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Tutorial 4.
Example of simulation of bed evolution in a field-scale
meandering channel

 Purpose of this tutorial

Simulate changes in the flow regime (water depth and flow velocity) targeted on real rivers by using Nays2DH,
and visualize the simulation results on the iRIC interface.

 Outline:
Creating the calculation grid
Using DEM data of an actual river, create calculation grids.
Setting the calculation conditions
Set a hydrograph for 6 hours. Set various other conditions necessary for simulation.
Making a simulations
Visualizing the calculation results
Visualize the depth contour map and velocity vector.

 Format of DEM (Digital Elevation Map) data:

DEM data (*.dat, *txt.) is a file type for saving the x-, y- and z- coordinate values. The file format is like
a csv file as shown below. First column is arbitrary number, and second, third and fourth columns are x,
y, z data, respectively.

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1. Generate a computational grid

Import the elevation data (DEM data) of the target river, and then generate a computational grid by using grid
generator called [Create grid shape solving Poisson equation] in iRIC.

On the menu bar, select [Import] -> [Geographical Data] -> [Elevation], and then open the sample data named
[demdata.txt]. After imported the data successfully, the topography data of the river will appear on the pre-
processor window of iRIC as below.

Setting the Color map:

When the riverbed ups/downs are large or the water depth is too shallow, it is convenient to see the bed geometry
of the DEM data by adjusting the range of color scale bar. You can change the range of color bar by using [Color
map setting] as following steps. Then, the riverbed elevation where you want to make grid will be easy to
recognize.

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Setting range of color scale bar for riverbed topography:

On the menu bar, select [Geographical Data] -> [Color setting] -> [Elevation]. The [Colormap Setting]
window will open.

Input the following settings in the

[Colormap Setting] window, and
click on [OK].

Value range:
 "Automatic"
---- Remove the check ☑
 Max---- 18
 Min---- 14

The display will change as follows:

The color of each point is changed.

The red area indicates the targeted

area for simulation.

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To create calculation grid, select Menu bar -> [Grid] -> [Select Algorithm to Create Grid], and select [Create
grid shape solving Poisson equation] in the dialog of [select grid creating algorithm]. The procedure to create
calculation grid is as following steps.

① Setting the grid centreline:

Create the centerline of calculation grid by using PC mouse as figure below.

Set the grid centerline from up-

stream to downstream. To finish,
press the Enter key or double click.

② Build the left bank and right bank lines:

Right click on the centreline you generated, then select [build the left bank and right bank lines]. You
will specify the distance of the left and right bank lines from the centreline.

The distance is set as 10 m for both

left and right banks. These are just a
tentative value, so you can change
the planimetric shape of the bank
lines.

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You can change the shape of the bank

line by moving the vertex like left
figure. If the vertex point is not
enough to represent the bank line,
you can add the vertex by right click-
ing on the bank line and then select
[add vertex].

③ Generate the computational grid:

Right click on the centreline and select [create grid]. A dialog of grid creation will open. You will specify
the number of grids in longitudinal and transverse directions.

Large number of iteration will make

a smoother grid shape, which is suit-
able for the numerical simulation, but
it will take a long time.

A calculation grid will be created as below.

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2. Background image : import Google Map

If your PC is connecting the internet, you can use a function which automatically imports the background image.
To download image files, first, set the coordinate system of the geographic data you imported onto the iRIC as
following steps.

① Setting the coordinate system:

On the menu bar, select [File] -> [Property]. In the window, select [Edit] and choose the coordinate
system for the DEM data.

Users need to know the properly coor-

dinate system for your DEM files.

In this tutorial, the coordinate system of the DEM data is EPSG 2454. JGD2000 / Japan Plane Rectangular
CS XII].

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② Download Google map:

On the objective browser, select [Background Image (Internet)] -> [Google Map]. There are several types
of background image, so you can choose the map you would like to use for the background image.

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3. Setting the calculation conditions

① Set Manning Manning’s roughness coefficient and calculation conditions.
First, select [Geographical Data] -> [Manning’s roughness coefficient] in the Object Browser. Second, select
the grid cells where you want to set the roughness value, by PC mouse. Third, select [Edit value] by right
clicking on the grid, and then the window to set [Manning’s roughness coefficient] will open. Then, in the
window, input Manning’s roughness coefficient as 0.03.

② Calculation conditions:
Select [Calculation Conditions] -> [Setting] on the menu bar, then set various conditions as followings

Solver Type:

 Select solver type---- Standard

 Bed deformation---- Enabled
 Finite difference method of advec-
tion terms----- CIP method

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Nays2DH has two types of solvers: the standard edition and the advanced edition. The standard edition allows
you to perform numerical simulations of flow and bed evolution of general river segments with uniform sedi-
ment material. The advanced edition allows you to deal with more complex boundary conditions and initial
conditions such as the following: non-uniform grain size multilayer model, river confluence model, Hot start,
and so on. More details will be found in Nays2DH solver manual.

Description of Solver Type settings

# Item Description Remarks

When [Standard] is
Sets the solver type. Choose selected, items
1 Solver type
[Standard] or [Advanced]. marked [+] cannot
be set.
Sets whether or not bed defor-
2 Bed deformation
mation is calculated.
Select the finite-difference
Finite-difference
method of the advection terms be-
3 method of advec-
tween [Upwind difference
tion terms
method] or [CIP method].
Sets whether to use the conflu-
When using the con-
ence model. Select from among
fluence model,
4 +Confluence [Disabled], [Type A, from left
[Bank erosion] can-
bank], [Type B, from left bank]
not be used.
and [Type B, from right bank].
When set to [Non-
Sets the bed material type for bed
uniform], [M.P.M
+Bed material deformation calculation. [Uni-
5 formula] and [Bank
type form] or [Non-uniform] can be se-
erosion] cannot be
lected.
used.
Sets the sediment transport type
+Sediment for bed deformation calculation.
6
transport type Select [Bed load only] or [Bed
load and suspended load].
+Bedload The user can select the bedload When set to [M.P.M
transport formula transport formula from [M.P.M formula], [Non-uni-
7
for uniform sedi- formula] and [Ashida and Mich- form] cannot be
ment iue formula]. used.

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The user can select how to calcu- When you select

late vector of bedload transport [Ashida, Egashira
+Vector of bedload
8 from [Watanabe formula] and and Liu formula],
transport
[Ashida, Egashira and Liu for- [bank erosion] can-
mula]. not be used.
The user can select the formula of
+Formula of up-
upward flux of suspended load
ward flux of sus-
9 from river bed from [Itakura and
pended load from
Kishi formula] and [Lane and Ka-
river bed
linske formula].
When set to [Ena-
Enables/disables bank erosion
bled], [Non-uniform]
10 +Bank erosion based on the sediment transport
and [Confluence]
from the river bank region.
cannot be used.
Enables/disables slope collapse by
+Slope collapse critical angle. The user can set
11
model the critical angle in [Bank Ero-
sion].
Sets the turbulent model type.
Select from among [Constant
12 +Turbulent model eddy viscosity], [Zero-equation
model] or [k-ε model].

When you select [use

initial bed elevations
of fixed bed cells],
the elevation of fixed
bed is set to be ini-
The user can select from [use ini-
+How to set the tial elevation of fixed
tial bed elevations of fixed bed
13 elevation of fixed bed cell if you spec-
cells] and [use elevation data of
bed ify fixed bed. When
fixed bed].
you select [use ele-
vation data of fixed
bed], the mapped el-
evation on the grid
is used.

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 Periodic boundary condition

---- Disabled
 Water surface at downstream
---- uniform flow

 Time unit of discharge--- hour

 Click on [import] to set discharge

Import file: [discharge.csv]

Note: no need to input the water level in

this dialog, because this case uses [Uni-
form flow] for the boundary condition at
downstream end.

Time:

 Output time interval (sec)----100

 Calculation time step (sec)
---- 0.05
 Start time of output (sec)---- 0
 Start time of bed deformation(sec)
---- 300

The initial water surface profile is visual-

ized for confirmation by setting "Start
time of output (sec)" as "0."

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Bed material:

 Diameter of uniform bed material

(mm) ---- 40

Many other conditions can be set; however, they do not need to be set for this simulation.

4. Making Simulation
Before stating the simulation, select [File] -> [Save as File (*ipro)] and save your project.
For running a simulation, select [Simulation] -> [Run] in menu bar or select  on menu tool bar. Then, Solver
console window will appear and calculation starts. If you want to visualize your calculation results before the
calculation finishes, Select [calculation result] -> [Reload] on the menu bar.

When the simulation stops due do an error, modify the calculation conditions or calculation grids and perform
the simulation again.

Error of simulation

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5. Visualization of calculation results

Select [calculation result] -> [Open new 2D post-processing window] on the menu bar, or click on the button
[2D], named [Open 2D post-processing window]. Here, visualize the results of elevation change (m), velocity
vector, and mean diameter change (mm).

Select [iRICZone] -> [Scalar (node)] -> [Elevation Change (m)] in the Object Browser.
The contour map of the elevation change will open.

To fix the scale bar:

Right click on the [Elevation Change (m)] in
the Object Browser and select [Property]. In
the [Property window] as shown in figure
below, set the value range as below:

 Value Range
------ Remove the check of Automatic

- Max----- 1.5 m
- Min----- 3.0 m

 Transparent
------ Remove the check

The contour map of the bed elevation change is now easier to see.

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Visualize the flow velocity:

In the Object Browser, select [iRICZone] -> [Arrow] -> [Velocity].
The velocity vector generated in default is hard to understand. To fix the scale of vector arrow, right
click on [Arrow] and select [Property]. In the Property window,
Contour map : Depth (m)

Vector map : Velocity (ms-1)

 uncheck the [Auto]

 Standard value: 2 m/s

 Length on screen: 30 pixel

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The flow field over the point bars in a meandering channel is clearly visualized by this modification.

End Tutorial 4.

Nays2DH Tutorial