Roughness Effects on the Mixing Properties in Open Channel Turbulent Boundary Layers

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of surface roughness on the transport and mixing properties in turbulent boundary layers created in an open channel. The measurements were obtained on a smooth and two different types of rough surfaces using a laser Doppler anemometer. The results show that surface roughness enhances the levels of the turbulence kinetic energy, turbulence production, and diffusion over most of the boundary layer. The distributions of the eddy viscosity and mixing length are also strongly modified by surface roughness. Furthermore, the extent to which surface roughness modifies the turbulence structure depends on the specific geometry of the roughness elements.