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https://hdl.handle.net/11681/3252| Title: | Physical hydraulic models : assessment of predictive capabilities. Report 1, Hydrodynamics of the Delaware River Estuary Model |
| Authors: | Letter, Joseph V. McAnally, William H. |
| Keywords: | Delaware River Estuary Estuaries Estuary Hydraulic models Navigation channels Predictions Verification Hydrodynamics |
| Publisher: | Hydraulics Laboratory (U.S.) Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.) |
| Series/Report no.: | Research report (U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station) ; H-75-3 rept.1. |
| Description: | Research Report Abstract: The purpose of this study is to define the reliability with which results of tests conducted in a physical model of the Delaware River Estuary can be used to predict the effects of modifications to the estuary. The Delaware River model at the Waterways Experiment Station was used to conduct tests to predict the effects of the navigation channel enlargement between Philadelphia and Trenton, and the results of the tests are compared with subsequent prototype data to determine the accuracy of the model predictions. Two prototype surveys provided tidal and current velocity data for the high- and low-freshwater discharge conditions in 1972, and the results of model tests duplicating those conditions were used to determine accuracy of model predictions. Tidal propagation, as measured by the range, phasing, and energy dissipation rates, was predicted as accurately as the model had been originally verified. The same is also true of current velocities. The trends of ebb predominance were observed to be similar in both model and prototype. A postconstruction model salinity test reproduced a 9-month prototype hydrograph occurring in 1965. Except for short-term fluctuations in the prototype, the model salinities were in close agreement with prototype measurements at all stations. The largest discrepancies occurred in the steepest portion of the salinity profile. It is concluded that, for projects involving estuarine modifications up to the scale of navigation channel enlargement, the physical hydraulic model, when carefully verified, can accurately predict the effects of the project on the estuarine system. Undue emphasis should not be placed upon absolute values at specific locations since discrepancies may occur due to scale effects or the dynamic nature of prototype conditions. NOTE: This file is large. Allow your browser several minutes to download the file. |
| Rights: | Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11681/3252 |
| Appears in Collections: | Research Report |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RR-H-75-3-Report-1.pdf | 23.55 MB | Adobe PDF |  View/Open |