Author(s): Erik F. R. Bollaert
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Rock scour; Digital twin; Cloud-based modelling; FLOW-3D; Monte-Carlo method
Abstract: The lecture discusses the digitalization of rock scour engineering at dams and hydraulic structures. It outlines the current digitalization in rock engineering, as well as the digital evolution that has strongly characterized the development of computational methods in state-of-the-art rock scour over recent years. The challenges of rock scour digitalization are also discussed, such as parametric standardization, real-time data acquisition, data analysis and interpretation, quantitative rock mass indices, new ways of thinking and digital twin implementation. Further, it presents the major components and characteristics that are needed to develop an environment that implements rock scour digitally into dam safety procedures and dam risk analyses, such as IT platforms, database availability, physics, computational methods, phase coupling, accessibility, portability, reliability, real-time and ahead-of-time implementations and more. Moreover, a new cloud-based digital platform for rock scour computations is presented. This next-generation platform implements the most advanced computational methods and allows 2D and 3D digital rock scour computations at hydraulic structures and in rivers, by sequential fluid-solid coupling between the FLOW-3D CFD software environment and a 3D rock mass model with depth containing all relevant lithologies, faults, and so on. The platform proposes a range of rock break-up mechanisms, such as time-dependent rock joint fracturing and peeling off or plucking of rock blocks. Automated probabilistic-based computations are proposed based on the Monte-Carlo method, in which probability density functions for hydraulic and geomechanics parameters can be freely chosen by the user. Also, simplified 1D scour estimates are available for plunging jets under the form of scour curves with time for different rock mass qualities, together with a direct comparison with erodibility index-based approaches. Several 2D and 3D case studies will be presented during the lecture, covering a wide range of flow situations going from plunge pools and bottom outlets at dams to river reaches containing bridge piers.
Year: 2024