An Excel (TM)-VBA programme for the analysis of current velocity profiles

Abstract

VPA is an Excel spreadsheet to facilitate the analysis of current velocity profiles and its application to sediment transport studies in steady, uniform, open-channel flows. The program requires input values such as the water temperature (from which the density and dynamic viscosity are calculated), the channel depth and slope, current velocities as measured at different heights above the bed, bedform length and height, as well as the sediment density and median size. The latter can be provided as sieve diameters, fall diameters or as phi values. The velocity profiles are plotted on two graphs, one being a traditional plot of velocity versus height or distance from the bed and the other comparing the observed profile with theoretical profiles for smooth, transitional and rough boundary conditions. VBA macros are provided to clear the spreadsheet before new profiles are analysed, update the formulas, straighten out the velocity profiles, calculate the shear velocity, and save the data on a separate sheet for further analysis. The programme is applied to a new and more accurate method to determine the shear velocity, which can be used to predict the bedload discharge over plane beds and is also incorporated into a dimensionally correct suspended load transport equation combining the parameters most important in sediment transport. A dimensionally correct bedload discharge equation based upon the mean excess flow velocity is also proposed for plane beds, ripples and dunes.