Experimental study of the effect of number and longitudinal distance of lateral obstacles on the control and concentration profile of density current

Density current control is a set of structural and non-structural measures that cause deviation, block and reduction of its flow. In this study, lateral plates were used as a structural measure to control the flow of salty density current. These plates were placed in one, two, and three rows with a relative height of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 times the height of the density current body and three installation angles of 30, 60, and 90 degrees, and 9 tests were considered as flume blocking plates. In addition to the flow head control, the changes in the profile of the density current body were also investigated and compared with the control condition, which was the test without installing obstacles. The greatest reduction in flow head discharge in the case of three rows of obstacles was at a relative height of 1.5 times the height of the body with an installation angle of 60 degrees, which reduced the flow front discharge by 97%. The results showed that the decrease in the concentration of the density current due to the installation of lateral plates will lead to a decrease in the concentration of the body in all sampling depths compared to the case without installation of obstacles