On Wind-induced Flows in Closed Channels

Abstract

The mean velocity and shear-stress profiles for a wind-induced flow in a closed channel with constant surface slope are first derived using a turbulent viscosity constructed by dimensional arguments. Using a perturbation analysis based on the fact that the surface slope is small, these results are extended to the case where the surface slope, and hence flow conditions generally, are allowed to vary in a downwind direction. Explicit results are obtained for the velocity and shear-stress profiles and also for the surface slope as a function of distance downwind. The results agree quite well with experiment, although better agreement would probably be obtained by using a more elaborate turbulent iscosity_