WRIR 98-4007


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Tillis, G.M., and Swain, E.D., 1998, Determining Discharge-Coefficient Ratings for Selected Coastal Control Structures in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, Florida: Water-Resources Investigations Report 98-4007, 37 p.

ABSTRACT

Discharges through 10 selected coastal control structures in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, Florida, are presently computed using the theoretical discharge-coefficient ratings developed from scale modeling, theoretical discharge coefficients, and some field calibrations whose accuracies for specific sites are unknown. To achieve more accurate discharge-coefficient ratings for the coastal control structures, field discharge measurements were taken with an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler at the coastal control structures under a variety of flow conditions. These measurements were used to determine computed discharge-coefficient ratings for the coastal control structures under different flow regimes: submerged orifice flow, submerged weir flow, free orifice flow, and free weir flow.

Theoretical and computed discharge-coefficient ratings for submerged orifice and weir flows were determined at seven coastal control structures, and discharge ratings for free orifice and weir flows were determined at three coastal control structures. The difference between the theoretical and computed discharge-coefficient ratings varied from structure to structure. The theoretical and computed discharge-coefficient ratings for submerged orifice flow were within 10 percent at four of seven coastal control structures; however, differences greater than 20 percent were found at two of the seven structures. The theoretical and computed discharge-coefficient ratings for submerged weir flow were within 10 percent at three of seven coastal control structures; however, differences greater than 20 percent were found at four of the seven coastal control structures. The difference between theoretical and computed discharge-coefficient ratings for free orifice and free weir flows ranged from 5 to 32 percent. Some differences between the theoretical and computed discharge-coefficient ratings could be better defined with more data collected over a greater distribution of measuring conditions.


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