Overland flow hydrodynamic characteristics in rough beds at low Reynolds numbers

This paper considers overland flow resistance at low Reynolds numbers through analysis of experimental runs carried out using water only and water/glycerol mixtures. We first examined the power relationship between the Darcy–Weisbach friction factor f and the Reynolds number Re to obtain the values of the K coefficient and b exponent. These results confirmed the applicability of the values of b suggested in literature, while K required a specific calibration for laminar open-channel flows. The analysis revealed that transition from a laminar to turbulent flow regime for water only flows occurred at a threshold value of Re equal to 500 as described historically. The estimate of f by the power relationship and the calibrated b and K values were reliable for water only runs when Re ≥ 500. The measurements were also used to test a theoretical flow resistance law based on a power-velocity distribution. The calibrated theoretical relationship between the velocity profile parameter Γv, bed slope, flow Froude number and Re enabled a good estimate of f for water flows. For mixed fluid flows, the effect of the velocity profile shape was considered calibrating this relationship by two datasets obtained setting a threshold Reynolds number equal to 7. For flows with Re < 7, the shape of the velocity profile can be linear or convex while for flows at Re ≥ 7 the shape of the velocity distribution is always concave. The theoretical flow resistance allowed an accurate estimate also for mixed fluid flows, even at Re < 7. The different shape of the power-velocity distribution highlighted that mixed flows behave differently as compared to water only flows.