence structures. The finite volume method (FVM) is used to simulate and examine the behavior of the secondary current in channel bends and confluences. Two sets of experimental data, one with a sharply curved channel and the other with a confluent channel, were used to compare the numerical results and to evaluate the validity of the model. This study focuses on investigating to what extent the k-ω SST turbulence model can capture the effects of secondary flow and surface changes on flow hydrodynamics, analyzing velocity profiles and turbulence effects. The results are validated against experimental data, demonstrating the model’s ability to reasonably replicate flow features under both free- and closed-surface conditions. This study provides insights into the performance of the k-ω SST model in simulating the impact of geometrical constraints on flow regimes, offering a computationally robust and reasonable tool for river engineering and water resources management, particularly in the context of hydraulic structure design and erosion control in curved and confluence regions.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/12/6/145turbulent flowriver bendsriver confluencessecondary flowfree-surface modelrigid-lid model |
| spellingShingle | Rawaa Shaheed Abdolmajid Mohammadian Alaa Mohammed Shaheed Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow in River Bends and Confluences Using the k-ω SST Turbulence Model and Comparison with Standard and Realizable k-ε Models Hydrology turbulent flow river bends river confluences secondary flow free-surface model rigid-lid model |
| title | Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow in River Bends and Confluences Using the k-ω SST Turbulence Model and Comparison with Standard and Realizable k-ε Models |
| title_full | Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow in River Bends and Confluences Using the k-ω SST Turbulence Model and Comparison with Standard and Realizable k-ε Models |
| title_fullStr | Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow in River Bends and Confluences Using the k-ω SST Turbulence Model and Comparison with Standard and Realizable k-ε Models |
| title_full_unstemmed | Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow in River Bends and Confluences Using the k-ω SST Turbulence Model and Comparison with Standard and Realizable k-ε Models |
| title_short | Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow in River Bends and Confluences Using the k-ω SST Turbulence Model and Comparison with Standard and Realizable k-ε Models |
| title_sort | numerical simulation of turbulent flow in river bends and confluences using the k ω sst turbulence model and comparison with standard and realizable k ε models |
| topic | turbulent flow river bends river confluences secondary flow free-surface model rigid-lid model |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/12/6/145 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rawaashaheed numericalsimulationofturbulentflowinriverbendsandconfluencesusingthekōsstturbulencemodelandcomparisonwithstandardandrealizablekemodels AT abdolmajidmohammadian numericalsimulationofturbulentflowinriverbendsandconfluencesusingthekōsstturbulencemodelandcomparisonwithstandardandrealizablekemodels AT alaamohammedshaheed numericalsimulationofturbulentflowinriverbendsandconfluencesusingthekōsstturbulencemodelandcomparisonwithstandardandrealizablekemodels |