River Flood Flow and Its Energy Loss

Abstract

Due to the enlightenment from experiments performed in recent years, the kinetic energy equation has been applied to river flow, and results are presented. The main reason for discharge decrease in the main channel of river flow is that the energy distribution in the flow field is changed. First, a large amount of energy is consumed in the main channel. Second, a large amount of energy is dissipated in the vicinity of the demarcation between the main channel and the floodplain. This part of the energy is predominantly transferred from the main channel. From an analysis of experimental data, it is found that the distribution of discharge between the main channel and the floodplain is in accordance with flow energy loss, which can be expressed in the flow resistance coefficient. These physical processes in river flood flow are demonstrated on the basis of fluid mechanics and are verified by experimental data.