Characteristics of Shallow Wakes in an Open Channel
A numerical investigation of shallow wake flow in an open channel has been conducted using Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) based on the three-dimensional unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) equations with the k-ω SST (shear stress transport) turbulence model. The features of shallow wake flows are strongly dependent on the bed characteristics. Using the λ2 criterion, the important features are identified and the role of coherent structures in the near-bed region is highlighted. Furthermore, a unique feature in the time-averaged flow field referred to as the owl face of the first kind, which consists of a well-defined pair of foci and saddle points, is observed. A three-dimensional structure resulting from a secondary roll-up process, which is horizontally oriented, is observed immediately downstream of the base of the bluff body. Other vortical structures, i.e., a horseshoe vortex and a collar vortex, are found to occur around and next to the bluff body, respectively, in the toe region.