Experimental investigation of the aggregated dead zone model for longitudinal solute transport in stream channels

Wallis, S. G. and Young, P. C. and Beven, K. J. (1989) Experimental investigation of the aggregated dead zone model for longitudinal solute transport in stream channels. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers (London). Part 1 - Design & Construction, 87 pt (MAR.). pp. 1-22. ISSN 0307-8361

Abstract

In this Paper, initial results obtained from a detailed study of the aggregated dead zone (ADZ) model for longitudinal solute transport and dispersion in river and channel flow are presented. This model is based on a novel approach to the description of advection and dispersion which is able to reproduce observed solute concentrations to a high degree of accuracy. During the past three years, the study team has conducted many tracer experiments in a number of rivers in the north-west of England, using a specially developed microcomputer-based fluorometric data logging and analysis system. These data have been used to calibrate the ADZ model, using advanced methods of statistical time series analysis both to identifiy the appropriate model structure and to estimate the associated model parameters. The complete analysis of the results from four short reaches shows that the model parameters exhibit a sensible relationship with river discharge and, moreover, that they can be combined in a simple, non-dimensional ratio which remains essentially constant for each reach over the complete range of discharges encountered during the study.