The response of straight mobile bed channels to inbank and overbank flows

Recent large-scale experiments in the UK Flood Channel Facility concerning equilibrium sand channels are described. The experiments involved free-form ed channels and straight sediment channels with fixed banks, using a unifor m sand With a d(50) of around 0.8 mm. Inbank, bankfull and overbank flows w ere investigated, and an overview of the experimental procedures, results a nd implications for practitioners is given. Some of the operational difficu lties, successes and lessons learnt from these novel experiments are also r eviewed. Some practical lessons are drawn concerning the application of rat ional regime theories to alluvial channels, channel morphology and sediment transport rates.