A Review Study on Energy Dissipators for Hydraulic Structures: Hockey Groynes in River (Wave Breakers) as a Case Study
Abstract
Increasing challenges facing natural water systems and hydraulic structures, understanding river wave behavior and managing them has become a priority in the design and implementation of water control projects. These waves are often caused by sudden flow changes, such as gates opening or flooding. They are dynamic phenomena with high hydraulic energy, which can cause bed and bank erosion and endanger water structures. Hence, the need to implement effective techniques to disperse and dissipate this energy has emerged. The most prominent is using bottom groynes positioned downstream (d/s) of the hydraulic structures, with a focus on optimizing flow distribution and reducing local scour, a standard engineering solution for reducing flow velocity and creating energy dissipation zones within the stream. Hockey groynes, are an advanced model of these barriers, with their curved design being more effective at dissipating waves and mitigating their effects in safe and stable ways. Flow control also represents a key regulatory basis for managing water flow, whether through gate operating systems or physical interventions in the riverbed. This control is significant in locations with variable natural flows, such as dam outlets, where operational errors can generate destructive shock waves. In this context, bottom barriers and dykes are installed at carefully considered intervals to gradually reduce water velocity and optimize the distribution of energy and velocity across the river section. This contributes to bed protection and enhances longitudinal and lateral flow stability. Studies confirm that dispersing hydraulic energy through these structures effectively reduces engineering and environmental losses. Furthermore, adopting flexible designs based on accurate hydraulic modeling helps improve performance and integration with the characteristics of the local water system. Therefore, combining theoretical knowledge of hydraulic phenomena with the use of innovative methods such as hockey dykes represents an advanced step toward achieving water resource sustainability and protecting river infrastructure from risks associated with flow changes and energy surges.
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