FLOOD MANAGEMENT AND RIVER ENGINEERING (CE 805) 8th sem (for sec A &B )

Date: 30/03/20

(continue from last topic......)

RIPPLES: When average shear stress on the bed is equal to the critical stress for the given size of
bed material, the individual particles on the bed starts moving. In the case of an alluvial stream, for
which slope remains constant at various stage, increase in the discharge will disturb the bed
sufficiently to develop small undulation on the bed called ripples. Geologist call them current ripple if
they are formed by unidirectional water current and ballistic ripple if formed by the wind. They moves
over upstream face and then fall over downstream face. Ripples moves in downstream direction at
very low speed. The length of the undulation may be 0.4m to 0.8m. Height of the undulation may be
4cm to 8cm. Ripples usually do not occur in case of sediment size coarser than 0.6mm.

DUNES: At the stage of formation of ripples, if the discharge is further increased the ripples grow
into Dunes. Dunes are also triangular undulations on the bed but they are much larger in size than the
ripples. It has been found that small ripples are form on the upstream face of the dune if the velocity is
small, however these secondary ripple disappear at higher velocities. Dunes are formed in alluvial
channels at Froud no much less than unity i.e. under subcritical flow conditions. Therefore the water
surface drops slightly over the crest of dunes. However the water surface is not rough. The size of the
dunes may be 2m to 3m long and height upto 0.4m