DISTRIBUTION OF TURBULENT VELOCITY FLUCTUATIONS IN A NATURAL RIVER

Turbulent characteristics of flow velocity in a natural river were sys tematically analyzed in this study. Flow velocities were measured with time at six different lateral locations and at three different vertic al elevations on a major navigable waterway in the United States. Anal yses of the velocity data include the cross-sectional and vertical dis tributions of longitudinal and transverse velocity components (u, nu), the fluctuating velocity components (u', nu') and their frequency-dis tribution curves, turbulent intensities (sigma(x), sigma(y)), and turb ulent shear stress (-<(rho u'nu')over bar>). These analyses have shown that the strongest velocity fluctuation occurs near the main channel area above the river bed.