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Depth-integrated Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations for shallow

flows over rough permeable beds

Article  in  Journal of Hydraulic Research · September 2013

DOI: 10.1080/00221686.2013.814598

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Depth-integrated Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes

equations for shallow flows over rough permeable
beds
a
Dubravka Pokrajac
a
School of Engineering, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
Published online: 04 Sep 2013.

To cite this article: Dubravka Pokrajac , Journal of Hydraulic Research (2013): Depth-integrated Reynolds-
averaged Navier–Stokes equations for shallow flows over rough permeable beds, Journal of Hydraulic Research, DOI:
10.1080/00221686.2013.814598

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 Journal of Hydraulic Research, iFirst, 2013, 1–4
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00221686.2013.814598
© 2013 International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research

Technical note

Depth-integrated Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations for shallow flows

over rough permeable beds
DUBRAVKA POKRAJAC, Reader, School of Engineering, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
Email: d.pokrajac@abdn.ac.uk

ABSTRACT
Depth-integrated Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (DIRANS) equations for free surface flows over permeable rough beds are rigorously derived in
order to clarify the term which quantifies momentum flux through the bed surface.
Downloaded by [Dubravka Pokrajac] at 12:57 07 October 2013

Keywords: DIRANS equations; shallow water equations; surface-subsurface momentum exchange

1 Introduction
Free surface flows over permeable beds occur in both the natural
environment, e.g. in gravel bed streams and gravel beaches, and
in man-made structures such as coastal defence structures, porous
pavements, etc. Shallow free surface flows are often described
using shallow water equations (SWEs). For flows over permeable
beds SWEs contain source terms, which account for surface-
subsurface exchange of mass and momentum. There is a certain
degree of confusion in the literature regarding the source term in
the momentum equation. This note presents a rigorous derivation
of depth-averaged equations for free-surface flows over a rigid
permeable base. The resulting expression for the source term in
the momentum equation is compared with the literature.
Figure 1 shows the control volume ∀ which will be used for
the derivation of depth-averaged equations. It extends between
the two vertical sections, S1 and S2 , the free surface, Ss , and the
bed area, Sb . In order to define Sb we first have to specify a “base
plane”, i.e. an imaginary plane which defines the lower limit
of the control volume across the gaps between the grains. The
choice of the base plane does not influence the mathematical
form of the depth-averaged equations, however, depending on
this choice the resulting depth-averaged quantities will be more
or less physically meaningful. It seems reasonable to adopt the
base plane close to the centres of the top layer of grains, but
other choices such as zero-plane or even grain crests are also
possible. Further discussion of the optimum position of the base
plane is beyond the scope of this note. The bed surface Sb coin-
cides with either a grain surface or, across the gaps between the
grains, with the base plane. Its size has to be sufficient to provide
a statistically representative sample of bed geometry, i.e. much
larger than a typical grain and much smaller than macroscopic
heterogeneities such as bed forms. Geometry of all surfaces that
enclose the control volume is defined by their outer unit normal
vectors, n. Figure 1 also shows the Cartesian right-handed coor-
dinate system, which consists of two horizontal axes, x, y, and a
vertical axis z. The corresponding velocity components are u, v,
w, respectively. The thickness of the control volume in y direction
is B. For simplicity it is assumed that the volume and momen-
tum fluxes through the lateral sides of the control volume (y=0
and y = B) are zero, i.e. the depth-averaged equations have one
principal direction, x. The extension to two-dimensional SWEs
is straightforward.
Equations for ensemble-averaged flow are obtained by aver-
aging Navier–Stokes equations over a series of statistical real-
izations, herein called runs. In reality the free surface usually
changes its position between the individual runs. However, in
this note it is assumed, for simplicity, that the free surface
does not change between the individual runs. For the treat-
ment of the fluctuating free surface in depth-averaged equations
the reader is referred to Pokrajac and Kikkert (2011). Further-
more, pressure distribution along flow cross-sections is assumed
hydrostatic. The extension to non-hydrostatic conditions can be
found in, e.g. Steffler and Jin (1993) and Ghamry and Steffler
(2005).
The remaining text shows how the Reynolds-averaged
Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations are integrated over the con-
trol volume shown in Fig. 1 to produce depth-integrated RANS

Revision received 8 August 2012; accepted 10 June 2013/Currently open for discussion.

ISSN 0022-1686 print/ISSN 1814-2079 online

http://www.tandfonline.com
1
 2 D. Pokrajac Journal of Hydraulic Research, iFirst (2013)

Figure 1. A control volume is located between two vertical cross-sections, S1 and S2 , free surface, Ss , and the bed surface, Sb . Flow depth in a
cross-section is found by averaging (zs − zb ) over the thickness B (middle panel). Note that the lower limit of the flow depth becomes the reference
bed level for depth-averaged equations and quantities. The bed surface Sb (right panel) follows the grain surfaces wherever they are higher than the
base plane and the area of the gaps between the grains, Sg everywhere else
Downloaded by [Dubravka Pokrajac] at 12:57 07 October 2013

(DIRANS) equations. The note ends with a brief discussion of Note that the lower limit of hi defines a reference bed level for
the momentum exchange term in DIRANS equations. the depth-avereged equations (Fig. 1).
• Free surface
2 DIRANS equations    B  zs2
Qs = ūnx dS + w̄nz dS = − ūs dz dy
2.1 Mass balance Ss Ss 0 zs1
 B  x2
The Reynolds-averaged mass balance equation applied to the + w̄s dx dy (3)
control volume shown in Fig. 1 can be expressed in integral 0 x1

form as:
 where the subscript s means “at the free-surface”. The kine-
(ūnx + w̄nz ) dS = 0 (1) matic condition at the free-surface
S
Dzs ∂zs ∂zs
where the overbar indicates ensemble-averaging, S is the sur- w̄s = = + ūs
Dt ∂t ∂x
face enclosing the control volume (Fig. 1), and nx , nz are the
x, and z components respectively of the outer unit vector n for combined with Eq. (3) gives
the surface S. The term within the brackets in (1) represents the    
B zs2 B x2
velocity in the direction normal to S, i.e. in n direction. ∂zs
Qs = − ūs dz dy + dx dy
Integration of (1) over the parts of S (S1 , S2 , Ss , Sb ) yields the 0 zs1 0 x1 ∂t
expressions for discharges through:  B  x2
∂zs
+ ūs dx dy
0 x1 ∂x
• Flow cross-sections  x2  B  x2
∂zs ∂h
 = dy dx = B dx (4)
∂t ∂t
(ūnx + w̄nz ) dS = −Bh1 U1 , x1 0 x1
S1
 • Bed surface
(ūnx + w̄nz ) dS = Bh2 U2 , (2)  
S2
Qb = (ūnx + w̄nz ) dS = (ūnx + w̄nz ) dSg
Sb Sg
where h1 , h2 , U1 , U2 are the average flow depths and cross- 
sectional velocities for S1 and S2 defined as (Fig. 1): = υg dSg (5)
Sg
 B  zsi  B
1 1
hi = dz dy = (zsi − zbi ) dy, where Sg is the area of gap between the grains (right panel in
B 0 zbi B 0
 B  zsi
Fig. 1), and υg is the velocity component normal to Sg in the
1 direction of the outer normal vector (i.e. positive towards the
Ui = ū dz dy, i = 1, 2
Bhi 0 zbi bed). Note that flow through the gaps may also have a velocity
 Journal of Hydraulic Research, iFirst (2013) DIRANS equations for shallow flows over rough permeable beds 3

component within the gap area which does not contribute to shape of velocity profiles across the gaps between the grains,
the discharge. Combining Eqs. (2)–(5) yields εb , the term can be expressed as:
 x2 
∂h
B dx − Bh1 U1 + Bh2 U2 + Qb = 0 (6) ρεb ūb  υg Sg dSg = ρεb ūb Qb ,
x1 ∂t
Sg

1
To express Eq. (6) in differential form volume fluxes in Eq. (6) where ūb  = ūb dSg ,
Sg Sg
are assumed to be sufficiently smooth to allow for conversion of
the integral Eq. (6) into
i.e. the angular brackets indicate spatial averaging over the
∂h ∂hU total area of the gaps, usually called intrinsic averaging.
+ = −q (7)
∂t ∂x
• Pressure
where q = Qb /Bx is the volume flux into the permeable bed
  B  zs1
per unit horizontal projection of the bed area with a “+” sign for
pnx dS = −ρg (zs1 − z) dz dy
flow into the bed. S 0 zb1
 B  zs2
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+ ρg (zs2 − z) dz dy
2.2 Momentum balance 0 zb2
 
The Reynolds-averaged equation for u-momentum balance in + ρg (zs − zb )nx dS + pF nx dS
integral form can be written as Sb Sb
   x2
h21 h2 ∂zb
  = ρgB − 2 + ρgB h dx + Fx
∂ρ ū 2 2 ∂x
d∀ + ρ ū (ūnx + w̄nz )dS x1
∀ ∂t S
 
= − p̄nx dS + (τxx nx + τxz nz ) dS (8) where g is acceleration due to gravity. Pressure on the bed
S S surface was split into a hydrostatic pressure, equal ρg (zs −
zb ), and the pressure caused by the flow separation from the
where ρ is density, p is pressure, and τxx , τxz are the fluid stress individual roughness elements, pF , which generates the drag
(=viscous stress + turbulent stress) components. The terms in (8) force on the grains, Fx .
are developed as follows.
• Fluid stress
• Local change of momentum within ∀   
(τxx nx + τxz nz ) dS = − τxx dS + τxx dS
  x2  B  zs  S S1 S2
∂ρ ū ∂ρ u   
d∀ = dz dy dx
∀ ∂t x1 0 zb ∂t + τxz nz dS = − τxx dS + τxx dS − Vx
 x2  B   zs  Sb S1 S2
∂ ∂zs
=ρ ūdz − ūs dy dx
x1 0 ∂t zb ∂t
 x2  x2  B where Vx is the viscous drag, i.e. the x-component of the force
∂hU ∂zs
= ρB dx − ρ ūs dy dx exerted by the fluid on the grains by viscous stress (skin fric-
x1 ∂t x1 0 ∂t tion). Note that, as stated earlier, τxx , τxz include both viscous
stress and turbulent stress.
• Momentum flux All above terms are grouped together to produce:


ρ ū(ūnx + w̄nz ) dS = −ρε1 h1 BU12 + ρε2 h2 BU22 x2
∂hU
S ρB dx − ρε1 h1 BU12 + ρε2 h2 BU22
   x1 ∂t
x2 B
∂zs  2   x2 
+ρ ūs dy dx + ρ ūb υg dSg h1 h22 ∂zb
x1 0 ∂t Sg = −ρgB − − ρgB h dx − τxx dS
2 2 x1 ∂x S1

where εi , i = 1, 2 are momentum correction factors that + τxx dS − Tx − ρεb ūb Qb (9)
account for non-uniformity of velocity profiles in the flow S2

cross-sections. The last term on the r.h.s. is the flux of

u-momentum through the bed surface. By introducing a where Tx = Vx + Fx is the x-component of the total force
momentum correction factor that accounts for the effect of the exerted on the grains. For sufficiently smooth momentum
 4 D. Pokrajac Journal of Hydraulic Research, iFirst (2013)

fluxes the equation above is converted into through the bed surface multiplied with the average streamwise
velocity at the bed level, or, more precisely, at the level of the
∂hU ∂εhU 2 ∂h ∂zb base plane used for deriving depth-averaged equations. It may be
+ = −gh − gh
∂t ∂x ∂x ∂x necessary to include a momentum correction factor to account
 
∂ ∂U τb for non-uniformity of velocity across the gaps between the grains
+ hνe − − εb ūb q (10)
∂x ∂x ρ at the bed level.

where νe is the effective viscosity commonly used for

References
parametrizing fluid stress, and dividing Tx with the horizontal
bed area has produced the bed shear stress, τb .
Clarke, S., Dodd, N., Damgaard, J. (2004). Modelling flow in
and above a porous beach. J. Waterw. Port Coastal Ocean
Equation (10) shows that the momentum extracted from the
Eng. 130(5), 223–233.
surface flow per unit mass is equal to the average x-component
Ghamry, H.K., Steffler, P.M. (2005). Two-dimensional depth-
of velocity across the base plane, i.e. across the gaps between
averaged modeling of flow in curved open channels.
the grains, and also that there is a coefficient εb to account for
J. Hydraulic Res. 43(1), 44–55.
non-uniformity of this velocity. Some literature, instead of the
Kobayashi, N., Wurjanto, A. (1990). Numerical model for
velocity at the base plane, uses the average profile velocity, U
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waves on rough permeable slopes. J. Coastal Res. SI(7),

(e.g. Clarke et al. 2004, Li et al. 2002, Kobayashi and Wurjanto
1990), which is considerably larger than the velocity at the base
plane. Van Gent (1994) uses the x-component of the flux q, which
is correct only if the average vertical velocity across the gaps
between the grains is zero, i.e. w̄b  = 0. To the author’s best
knowledge so far the literature has not acknowledged the non-
uniformity coefficient εb .
3 Conclusions
A rigorous derivation of the DIRANS equations for unsteady
turbulent two-dimensional flows over a rigid permeable bed has
been presented. The momentum loss from the surface flow due
to infiltration into a permeable bed is equal to the volume flux
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BeachWin: Modelling groundwater effects on swash sediment
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