Hydrodynamic Models

Abstract

Engineering ingenuity has extended scale model technology beyond and often aside from the formal rules dictated by dimensional analysis leading to widely accepted world-wide practicesthat differ little from one place to another ." ... Bernard Le Mehaute (1990) Previous chapters have laid the theoretical foundation for conducting scaled physical model investigations of coastal phenomena . Beginning with this chapter , we venture into some of the practical aspects of designing and conducting coastal physical scale models.Many coastal engineers would chose to perform scale model studies to support their designs if time and budget allowed ; but the decision to conduct a physical model study must be based on a clear perception of what can be achieved with the model for the costs involved . Although this may sound like a fairly straightforward task, coastal experimental studies can be quite complex , and often experience is the single most important factor contributing to a successful modeling study . This point has been emphasized by practically everyone who has accumulated any experience in physical modeling as illustrated by the following quotations:The problem of similitude is far from simple, and there are no standard solutions . The engineer has at his disposal a number of complex means that he must be able to handle with skill. The better he is acquainted with the tools, the more effective and economical the solution will be . (Le Mehaute 1976). One cannot come up with a list of rules on how to achieve the best possible solution for conventional modeling of hydraulic phenomenon . Indeed, each particular case has its own peculiaritiesPhysical Models and Laboratory Techniques in Coastal Engineering Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com by NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY on 10/02/15. For personal use only.'Note that movable-bed models are also hydrodynamic models because they will also model hydrodynamic process. However, for convenience , the author has elected to restrict the term hydrodynamic model to fixed-bed models.Physical Models and Laboratory Techniques in Coastal Engineering Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com by NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY on 10/02/15. For personal use only.