Drift of a Drowning Victim in Rivers: Conceptualization and Global Sensitivity Analysis Under Idealized Flow Conditions

Abstract We present a conceptual model of the drift of a drowning victim in a river, accounting for the mechanical effects of body decomposition. The model was tested under idealized flow conditions (uniform flow) and a global sensitivity analysis was performed. Uncertainties in body morphology, flo...

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Main Authors: C. Delhez, N. Rivière, S. Erpicum, M. Pirotton, P. Archambeau, M. Arnst, J. Bierens, B. Dewals
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-10-01
Series:Water Resources Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR034358
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author C. Delhez
N. Rivière
S. Erpicum
M. Pirotton
P. Archambeau
M. Arnst
J. Bierens
B. Dewals
author_facet C. Delhez
N. Rivière
S. Erpicum
M. Pirotton
P. Archambeau
M. Arnst
J. Bierens
B. Dewals
author_sort C. Delhez
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We present a conceptual model of the drift of a drowning victim in a river, accounting for the mechanical effects of body decomposition. The model was tested under idealized flow conditions (uniform flow) and a global sensitivity analysis was performed. Uncertainties in body morphology, flow‐body interaction parameters (e.g., drag coefficient) and drowning characteristics were considered. The results emphasize the importance of predicting the body vertical position since it considerably influences the streamwise body drift velocity, due to the significant difference between near‐surface and near‐bed velocity. The results also highlight the value of testimonies providing information on body mass and height, as decreasing uncertainty on these input data strongly reduces uncertainties on the predicted body streamwise position. Next step of the research will consist in coupling the model with an Eulerian multi‐dimensional model of river hydrodynamics.
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institution Kabale University
issn 0043-1397
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language English
publishDate 2023-10-01
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series Water Resources Research
spelling doaj-art-aef09dedfbd44a0fa458a2d7a05f296e2025-08-20T03:30:37ZengWileyWater Resources Research0043-13971944-79732023-10-015910n/an/a10.1029/2022WR034358Drift of a Drowning Victim in Rivers: Conceptualization and Global Sensitivity Analysis Under Idealized Flow ConditionsC. Delhez0N. Rivière1S. Erpicum2M. Pirotton3P. Archambeau4M. Arnst5J. Bierens6B. Dewals7Hydraulics in Environmental and Civil Engineering (HECE) Research Unit Urban & Environmental Engineering (UEE) University of Liège Liège BelgiumUniv Lyon INSA Lyon Ecole Centrale de Lyon Université Claude Bernard Lyon I CNRS LMFA UMR 5509 Villeurbane FranceHydraulics in Environmental and Civil Engineering (HECE) Research Unit Urban & Environmental Engineering (UEE) University of Liège Liège BelgiumHydraulics in Environmental and Civil Engineering (HECE) Research Unit Urban & Environmental Engineering (UEE) University of Liège Liège BelgiumHydraulics in Environmental and Civil Engineering (HECE) Research Unit Urban & Environmental Engineering (UEE) University of Liège Liège BelgiumAerospace and Mechanical Engineering University of Liège Liège BelgiumVU University Medical Centre Amsterdam The NetherlandsHydraulics in Environmental and Civil Engineering (HECE) Research Unit Urban & Environmental Engineering (UEE) University of Liège Liège BelgiumAbstract We present a conceptual model of the drift of a drowning victim in a river, accounting for the mechanical effects of body decomposition. The model was tested under idealized flow conditions (uniform flow) and a global sensitivity analysis was performed. Uncertainties in body morphology, flow‐body interaction parameters (e.g., drag coefficient) and drowning characteristics were considered. The results emphasize the importance of predicting the body vertical position since it considerably influences the streamwise body drift velocity, due to the significant difference between near‐surface and near‐bed velocity. The results also highlight the value of testimonies providing information on body mass and height, as decreasing uncertainty on these input data strongly reduces uncertainties on the predicted body streamwise position. Next step of the research will consist in coupling the model with an Eulerian multi‐dimensional model of river hydrodynamics.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR034358drowningdrift modelhuman bodysensitivity analysis
spellingShingle C. Delhez
N. Rivière
S. Erpicum
M. Pirotton
P. Archambeau
M. Arnst
J. Bierens
B. Dewals
Drift of a Drowning Victim in Rivers: Conceptualization and Global Sensitivity Analysis Under Idealized Flow Conditions
Water Resources Research
drowning
drift model
human body
sensitivity analysis
title Drift of a Drowning Victim in Rivers: Conceptualization and Global Sensitivity Analysis Under Idealized Flow Conditions
title_full Drift of a Drowning Victim in Rivers: Conceptualization and Global Sensitivity Analysis Under Idealized Flow Conditions
title_fullStr Drift of a Drowning Victim in Rivers: Conceptualization and Global Sensitivity Analysis Under Idealized Flow Conditions
title_full_unstemmed Drift of a Drowning Victim in Rivers: Conceptualization and Global Sensitivity Analysis Under Idealized Flow Conditions
title_short Drift of a Drowning Victim in Rivers: Conceptualization and Global Sensitivity Analysis Under Idealized Flow Conditions
title_sort drift of a drowning victim in rivers conceptualization and global sensitivity analysis under idealized flow conditions
topic drowning
drift model
human body
sensitivity analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR034358
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AT mpirotton driftofadrowningvictiminriversconceptualizationandglobalsensitivityanalysisunderidealizedflowconditions
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