Baffle Pier Effects on Hydraulic Performance and Scour Downstream of Sluice Gates

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31272/jeasd.3112

Keywords:

Baffle piers, Energy Dissipation, Flume, Hydraulic jump, Stilling Basin, Scour, Silting

Abstract

Sluice gates control water levels and discharge them into small irrigation canals. This study examined a modified stilling basin incorporating submerged baffle piers downstream. The study analyzed hydraulic-jump characteristics, energy-dissipation efficiency, velocity distribution patterns, water-level fluctuations, and bed configurations resulting from flow downstream of the sluice gate. The experimental program comprised ninety runs using ten stilling basin models. These models involve various stilling basins with different baffle pier heights and angles, tested under a range of flow conditions. A smooth apron without baffle piers served as the reference case for comparison. Results showed that baffle piers with a height of 12 cm and a 45° angle oriented against the flow optimized stilling basin performance, improving flow characteristics and minimizing bed configuration. This optimal design decreased dimensionless jump length by 45-47%, increased energy dissipation efficiency by 46-60%, and reduced maximum velocity by 33% compared to the smooth apron across the tested Froude number range. Based on these results, a multiple regression analysis was conducted to develop an empirical equation to predict energy dissipation in the modified stilling basins.  These findings provide practical design guidelines for optimizing the performance of stilling basins in small irrigation canal systems.

Author Biographies

Ibrahim M.M , Civil Engineering Department, Shoubra Faculty of Engineering, Benha University, Cairo, Egypt

Professor Mohamed M. Ibrahim: has M.Sc. and PhD in Water resources and Hydraulics from Benha University, Egypt. He is specialist in open channel hydraulics. He currently works as a Professor Associate at Shoubra, Faculty of engineering, Benha University.

Baydaa Hamdi Salih, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Anbar, Ramadi, Iraq

Researcher, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Anbar, Ramadi, Iraq

She is interested in civil engineering, where she analyze and design structures, understand the behavior of materials, and contribute to building a safe and sustainable built environment. 

Ahmed M. Ibraheem, Hydraulics Research Institute, National water research Center, Qalyubia , Egypt

Researcher

Hydraulics Research Institute, National water research Center, Cairo, Egypt

Abeer Samy, Civil Engineering Department, Shoubra Faculty of Engineering, Benha University, Cairo, Egypt

Dr. Abeer Samy is an Assistant Professor, at Shoubra faculty of engineering, Benha University. Received her bachelor’s degree and M.Sc. from Shoubra Faculty of Engineering, in 2004 and 2011. And received her Ph.D. Degree from Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology in 2019. She has the expertise in fields of Water Resources Management, River Engineering, and Modeling. She has been awarded Dr. Abd ElKawy Prize from Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt of the best paper. Also, the award of Best Project Idea from the National Research Centre of Finland in Association with EJUST. She had participated in the JSPS Mega Delta Project, founded by JSPS. She Joined as a Doctoral Student at Prof. Shinjiro KANAE Lab., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. She received international training at UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, The Netherlands.

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Key Dates

Received

2024-11-03

Revised

2025-10-02

Accepted

2025-10-04

Published Online First

2025-12-22

Published

2026-01-01

Issue

Vol. 30 No. 1 (2026): Journal of Engineering and Sustainable Development

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Ibrahim M.M , Baydaa Hamdi Salih, Ahmed M. Ibraheem, Abeer Samy (Author)

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How to Cite

M.M , I., Hamdi , B., M. Ibraheem, A. ., & Samy, A. (2026). Baffle Pier Effects on Hydraulic Performance and Scour Downstream of Sluice Gates. Journal of Engineering and Sustainable Development, 30(1), 19-31. https://doi.org/10.31272/jeasd.3112

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