Caracterización de las velocidades superficiales en eventos extremos en la confluencia de los ríos Tarqui y Yanuncay mediante la técnica LSPIV

Abstract

This research was conducted at the confluence of the Tarqui and Yanuncay Rivers in the city of Cuenca, aiming to characterize surface velocities and estimate discharge during flood events using the non-intrusive Large-Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LSPIV) technique. The study addresses the limited availability of hydraulic information under high-flow conditions and the need to apply safe and reliable methodologies that contribute to flood risk management.

Experimental measurements were carried out under high-flow conditions by processing drone-captured videos analyzed using the RIVeR software, which enabled the acquisition of surface velocity fields and the analysis of their distribution across each study section. The results showed that the highest velocities were concentrated along the main flow axis, with lower values toward the river edges. Additionally, a two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic model was implemented, showing a high correlation with the experimental data, thereby validating the consistency of the method used.

The findings indicate that the LSPIV technique performs adequately when applied in sections with favorable geometric and hydraulic conditions, recording average differences of less than 6% compared to reference data. Additionally, representative discharges were estimated, with the confluence area showing the highest values, exceeding 70 m³/s, confirming the applicability of the method for hydraulic characterization under flood conditions.