Abstract
An O-tube flume is a horizontal closed-circuit flume that can be driven by an inline impellertype
pump to produce steady and/or oscillatory flow over a mobile seabed. An O-tube has the ability to reproduce
large combined wave and current conditions near the seabed, typical of (cyclonic) storm conditions. In this
paper, we investigate the hydrodynamics of an O-tube and show applications of this technology. First, we derive
a dynamic equation to explain the coupling between pressure and flow rate within the O-tube. This result can
be thought of as an extension of the classical hydrodynamic equations developed for U-tubes and allows for
improved control of the flow within the O-tube by providing a prediction of the non-linear interaction between
steady flow (i.e. currents) and unsteady flow (i.e. waves). We demonstrate this improved control by comparing
measurements of flow rate taken from an O-tube with the dynamic equation. Secondly, we present velocity
measurements to give a detailed description of the flow field within the O-tube, including mean flow profiles
and seabed shear stress. Finally, we conclude the paper by providing two example applications of the facility to
study sediment transport and scour.
pump to produce steady and/or oscillatory flow over a mobile seabed. An O-tube has the ability to reproduce
large combined wave and current conditions near the seabed, typical of (cyclonic) storm conditions. In this
paper, we investigate the hydrodynamics of an O-tube and show applications of this technology. First, we derive
a dynamic equation to explain the coupling between pressure and flow rate within the O-tube. This result can
be thought of as an extension of the classical hydrodynamic equations developed for U-tubes and allows for
improved control of the flow within the O-tube by providing a prediction of the non-linear interaction between
steady flow (i.e. currents) and unsteady flow (i.e. waves). We demonstrate this improved control by comparing
measurements of flow rate taken from an O-tube with the dynamic equation. Secondly, we present velocity
measurements to give a detailed description of the flow field within the O-tube, including mean flow profiles
and seabed shear stress. Finally, we conclude the paper by providing two example applications of the facility to
study sediment transport and scour.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Scour and Erosion |
| Subtitle of host publication | Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Scour and Erosion |
| Editors | John Harris, Richard Whitehouse, Sarah Moxon |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis |
| Pages | 999–1010 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-1-315-37504-5 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-1-138-02979-8 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |
| Event | International Conference on Scour and Erosion - Oxford, United Kingdom Duration: 12 Sept 2016 → 15 Sept 2016 |
Publication series
| Name | Scour and Erosion - Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Scour and Erosion, ICSE 2016 |
|---|
Conference
| Conference | International Conference on Scour and Erosion |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
| City | Oxford |
| Period | 12/09/16 → 15/09/16 |