Laboratory investigation of migration and expansion rate related to meandering rivers with knickpoint at downstream

The geomorphological changes of the bed and bank of rivers can affect the migration and expansion rate of the meandering rivers. A knickpoint in the bed slope is one of the most common geomorphologic changes in the river. Measuring the migration and expansion rate of meandering rivers, in addition to taking the necessary actions in order to protect the structures located along and over the river are considered as engineering measures in the field of river engineering. In this regard, to study and measure the rate of migration and expansion of meandering rivers with knickpoint in the flow at downstream, experiments were carried out in a laboratory flume with an erodible bed. The channel was carved on the sedimentary bed, and was studied and evaluated the migration and the expansion rate in to two experimental groups in the presence and absence of the knickpoint (control tests) for three different widths of the channel (different wavelengths of the initial bend), three discharges, and three different bed slopes. Results showed that the flow began to create meandering bends at a very high rate in order to modify the knickpoint at downstream, and as a result, the migration rate of meander has increased compared to the control experiments and decreased the expansion rate. An increase in the rate of migration up to 32% and the decrease in the rate of expansion up to 36% are achieved by comparing the results of experiments with presence of the knickpoint at downstream and its absence.