PIV-POD Investigation of the Wake of a Sharp-Edged Flat Bluff Body Immersed in a Shallow Channel Flow

This paper reports particle-image velocimetry measurements of instantaneous velocity fields in the wake of a sharp-edged bluff body immersed vertically in a shallow smooth open channel flow. The maximum flow velocity was 0.19 m/s and the Reynolds number based on the water depth was 18,270. The purpose of the present study is to show the vertical variation of the velocity field in the near region of a shallow wake. Measurements of the flow field in the vertical central plane and in the horizontal near-bed, mid-depth, and near-surface planes were taken. Then, the mean flow quantities such as the mean velocity, turbulence intensity, and Reynolds stress fields were investigated. In addition, the proper orthogonal decomposition technique was used to reconstruct the velocity fields to investigate the energetic vortical structures. The results showed that the largest recirculation zone in the mean velocity fields occurred in the mid-depth velocity field, while the smallest one occurred near the bed. Also, the fluid was entrained from the sides toward the wake central plane in the three horizontal velocity fields but with different rates. This behavior was attributed to the existence of quasi-streamwise vortices near the boundaries. In addition, patterns of ejection and sweep events near the free surface similar to the features commonly observed near the wall-bounded flows were observed.