Low Froude Number Stilling Basins—Hydrodynamic Characterization

Abstract

Hydraulic jumps, frequently present in energy dissipation structures, have been thoroughly investigated over the past 70 years. However, studies have focused primarily on the more common and more stable cases of large Froude number jumps. Investigations on low Froude number jumps, usually called transition jumps, are scarce, although they are used in a significant number of run-of-the-river, high-discharge, and low-head dams. This paper addresses the characterization of hydrodynamic pressures of low Froude number jumps. A two-dimensional experimental facility was used for that purpose. Results were compared with those from published studies covering transition jumps and stabilized jumps, to identify differences and similarities between them. The analysis considered common dimensionless statistical parameters, duly nondimensionalized. It was found that, for most of these parameters, low Froude number jumps behave differently from stabilized jumps. This can be attributed mainly to the hydraulic jump’s oscillating jet formed under the surface macroturbulent roller, as well as to the partially developed boundary layer of the incoming flow in low-head spillways.