Spatial Distribution of Shear Stress on the Streambed and a Simplified Representation of Reach-Averaged Shear Stress

Key Points

• The aim is to analyze shear stress as a disturbance indicator and model its spatial distribution in river environments.
• Conducted 2D unsteady flow analysis in three river sections: mountainous area, valley floor, and fan region.
• Characterized the spatial distribution of shear stress as a function of flow rate.
• Developed a simplified model to express average shear stress as a power function of flow rate.
• Identified distinctive spatial patterns of shear stress influenced by river morphology.
• Demonstrated that average shear stress can be represented well with a power function model (τ̅=αQβ).
• Discussed the hydrological implications of parameters α and β for predicting shear stress in river segments.