Experimental Study and 3D Numerical Simulations for a Free-Overflow Spillway

The main objectives of the present work were to investigate the flow field over a spillway and to simulate the flow by means of a three-dimensional (3D) numerical model. Depending on the wall curvature, the boundary layer parameters decreased or increased with increasing distance along the spillway. The growth of the boundary layer along the spillway is better described as a function of Reynolds number than the normalized streamwise length. A simplified form of the 3D momentum equation can be used to obtain a rough estimate of the skin friction. The velocity profile in the boundary layer along the spillway is described by a velocity–defect relationship. Numerical models provide a cost-effective means of simulating spillway flows. In this study, the water surface profiles and the discharge coefficients for a laboratory spillway were predicted within an accuracy range of 1.5–2.9%. The simulations were sensitive to the choice of the wall function, grid spacing, and Reynolds number. A nonequilibrium wall function with a grid spacing equal to a distance of 30 wall units gave good results.