Numerical Simulation of Longitudinal and Lateral Channel Deformations in the Braided Reach of the Lower Yellow River

Bank erosion frequently occurs in the Lower Yellow River (LYR), playing an important role in the evolution of this braided river. A two-dimensional (2D) composite model is developed herein that consists of a depth-averaged 2D flow and sediment transport submodel and a bank-erosion submodel. The model incorporates a new technique for updating bank geometry during either degradational or aggradational bed evolution, allowing the two submodels to be closely combined. Using the model, the fluvial processes in the braided reach of the LYR between Huayuankou and Laitongzhai are simulated, and the calculated results generally agree with the field measurements, including the water-surface elevation, variation of water-surface width, and variations of cross-sectional profiles. The calculated average water-surface elevation in the study reach was 0.09m greater than the observed initial value, and the calculated mean bed elevation for six cross sections was 0.11m lower than the observed value after 24 days. These errors are attributed to the large variability of flow and sediment transport processes. Sensitivity tests of three groups of parameters are conducted, and these groups of parameters are related to flow and sediment transport, bank erosion, and model application, respectively. Analysis results of parameter sensitivity tests indicate that bank erodibility coefficient and critical shear stress for bank material are sensitive to the simulated bank erosion process. The lateral erosion distance at Huayuankou will increase by 19% as the value of bank erodibility coefficient changes from 0.1 to 0.3, and it will decrease by 57% as the value of critical shear stress for bank increases from 0.6 to 1.2N∕m2. Limited changes of other parameters have relatively small effects on the simulated results for this reach, and the maximum change extent of calculated results is less than 5%. Because the process of sediment transport and bank erosion in the braided reach of the LYR is very complicated, further study is needed to verify the model.