Author(s): Gabriella Petaccia; Elisabetta Persi; Francesco Paolo Conto; Diego Ravazzolo; Andrea Fenocchi; Stefano Sibilla; Lorenzo Innocenti; Mirco Mancini; Luca Solari
Linked Author(s): Lorenzo Innocenti, Andrea Fenocchi, Luca Solari
Keywords: Arno River; Plastic transport; Two-dimensional modeling
Abstract: Within the MINOSSE project (ManagINg plastic transpOrt in riverS and coaStal arEas), the 2D hydrodynamic numerical model ORSA2D_WT has been adapted to simulate the transport of plastic bottles, the most common macroplastic item transported in water bodies. Unlike smaller plastics, such as fragments or films, the shape and size of plastic bottles can significantly influence their inertia and fate. They may not follow flow velocity lines, so they must be modelled as discrete items, driven by the flow field and capable of interacting with surrounding elements (riverbed, riverbanks, bridge piers, vegetation, other debris of plastic or different nature). Thanks to the proposed 2D numerical approach, they are modelled as individual items floating on the water surface or being conveyed in the water column.
Year: 2026