http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/19684650

An evaluation of movable-bed tidal inlet models

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of movable-bed tidal inlet hydraulic models in predicting prototype behavior, by comparing model predictions with the observations made in the prototype, and to examine the scaling requirements for such models. Seven model studies were conducted by WES during the period 1939 to 1969. Calibrations of five of these models, as measured by bed topography changes, are evaluated by means of quantitative indicators, including correlation coefficients and root-mean-square (rms) error. The values of correlation coefficients, disregarding measurement errors in model and prototype soundings, were generally low and those of rms error high. Evaluation of data from the Galveston Harbor entrance model revealed that the shoaling rates and distribution along the navigation channel predicted by the model are not in good agreement with the prototype data. It was concluded that the model reproduction of details of bed topography was less accurate than that which might have been obtained had the proposed similitude criteria been used, and had more complete prototype data been available for calibration. Disagreement between model and prototype is believed to have been due to: scale effects introduced by nonsimilarity ofthe physical processes; insufficient prototype data for calibration and verification; oversimplification of the available prototype data for use in the model study; and experimental errors.

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