Proceedings of the 19th IAHR-APD Congress 2014, Hanoi, Vietnam

ISBN 978604821338-1

SCOUR AND DEPOSITION AROUND SPUR DYKES WITH LONGITUDINAL DYKES

H. HAYASHIDA(1), Y. MUTO(2), T. TAMURA(3) & S. TAZOE(4)

(1)
JR-Central Consultants Company, Nagoya, Japan,
c501231031@gmail.com
(2)
Institute of Technology and Science, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan,
muto_yas@ce.tokushima-u.ac.jp
(3)
Institute of Technology and Science, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan,
tamura@ce.tokushima-u.ac.jp
(4)
Hiroshima Municipal Office, Hiroshima, Japan

ABSTRACT
Laboratory experiments regarding the design of spur dykes with longitudinal dykes were conducted in a straight flume
with a movable bed. 3 types of the longitudinal dykes were considered, extending only upstream (LU-shape), only
downstream (LD-shape) and toward both directions (T-shape), in addition to no longitudinal dyke (I-shape). 10 sets of
spur dykes were installed only on one side of the flume, and 2 depth conditions were explored, i.e. non-submerged and
submerged ones. Surface flow patterns and equilibrium bed configurations were measured. The results show that
amount of deposition in the embayment fairly differs according to the shape and length of the longitudinal dykes. This
sediment deposition also induces geometric diversity in the embayments. Among the tested types, LU-shape (only
upstream) dykes captures sediments most effectively for both non-submerged and submerged cases.

Keywords: Spur dykes; Longitudinal dykes; Experiment; Scour and deposition; Embayment

1. INTRODUCTION from the designing point has not yet been clarified
compared with lateral dykes.
In many Japanese major rivers running on an alluvial
plain, spur dykes, or groynes, had been constructed for This paper deals with flow and bed evolution around the
more than 100 years for maintaining navigation course spur dykes with longitudinal dykes. Laboratory
and/or river bank protection. Nowadays spur dykes for experiments were conducted using a straight flume with
the navigation are no longer newly installed in such a movable bed. 4 different shapes of dykes were tested,
river reach due to the decline of inland navigation, with varying the length of longitudinal part
however the dykes constructed in the old age still remain systematically, under 2 depth conditions. How the shape
in several rivers (Aya, 1999). The spaces between these will affect hydraulic and morphological dynamics in the
dykes, after a long-time sediment deposition process, embayments is a main concern.
show a new function from the ecological point of view.
The spaces, a sort of embayment and called wando in 2. EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP
Japanese, are recognised to possess a precious closed
ecosystem within it and provide preferable environment Laboratory experiments were conducted in a straight
for natural lives (Tetsukawa et al., 1979), and thus should flume with a movable bed in the hydraulics laboratory,
be preserved and passed onto the next generation in a the University of Tokushima, Japan. The experimental
good condition. flume was 14m-long and 0.835m-wide made of steel
(bed) and glass (side). The bed slope was fixed at 1/200
Spur dykes are usually constructed perpendicular to the
river bank (lateral dykes), then they divert flow and 500 500 200 200
induce dead zones behind them, which also bring bed
evolution around them (Yamamoto, 1996). Recently, spur Y(cm)
flow X(cm) dykes 83.5
dykes are often adopted with the aim of environmental
rehabilitation, providing through a form of wando,
since aforementioned diversity of flow and bed geometry test section 500
is recognised as a key feature of diversity of habitats. fixed section movable section
Spur dykes with longitudinal dykes, parallel to the main flow Z(cm)
flow direction, are expected to offer the dead zone getting
more stagnant, which leads to settle more deposition X(cm)
there. In fact, there are many dykes with longitudinal 1 15
part in Japanese rivers and their shape (in which side of 200 (unit: cm)
the lateral part the longitudinal one is attached to) and
length have greatly wide variations (Muto and Ishigaki,
2010). However the function of the longitudinal dykes

1
for all experiments. The experimental set-up is shown in VELOCITY
NORMALISED
Figure 1. The x-axis starts from the upstream end of the TRACTIVE FORCE
0.091 0.137
FROUDE NUMBER 0.91 0.63
Figure 1. Schematic view of the experimental flume, top: plan
view, bottom: side view. REYNOLDS NUMBER 16,600 22,800

movable section, the y-axis from the right side of the

flume and the z-axis from the initial flat-bed level. Bed Bed configurations were measured in the movable
material was silica whose mean diameter was 1.00mm. section, at 30min, 60min and 90min after the flow onto
The length of the movable part was 9m from the end of the flume. At each time the pump was transiently
the flume, where the thickness of silica layer was 15cm. stopped then water in the flume was fully drained. A
In the upstream of the movable part a fixed bed of 5m laser range finder (KEYENCE LK-G405) was used in
long was formed where the bed made of wood. order to identify scour and deposition areas around the
structures. The streamwise intervals of the measurements
10 spur dykes were set on only the left side of the flume.
were 2cm in section of 10 spur dykes and 6cm in section
The length of the lateral dykes was 10cm and their without dykes. For velocity measurements a video
mutual distance was 20cm, thus the aspect ratio of each camera was used to capture the surface flow patterns,
embayment was 2. The height of the dykes from the and then velocity distributions were obtained by a self-
initial flat bed was 4cm. In this study, 3 types of the developed PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) software
longitudinal dykes were considered, extending only (Fujita, et al., 1998).
upstream (LU-shape), only downstream (LD-shape) and
toward both directions (T-shape). The lengths of the head 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
works were changed 0cm (I-shape), 5cm, 10cm and 15cm
respectively. The dimensions of the longitudinal dykes 3.1 The non-submerged condition
are summarized in Table 1. The model of spur dykes is
Figure 2 shows averaged velocity distributions in the
made of wood and impermeable. We defined 10 spur embayment for various dyke shapes. Superimposed
dykes as No.1-No.10, and 9 embayments as E1-E9 along contour maps show the magnitude of resultant velocity.
the streamwise direction. Here the measured values are averaged over E4 to E9 and
are drawn in one embayment, since transition processes
Table 1. Shape and dimension of the longitudinal dyke. in developing circulation and bed evolution were
observed from E1 to E3, but they are rather stable in E4
LENGTH OF LONGITUDINAL DYKE
SHAPE CASE (unit: cm) and downstream. In the figure the opening of the
UPSTREAM DOWNSTREAM embayment to the main flow region is fixed, 10cm, for
I I 0 0
LD- 5 0 5
LD LD-10 0 10
LD-15 0 15
LU- 5 5 0
LU LU-10 10 0
LU-15 15 0
T-5,5 5 5
T T-10,5 10 5 (a) I-shape
T-5,10 5 10

The experiments were conducted under uniform flow

conditions. 2 depth conditions were selected, non-
submerged and submerged ones. In the former the
uniform water depth was 3.25cm (which yield the
relative depth of 0.81), and the latter 5.08cm (1.27). The (b) LD-shape (LD-10)
hydraulic condition was chosen as to realize the so-called
live bed condition, in which the non-dimensional shear
forces were 0.09 and 0.14 respectively. The equilibrium
bed condition was obtained 90 to 120 minutes after the
required discharge was set. The other hydraulic
parameters adopted for these experiments are given in
Table 2.
(c) LU-shape (LU-10)

Table 2. Hydraulic conditions.

NON-
SUBMERGED
SUBMERGED

DISCHARGE (cm3/s) 13,900 19,000

WATER DEPTH (cm) 3.25 5.08
SECTIONAL (cm/s) 51.2 44.8

(d) T-shape (T-5,5)

2
(cm/s)
the comparison. For I-shape, (a), one large circulating Figure 3. Velocity distributions in the embayment for LD-shape in
flow is induced in the embayment. The flow from the the non-submerged condition.

Figure 2. Velocity distributions in the embayment for various dykes can reduce the velocity in the embayment up to
dyke shape in the non-submerged condition. nearly half or less of that in the main stream. The mean
velocity seems to have a negative correlation with the
main stream enters along the downstream-side dyke and
length of the longitudinal dyke, or a positive correlation
emerges from the upstream-side. The maximum velocity
with the opening of the embayment. Among the explored
of the circulating flow is about 40cm/s. When the
cases, if the opening is 5cm, 25% of the dykes interval,
longitudinal dyke is attached, (b)~(d), the size of the
circulation gets smaller, down to coincide the size of the
opening. However the entering flow extends to the
channel side wall. The maximum velocity of the
circulating flow as compared with that for I-shape is
nearly the same for LU-shape, (c), but almost half for LD-
and T-shapes, (b) and (d). On the other hand, the area
behind the longitudinal dyke is rather stable for all cases,
where the velocity is mostly less than 5cm/s. (a) LU-5
Figures 3 to 5 show the effect of the length of longitudinal
dyke on the velocity distributions. It is commonly seen
for all dyke shapes that a circulating flow is recognized if
the length of the longitudinal dyke is no more than 10cm,
in other words the opening of the embayment is 10cm or
over. In contrast, almost all of the embayment area is
stagnant and no dominant flow pattern is identified
when the opening is 5cm. When paying attention to the
(b) LU-10
area behind the longitudinal dyke, velocity magnitude is
small irrespective of the length of the longitudinal dyke
for LD- and T-shapes (Figures 3 & 5). However, for LU-
shape with 5cm longitudinal dyke (Figure 4 (a)), a
counter circulation is induced in that area. In the
embayment, fastest flow region is generally formed near
the downstream-side of the opening, in which the flow
from the main stream enters. LU-shape has a room next
to the fast flow region where such a counter flow can be (c) LU-15
induced. T-shape also has such a room, but a counter (cm/s)
flow is not well developed, neither LU-shape with longer
longitudinal dyke. For these cases the opening is small
Figure 4. Velocity distributions in the embayment for LU-shape in
not enough to induce a counter flow. the non-submerged condition.
Figure 6 shows the mean velocity in the embayment as a
whole for all cases. The values are normalized by the
velocity in the main stream. The figure shows that spur

(a) T-5,5

(a) LD-5

(b) T-10,5

(b) LD-10

(c) T-5,10

(cm/s)

(c) LD-15
3
(cm/s)
 Figure 5. Velocity distributions in the embayment for T-shape in
the non-submerged condition.
the mean velocity in the embayment is quite small
compared with the main stream, less than 10%.
(%)
I-shape LD-shape LU-shape T-shape
Figure 6. Overall mean velocity in the embayment in the non-
submerged condition.
Figure 7 shows coefficients of variation of the spatial
velocity distributions in the embayment. The coefficient
can be recognized to represent diversity of the flow field.
Here the coefficients are estimated as that for I-shape
yields 1.0 as a reference. The figure shows that flow
diversity increases as the longitudinal dyke is attached.
Among the same dyke shape, the diversity is largest
when the opening is 10cm. In average for each shape,
LD-shape shows the largest, 1.59, and LU- and T shapes
are more or less the same, 1.38 and 1.42.
I-shape LD-shape LU-shape T-shape
Figure 7. Coefficients of variation of the spatial velocity
distributions in the embayment in the non-submerged condition.
Figure 8 shows averaged bed elevations in the
embayment for various dyke shapes. Here the averaged
bed elevations are obtained in the same manner as
described for the velocity distributions. For I-shape, (a), a
scoured area exists on the downstream-side of the
boundary between the main stream and the embayment.
This area coincides the position where the faster main
flow enters into the embayment (see e.g. Figure 2 (a)),
thus this faster flow causes scouring. Scoured sediments
seems to be transported into the central part of the
embayment. A thin deposited area is formed there. When
the longitudinal dyke is attached, (b)~(d), it is surprising
enough because the area scoured for I-shape, at the
entrance near the downstream-side dyke, is deposited.
Those depositions are distinct in the embayment. It can
be concluded that the longitudinal dyke works to capture
the sediments more effectively into the embayment,
however its effect does not spread enough to the whole
embayment.
(a) I-shape
(b) LD-shape (LD-10)
(c) LU-shape (LU-10)
(d) T-shape (T-5,5)
(cm)
Figure 8. Bed elevations in the embayment for various dyke shape
in the non-submerged condition.
Figures 9 to 11 show the effect of the length of
longitudinal dyke on the bed elevations. For all cases a
deposited area is formed at the opening near the
downstream-side dyke, which reinforces the conclusion
in the previous paragraph. Nevertheless, bed elevations
in the embayment are generally lower than I-shape for
most cases. Areas behind the longitudinal dykes are
almost flat, as can be expected from the measured
velocity magnitude there (see Figures 3 to 5). Thus
variation of geometry in the embayment becomes smaller
as the length of the longitudinal dyke is longer. This is
also the same for the area of deposition.
Figure 12 shows reductions of sediment volume in the
embayment compared with I-shape. For all the cases the
sediment volume is reduced. For LD-shape, sediment
reduction becomes larger as the length of the longitudinal
dyke is longer. For LU-shape, sediment reduction is
almost the same irrespective of the length of the
longitudinal dyke. For T-shape, sediment reduction
depends on the width of the opening.
Figure 13 shows coefficients of variation of the bed
elevations in the embayment. The coefficient can be
recognized to represent diversity of the geometry. Here
4
the coefficients are estimated as that for I-shape yields 1.0
as a reference. The figure shows that geometry diversity
decreases as the longitudinal dyke is attached. Geometry
diversity does not vary so much according to the length
of the longitudinal dyke, when the dyke shape is the
same. Rather, geometry diversity changes with regard to
the shape. LU-shape shows the largest except for I-shape,
0.63 in average, and T-shape the smallest, 0.29. LD-shape
shows 0.49.

(a) LD-5
(a) T-5,5

(b) LD-10
(b) T-10,5

(c) LD-15
(c) T-5,10
(cm)
(cm)
Figure 9. Bed elevations in the embayment for LD-shape in the
non-submerged condition. Figure 11. Bed elevations in the embayment for T-shape in the non-
submerged condition.

(a) LU-5

I-shape LD-shape LU-shape T-shape

Figure 12. Reductions of sediment volume in the embayment
compared with I-shape in the non-submerged condition.

(b) LU-10

(c) LU-15

(cm)

I-shape LD-shape LU-shape T-shape

Figure 10. Bed elevations in the embayment for LU-shape in the
non-submerged condition. Figure 13. Coefficients of variation of the bed elevations in the
embayment in the non-submerged condition.

5
3.2 The submerged condition The area behind the longitudinal dyke does not changed
from the initial condition.
For the submerged condition, velocity distributions in the
embayment are almost the same for all cases, mostly Figure 14. Bed elevations in the embayment for various dyke
parallel to the channel wall, because the velocity was shape in the submerged condition.
measured only on the water surface. This means that the Figures 15 to 17 show the effect of the length of
effect of the dykes was not visible on the surface under longitudinal dyke on the bed elevations. For LD-shape,
the condition adopted here (see Table 2). Thus only the Figure 15, the bed geometry in the embayment is almost
bed elevations will be discussed in the following. the identical for all the cases, implying independent on
Figure 14 shows averaged bed elevations in the the length of the longitudinal dyke. For LU-shape, Figure
embayment for various dyke shapes, in the same manner
as Figure 8. For I-shape, (a), the geometry is quite similar
to that for the non-submerged case (see Figure 8 (a)). An
area on the downstream-side of the boundary between
the main stream and the embayment is scoured. In
addition, deposition can be recognized on the upstream-
side of the boundary. It seems to develop along the
boundary in the longitudinal direction, but not so widely
spreads in the lateral direction. An area near the channel
wall is not changed so much from the initial condition.
For LD-shape, (b), the geometry is similar to that for I-
shape, however area and depth of scour are smaller.
Deposition can be seen next to the scoured area.
Nevertheless variation of the geometry is small as a
whole, especially in the area behind the longitudinal
dyke. For LU-shape, (c), in contrast, a distinct deposited
area is formed around the centre of the embayment. In
this case, scoured areas are not apparently seen in the
embayment. This means that the deposited sediments are
deemed to be captured from the main stream. For T-
shape, (d), the geometry is similar to that for LU-shape,
however area and height of deposition are much smaller.

(a) I-shape

(b) LD-shape (LD-10)

(c) LU-shape (LU-10)

(d) T-shape (T-5,5)

6
(cm)
Figure 15. Bed elevations in the embayment for LD-shape in the volume is not so much. As a whole bed elevation change
submerged condition. in the embayment is not so notable.
Figure 16. Bed elevations in the embayment for LU-shape in the Figure 17. Bed elevations in the embayment for T-shape in the
submerged condition. submerged condition.

Figure 18 shows increases of sediment volume in the

(a) LD-5

(a) T-5,5

(b) LD-10

(b) T-10,5

(c) LD-15

(cm)
(c) T-5,10

16, deposition is formed near the edge of the longitudinal (cm)

dyke. Thus its position moves upstream as its length
embayment compared with I-shape. As shown in the
figure, deposited sediments increase except T-10,5,
indicating that for the submerged condition the
longitudinal dyke enhances to capture sediments into the
embayment. However its effectiveness is quite different
according to its shape. For LD-shape, there seems a weak
positive correlation between the volume and the dyke
length, yet the deposition volume remains around 4 times
(a) LU-5
larger than for I-shape. For LU-shape, LU-5 can only
affords to capture sediments in the same order as I-shape,
nevertheless LU-10 and LU-15 draw a large amount of
sediments into the embayment, over 10 times than for I-

(b) LU-10

(c) LU-15
(cm)
increases. Simultaneously volume of deposited sediments
increases, too. For T-shape, Figure 17, deposition can be
recognised near the opening for all the cases, however its
I-shape LD-shape LU-shape T-shape
Figure 18. Variations of sediment volume in the embayment
compared with I-shape in the submerged condition.
shape. For T-shape, the result largely varies according to
the dyke lengths and the position of the opening.

7
Figure 19 shows coefficients of variation of the bed ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
elevations in the embayment. Same as for the non-
The authors would acknowledge Mr H. Umeoka,
submerged condition (see Figure 13), geometry diversity
technician, the University of Tokushima, for his supports
generally decreases as the longitudinal dyke is attached,
in laboratory works. Financial supports by Grant-in-Aid
mainly owing to non-disturbed areas behind the
for Scientific Research (C) (No. 26420498) by Japan
longitudinal dyke. Exceptions are for LU-10 and LU-15,
Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and River
as can be already seen in Figure 16, this is because
Fund (No. 26-1212-007) by River Foundation, Japan,
differences of the bed elevation is fairly large between the
should be acknowledged.
deposition and the non-disturbed area.
REFERENCES
Aya, S. (1999): History of the wando in the Yodo River,
Function of the wando and its conservation and creation ,
Foundation of River & Watershed Environment
Management, pp.41-78. (in Japanese)
Hayashida, H., Muto, Y., Tazoe, T. and Tamura, T.
(2013): Scour and Deposition around Spur Dykes with
Head Works, Proc. Int. Symp. on River Sedimentation,
paper on CD-ROM, Kyoto, Japan.
Muto, Y. and Ishigaki, T. (2010): An Experimental Study
on Meandering Channel Flow with a Series of
Groynes, Proc. Int. Symp. on Water and Sediment
I-shape LD-shape LU-shape T-shape Disasters in East Asia, Kyoto, Japan, pp.108-115.
Tetsukawa, S., Matsuoka, K. and Tamura, T. (1979): The
Figure 19. Coefficients of variation of the bed elevations in the Yodo River - its nature and history -, Shoraisha, pp.42-
embayment in the submerged condition. 68. (in Japanese)
4. CONCLUSIONS Yamamoto, K. (1996): Spur Dykes in Japan, Sankaido,
447pp. (in Japanese)
Laboratory experiments were conducted in order to
study flow and bed evolution around spur dykes with
longitudinal dyke. Distributions of velocity and bed
evolution in the embayment were highlighted. The effects
of the shape of the dyke, especially of the longitudinal
part, were discussed.
In the non-submerged condition, a size of circulation
flow decreases and a stagnant region increases when the
longitudinal dyke is attached. Overall velocity magnitude
decreases in the embayment, however diversity of
velocity distributions increases because of the velocity
difference between the circulation and the stagnant
region. Deposition near the opening indicates that the
longitudinal dyke helps to introduce sediments into the
embayment, however it does not lead to aggrade the
whole embayment. Diversity of geometry, in contrast to
that of velocity, decreases because non-disturbed area
behind the longitudinal dyke appears.
In the submerged condition, sediment volume deposited
in the embayment increases in most of the tested cases
when the longitudinal dyke is attached. Especially LU-
shape shows high effectiveness for sediment capturing.
Nevertheless, diversity of geometry decreases in most of
the cases since non-disturbed area behind the
longitudinal dyke still remains as it does in the non-
submerged condition.
Further investigations should be necessary to clarify bed
deformation processes and mechanisms. Detailed
velocity distributions near the bed should be acquired for
this purpose, especially in the submerged condition.
Suspended sediments should also be taken into account,
since they play a significant role in bed evolution in the
embayment. In order to utilise spur dykes for
environmental restoration more effectively, function of
diversities of hydraulic parameters in habitat evaluation
should be clearly identified.