This paper presents a new cloud-based 2D engineering model for digital assessment of rock scour downstream of dam spillways and in unlined chutes. The model makes use of the Monte-Carlo method to perform a large number of consecutive runs in which the main input parameters are stochastically determined. A probabilistic-based scour assessment is so obtained. Two case studies are presented: plunge pool scour by overflowing jets and unlined channel scour downstream of a stilling basin.
Rock scour downstream of high-head dams and in unlined channels and rivers downstream of stilling basins becomes more and more frequent. Climate change and related regulatory requirements generate more frequent functioning of dam spillways. Hence, unlined rock masses experience more action of hydrodynamic pressures. Sound prediction of rock scour potential becomes increasingly pertinent, especially for cases where the scour may potentially regress towards the dam.
A novel digital software platform has been developed with the aim to bundle and offer the current state-of-the-art modeling in the field of numerical predictions of scour of rock downstream of dams and in unlined channels and stilling basins (Bollaert, 2022 & 2024). Users are able to apply and compare a wide range of proven as well as new methods within one single numerical environment, based on tailored parametric settings of the dam, the turbulent flow and the rock mass. The platform proposes 2D detailed scour computations for turbulent jet flows at hydraulic structures. Furthermore, other turbulent flows can be modelled based on a sequential fluid-solid coupling between FLOW-3D® and rocsc@r®.
.jpg "Erik F.R. Bollaert, n/a photo")