Forecasting empirical formula for suspended sediment load prediction at upstream of Al-Kufa barrage, Kufa City, Iraq

Abstract

The objective of this study was to predict the suspended sediment load at upstream of the Al Kufa barrage. Ten cross-sections in the upstream region have been identified to collect field measurements. As part of the inquiry, the fluid and hydraulic parameters were measured in the field and sediment samples were collected in sections to develop an empirical formula. These variables included the gravitational constant (g), hydraulic radius (R h), mean velocity (V), median particle size (d 50), river top breadth (B), kinematic viscosity (v), and (ρ) water density. The formula was created using both statistical analysis and dimensional analysis techniques. The results showed that the newly developed formula agreed well between the calculated and observed suspended sediment discharges based on the determination coefficient R 2 of 0.979. There was a very high acceptance between the average sediment discharge from the new formula, equal to 7.365 kg/s, and the average sediment discharge from field measurements (7.142 kg/s).