Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/R46311/01
Title:	A New and Practical Method to Measure the Drag of Rough, Natural Surfaces in Sub-Critical Fluid Flows
Principal Investigator:	Amos, Professor CL
Other Investigators:	Chaplin, Professor JR Tosswell, Dr P
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	National Water Research Institute University of Quebec at Rimouski
Department:	Sch of Ocean and Earth Science
Organisation:	University of Southampton
Scheme:	Fast Stream
Starts:	14 November 2001	Ends:	13 November 2004	Value (£):	66,351
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Coastal & Waterway Engineering
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Environment Water
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The drag coefficient is central to estimates of forces on structures, flows over beds, or flow around objects. It is difficult to measure in the field, and the measurements which exist are ambiguous regarding the influences of skin friction and form drag. We propose to define the mean drag coefficient of, rough beds (which typify rivers and coasts) using a new method based upon monitoring accurately the deceleration of a fluid of constant mass in a laboratory microcosm. The method applies Newton's second law to determine the drag force based on flow deceleration, and from this the drag coefficient using the quadratic stress relationship. This will be achieved with an annular flume (a lab equivalent of Sea Carousel, Amos et al, 1992). This rapid method will be compared to five other (more complex) methods of defining Cd, and against values reported within literature. If successful, the method will be applied to field measurements of flow deceleration (within SeaCarousel, an industrial-used flume) for purposes of providing field-derived values for input to numerical models for application to coastal engineering (sediment transport, scouring, pollutant dispersal, siltation rates, etc.). The new method will save time and money for site surveys and lead to more accurate predictions of flow and energy dissipation in rivers, lakes, coastal settings and the continental shelf - all regions of active development.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.soton.ac.uk