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D. Regout

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3 records found

Journal article (2026) - D. Regout, A. van Niekerk, D. Wüthrich
Aeration plays a key role in the breaking roller of dam-break waves, however, their multiphase behavior remains insufficiently understood due to the complexity of turbulent air–water interactions in unsteady aerated flows. Laboratory experiments are typically designed under Froude similitude to preserve the balance between inertial and gravitational forces. In aerated free-surface flows, incomplete dynamic similarity leads to scale effects as viscous and surface tension forces become increasingly influential at smaller scales. While scaling behavior has been extensively investigated for steady aerated flows, corresponding insights for unsteady flows remain scarce. This study experimentally investigates the scaling behavior of unsteady dam-break wave rollers using geometrically similar experiments at two different scales, each with four flow conditions. A comprehensive dataset was obtained combining free-surface measurements, video-based analysis, and intrusive phase-detection probes, enabling detailed characterization of free-surface dynamics and air–water flow properties. Fluctuations of the roller-toe perimeter agree well between scales, suggesting Froude-dependence. In contrast, free-surface fluctuations along the roller exhibit scale dependence, reflecting the influence of aeration and large recirculating structures. Bubble characteristics showed strong scale effects, underscoring the role of turbulence dissipation and interfacial forces that are not dynamically similar across scales, whereas void-fraction profiles are comparatively less sensitive. Overall, the results demonstrate that many multiphase flow properties cannot be directly extrapolated solely based on Froude similarity. While highlighting the need for prototype measurements, this study provides new insight for improving the extrapolation of laboratory-scale findings to natural unsteady phenomena. ...
Journal article (2025) - D. Regout, S. N. Jonkman, D. Wüthrich
Dam-break waves are highly unsteady long-wave phenomena, characterized by a breaking front with a strong recirculating air–water mixture. While the air–water flow properties of steady flows have often been investigated, the understanding of dynamic processes in unsteady multiphase flows remains limited. In this experimental study, a new approach was implemented to analyze the air–water flow properties of highly unsteady flows in the form of dam-break waves using ensemble-averaging techniques to account for short-duration measurements. The new dataset includes four different flow conditions, providing novel insights into the relation between various hydrodynamic characteristics and key air–water flow properties, including bubble characteristics and void fraction. The void fraction profiles indicated the presence of a turbulent shear layer along with a recirculation zone close to the free surface, showing analogies with similar steady and unsteady flow phenomena. Variations in the Froude number were shown to strongly affect the number and size of air bubbles, particularly in the shear layer. Higher depth-averaged air concentrations were found with increasing Froude numbers, reaching up to 40% for Fr = 5.14. Overall, the results confirm the importance of considering the presence of air in dam-break waves and demonstrate the suitability of this new methodology for investigating air–water flow properties in highly turbulent flows. They offer a deeper understanding of the multiphase nature of dam-break waves, which is relevant for a wide range of processes in coastal and hydraulic engineering. ...
Abstract (2024) - Dorette Regout, Jonas Matsch, Davide Wüthrich
Recent catastrophic events caused by tsunamis, storm surges, flood waves, and the failure of dams (e.g. in Ukraine and Libya) have shown to be a significant threat to densely populated coastal communities. Interactions with built environments can lead to violent wave impacts that may have severe consequences, including significant infrastructural damage and potential loss of life. The frequency of these water-related disasters is increasing globally due to climate change and sea level rise, resulting in a rising demand for deeper knowledge related to the physical processes of such hazards.

The dynamic behaviour of these type of wave phenomena is described by long-period, high translatory waves, where the on-shore propagation or inland inundation is associated with sudden free-surface deformations. This results in a steeping of the slope at the leading edge, causing non-linear flow behaviour to prevail and inducing the wave to collapse. The breaking process generates a breaking roller at the wave front, containing a rapidly fluctuating mixture of air and water, associated with a strong recirculation. The high degree of air-water interaction in these unsteady flows has a significant impact on the flow properties as it influences many dynamic processes, including viscous and surface tension effects at air-bubble level, as well as larger scale gravitational effects associated with the turbulent flow and eddy formation (Brocchini and Peregrine, 2001). New innovative measurement techniques have allowed experimental studies to more precisely quantify the air-water interactions in multiphase flows. However, most experimental research focused on air-water flow properties in hydraulic jumps and other steady flows (e.g. spillway flows, plunging jets). Currently, limited research is available for unsteady flows and mostly based on small datasets and limited flow conditions. This lack of availability and diversity of experimental data restricts the understanding of how these multi-phase flows behave under different conditions, hence the need for future research. ...