Tidal Period Given Maximum Cross-sectionally Averaged Velocity and Tidal Prism Calculator

Tidal Duration Formula:

\[ T = \frac{P \times \pi}{V_m \times A_{avg}} \]

Tidal Prism Filling Bay (P):

m³

Maximum Cross Sectional Average Velocity (Vm):

m/s

Average Area over the Channel Length (Aavg):

m²

Tidal Duration (T):

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1. What is Tidal Duration?

Tidal duration is an efficient way of guesstimating how much water there is, at any given time of day, over a particular point. It represents the time period of tidal cycles in coastal and estuarine environments.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Tidal Duration formula:

\[ T = \frac{P \times \pi}{V_m \times A_{avg}} \]

Where:

\( T \) — Tidal Duration (seconds)
\( P \) — Tidal Prism Filling Bay (m³)
\( V_m \) — Maximum Cross Sectional Average Velocity (m/s)
\( A_{avg} \) — Average Area over the Channel Length (m²)
\( \pi \) — Archimedes' constant (approximately 3.1416)

Explanation: This formula calculates the tidal duration based on the tidal prism volume, maximum velocity, and average cross-sectional area of the channel.

3. Importance of Tidal Duration Calculation

Details: Accurate tidal duration calculation is crucial for coastal engineering, navigation planning, sediment transport studies, and understanding tidal energy potential in coastal regions.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter tidal prism in cubic meters, maximum velocity in meters per second, and average area in square meters. All values must be positive numbers greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is tidal prism?
A: Tidal prism is the volume of water in an estuary or inlet between mean high tide and mean low tide, or the volume of water leaving an estuary at ebb tide.

Q2: How is maximum cross-sectional average velocity measured?
A: This is typically measured during a tidal cycle using current meters or acoustic Doppler current profilers at the channel's cross-section with maximum flow.

Q3: What factors affect tidal duration?
A: Tidal duration is influenced by basin geometry, tidal range, channel morphology, and frictional effects within the water body.

Q4: Are there limitations to this calculation method?
A: This simplified approach assumes uniform flow conditions and may not account for complex hydrodynamic interactions in real-world tidal systems.

Q5: How is this calculation used in practical applications?
A: It's used in harbor design, dredging operations, environmental impact assessments, and renewable energy projects involving tidal power generation.