Numerical Validation of a Newly Developed River Morphological Prediction Software

UMHYSER-1D (Unsteady Model for the HYdraulics of SEdiments in Rivers 1D) is a one-dimensional hydromorphodynamic software that computes water surface profiles in a single river or multiriver network for sub/supercritical flow regimes taking into account cohesive or non-cohesive sediment transport. UMHYSER-1D simulates steady and unsteady flows, with or without sediment transport. This paper presents numerical validation of UMHYSER-1D. By using a published study case of the US Bureau of Reclamation, the results of UMHYSER-1D are compared to those of the USBR software, SRH-1D. This study case is used to validate numerically UMHYSER-1D under unsteady flow and sediment transport conditions in a long reach of the Rio Grande River, more than 100 km long. UMHYSER-1D gives almost the same results as SRH-1D. The maximum differences observed at the two cross-sections are very acceptable. After its laboratory validation in a previous paper, the present work confirms that UMHYSER-1D is ready to be used as a numerical laboratory for fluvial hydraulics and/or a powerful tool to solve real engineering problems. UMHYSER-1D can be used for river morphological changes due to natural or human influences.