experimental investigation on the deviated sediment and flow to sediment bypass tunnels (sbts) using submerged plates

In recent decades, although dam construction has increased in number and multiplicity, unfortunately, most of these dams are subjected to sediment accumulation during their operation period. as a scientific way, sediment bypass tunnels (sbts) could be hired to solve this problem. they are deviant channels that convey the current containing sediments from the upstream of the reservoir to the downstream of the dam. in this research, the effect of hydraulic parameters of flow and changes in the angle of plates on sediment transport and deviated flow have been investigated through applying submerged plates on the entrance of a 90-degree diversion channel for sediment transport and then, compared with the state without using submerged plates. the experiments were conducted on a 10-meter-long laboratory flume, with a main channel of 60 cm width and a secondary channel of 30 cm width and a height of 75 cm. in this regard, the variables of froude number and flow depth in three angles of 30, 45, and 60 degrees were assumed. the results of this study highlight that an increase in froude number averagely reduced 22.2% and 53.3% the channel deviated flow and sediment to the secondary channel, respectively. the 60-degree angle of the plates was effective in decreasing the deviated flow while the 30-degree angle was responsible for the increased deviated sediments. with a decrease in froude number and depth along with submerged plates with a 30-degree angle, the optimum condition in conveying sediments is achieved where the maximum amount of sediments is conveyed in the minimum flow rate. based on experimental data, the best equation proposed to calculate the deviated sedimentation flow using the genetic algorithm (ga).