Reporter Topic:Numerical Simulation of Hydrodynamics of the Qiantang River Estuary

Reporter: Professor Yakun Guo, University of Bradford, UK

Time:16:00,July.14,2019

Location:Academic Hall of State Key Laboratory

    Numerical modeling study is presented to investigate the tidal water elevations and tidal current velocity in the Qiantang Estuary, China. The Qiantang Estuary is well-known for its macrotide, which generates a complex flow structure. This presents challenges for accurate numerical simulation. Furthermore, the high tide coinciding with the storm surge will pose potential flood to the estuarine region. This paper develops a mathematical model using finite volume method with unstructured mesh to simulate the tide-induced water elevation and tidal current velocity in the Qiantang Estuary. The parameters in the model are determined using the long-term observed field data of the Qiantang Estuary. The model is validated by comparing the simulated tidal elevations and current velocities with the field observations (Figure 1; only showing the tidal elevations) [2]. The validated hydrodynamic model is then incorporated with a cyclone model to simulate the effect of the storm surge on the tidal water elevation for assessment of the flooding. The storm surge generated by Typhoon Agnes (No. 8114) is reproduced by using the integrated model. The simulated wind field and water elevations agree well the available field observations.