Modelling of plunge pool scour evolution in non-cohesive sediments

Turbulences in liquids caused by jets can be of interest for numerous applications. For one, it concerns flood spillway structures within civil engineering but also is key in any area where turbulent mixing is present. The numerical simulations of jets that impinge into plunge pools are still in an early phase of their development. This paper verifies the accuracy of the Flow-3D software package in regards to simulating 3D scouring processes generated by turbulent water jets impinging on a sediment bed. Scour calculations are performed based on previously examined laboratory experiments. The results of the numerical model compare well with the experimental results in terms of the scour depth and the ridge height which accumulates downstream of the scour hole. The impact angle of the jet is identified as a driving parameter for the establishment of steady state conditions of scour depth and ridge height.