Abstract
Natural channels often adopt a meandering course. Water flow in meander bends is three-dimensional, consisting of primary velocities which are tangential to the bend, and secondary velocities, which are in the radial plane. The pattern of secondary flow strongly affects the distribution of primary velocities. This in turn affects the distribution of erosion and deposition in the bend and the way in which the channel shifts and changes shape. Measurements of primary and secondary flows in a meandering gravel-bed river1,2 show that, in addition to the widely recognized main secondary circulation driving surface water outwards and bed water inwards, there can be a small cell of reverse rotation at the outer bank. Further data have been collected in a sand-bedded river at low, intermediate and high discharges. The results confirm the existence of the main and outer bank cells but also indicate that in some bends the main cell does not extend to the inner bank. In fact, secondary flow at the inner bank of wide, shallow bends is directed radially outwards over the whole flow depth at all in-channel flows. This indicates that some models of bend flow and channel development may be significantly in error.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Prices vary by article type
from$1.95
to$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bathurst, J. C., Thorne, C. R. & Hey, R. D. Nature 269, 504–506 (1977).
Thorne, C. R. & Hey, R. D. Nature 280, 226–228 (1979).
Prandtl, L. Essentials of Fluid Dynamics (Blackie, London, 1952).
Perkins, H. J. J. Fluid Mech. 44, 721–740 (1970).
Bathurst, J. C., Thorne, C. R. & Hey, R. D. J. Hydraul. Div. Am. Soc. Civ. Engnrs. 105, 1277–1295 (1979).
Thorne, C. R. & Lewin, J. Adjustments of the Fluvial System (George Allen and Unwin, London, 1979).
Allen, J. R. L. Physical Processes in Sedimentation (George Allen and Unwin, London, 1970).
Bridge, J. S. Earth Surf. Process. 2, 401–416 (1977).
Dietrich, W. E. & Smith, J. D. Wat. Resour. Res. 19, 1173–1192 (1983).
Bridge, J. S. River Meandering (American Society of Civil Engineers Spec. Publ. 1984).
Thorne, C. R., Rais, S., Zevenbergen, L. W., Bradley, J. B. & Julien, P. Y. Wat. Resour. Field Support Lab. Rep. 83-9P (Colorado State University, 1983).
Thorne, C. R., Zevenbergen, L. W., Bradley, J. B. & Pitlick, J. C. Wat. Resour. Field Support Lab. Rep. No 85-9P (Colorado State University, 1985).
Rais, S. Thesis Colorado State Univ. (1984).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Thorne, C., Zevenbergen, L., Pitlick, J. et al. Direct measurements of secondary currents in a meandering sand-bed river. Nature 315, 746–747 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/315746a0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/315746a0
This article is cited by
-
Insights into secondary flow structure from clusters of instantaneous vortices
Environmental Fluid Mechanics (2023)
-
Numerical Study on the Outer Bank Cell of Secondary Flow in a U-Shaped Open Channel
KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering (2023)
-
The impact of vegetation on meandering rivers
Nature Reviews Earth & Environment (2022)
-
Information measures through velocity time series in a seepage affected alluvial sinuous channel
Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment (2020)
-
A comparison of standard k–ε and realizable k–ε turbulence models in curved and confluent channels
Environmental Fluid Mechanics (2019)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.