IIT Guwahati Introduces BRAHMA-2D Model for In-Depth Study of Braided River Dynamics

IIT Guwahati announced the development of a model aimed at understanding the flow of expansive braided rivers such as the Brahmaputra. This innovation is designed to assist engineers in implementing effective measures for safeguarding riverbanks. Get details here 

IIT Guwahati: A collaborative between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati and the Brahmaputra Board, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, has developed an indigenous river model known as BRAHMA-2D (Braided River Aid: Hydro-Morphological Analyzer). This advanced mathematical model is tailored to comprehend the flow dynamics of expansive rivers like the Brahmaputra, offering crucial insights to field engineers for devising resilient hydraulic structures such as Spurs, Revetment, and other measures for safeguarding riverbanks.

Predicting river flow at various depths holds immense significance for flood and erosion management, agricultural planning, designing water intake systems, and generating zero head energy. Conventional techniques for measuring flow velocity in deep, expansive rivers during intense monsoons pose significant risks and extreme challenges, leading to the reliance on mathematical models. In braided rivers, the complexity amplifies due to the presence of sandbars, making precise computation of three-dimensional velocity even more challenging.

About IIT Guwahati's BRAHMA-2D

BRAHMA-2D integrates a two-dimensional model of water movement with a theory about entropy, a measure of disorder or randomness. The research also delves into how features like river banks, spurs, and sandbars affect the way water moves. Specifically, it observes a dip phenomenon near spurs where the flow of water underneath increases, a phenomenon absent in points away from these structures. The model was successfully validated on the Brahmaputra River near Majuli Island, the second largest freshwater river Island in the world, prone to river bank erosion.

At IIT Guwahati, ongoing research is expanding the BRAHMA-2D model, broadening its use to gauge velocity changes across various vegetation types and evaluate how structures like porcupines affect flow velocity. This adaptable model has aided in devising bioengineering solutions for managing riverbank erosion. Additionally, it's been instrumental in assessing the suitability of aquatic habitats, particularly for endangered species, by analyzing the availability of necessary depth and flow velocity.

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