Hydrodynamic Modelling and Turbulence Control of Low Velocity Zones in Box Culverts to Assist Upstream Passage of Small Body Mass Fish

Confirmation seminar presented by Hui Ling Wong

The presence of high velocities in culverts are well known to pose challenges for upstream fish passage. Numerous research has been undertaken by engineers and researchers to reduce the water velocities in culvert such as with the use of baffles and roughness manipulations. However, these approaches greatly reduce the discharge capacity of the culvert, resulting in a high cost of culvert design and construction. New research has been conducted with the aim of designing a fish passage without baffles or additional hydraulic structures, combining physical modelling, CFD modelling and field investigation. The research focuses on utilising the low velocity zone (LVZ) in the culvert, which is the fish preferential swimming zone for upstream fish passage with novel turbulence characterisation.