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Structuring the hydrodynamics of the Elbe estuary

Korporaal, K. (2024) Structuring the hydrodynamics of the Elbe estuary.

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Abstract:Estuaries are essential due to their navigation routes linking seas to harbors, making hydrodynamic understanding crucial for management and risk assessment. Numerical models simulate these dynamics, aiding in predicting tidal movements and storm surges necessary for flood risk evaluation. Modeling is a balance between accuracy and computational time. This study explores a model using structured grids with subgrids to assess accuracy and efficiency in simulating the Elbe estuary's hydrodynamics. The research implemented a spatially varying tidal boundary, enhancing the model’s ability to capture small-scale water level variations. Findings indicated that increasing grid width resulted in reduced tidal ranges in the river but increased tidal ranges in the sea. Larger time steps also increased tidal ranges. Grid refinements are needed in areas with complex flow patterns to enhance accuracy, such as near the navigation channel and where the river widens significantly. Variations in bottom roughness and river discharge demonstrated significant impacts on hydrodynamics. The study concluded that model settings affect simulated hydrodynamics. The 3Di subgrid model successfully captures the hydrodynamics in the Elbe estuary with discrepancies under 10 cm and requiring only 5 minutes of computation for a 15-day simulation. This approach shows promise for enhancing large-scale estuarine studies.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Clients:
Nelen & Schuurmans, Utrecht, Nederland
Faculty:ET: Engineering Technology
Programme:Civil Engineering and Management MSc (60026)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/104129
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