The LABEREX chamber for studying the critical shear stress for fine-grained sediment

1999 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars Chresten Lund-Hansen ◽  
Christian Christiansen ◽  
Ole Jensen ◽  
Mario Laima
2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Haneef-Mian ◽  
Ernest K Yanful ◽  
Robert Martinuzzi

The present study gives details of a methodology for estimating the critical shear stress for erosion of mine tailings and other naturally occurring cohesive sediments. Erosion of a cohesive sediments bed occurs when the critical shear stress is exceeded to break the interparticle bond. Experiments were conducted in a 30 cm diameter laboratory column and calibrated using laser Doppler anemometry. The results showed that the erosion pattern of mine tailings particles was similar to those of fine-grained cohesive sediments. A power-law relation of the form E = α[(τ – τcr)/τcr]n is suggested for mine tailings, where E is the erosion rate, α is a coefficient, τ is the shear stress, τcr is the critical shear stress, and n is an exponent. The computed values of α, n, and τcr in the power-law equation were found to be comparable to values derived from experiments in a rotating circular flume. The derived expression for rate of erosion may be incorporated in resuspension and transport models for fine mine tailings of a similar nature.Key words: mine tailings, laser Doppler velocimetry, wall shear stresses, critical shear stress for erosion, erosion – shear stress relationship.


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1511
Author(s):  
Bommanna Gounder Krishnappan ◽  
Mike Stone ◽  
Steven Granger ◽  
Hari Upadhayay ◽  
Qiang Tang ◽  
...  

In this short communication, the erosion process of the fine, cohesive sediment collected from the upper River Taw in South West England was studied in a rotating annular flume located in the National Water Research Institute in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. This study is part of a research project that is underway to model the transport of fine sediment and the associated nutrients in that river system. The erosion experimental data show that the critical shear stress for erosion of the upper River Taw sediment is about 0.09 Pa and it did not depend on the age of sediment deposit. The eroded sediment was transported in a flocculated form and the agent of flocculation for the upper River Taw sediment may be due to the presence of fibrils from microorganisms and organic material in the system. The experimental data were analysed using a curve fitting approach of Krone and a mathematical model of cohesive sediment transport in rotating circular flumes developed by Krishnappan. The modelled and measured data were in good agreement. An evaluation of the physical significance of Krone’s fitting coefficients is presented. Variability of the fitting coefficients as a function of bed shear stress and age of sediment deposit indicate the key role these two factors play in the erosion process of fluvial cohesive sediment.


2001 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 796-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celestina Adu-Wusu ◽  
Ernest K Yanful ◽  
Mohammed H Mian

Flooding of tailings under shallow water covers is an effective method of decommissioning potentially acid generating mine tailings. The low diffusivity and solubility of oxygen in water are attractive features of this technology. However, wind-induced waves can resuspend flooded tailings and expose them to greater contact with dissolved oxygen, thereby increasing the potential for oxidation and acid generation. Field measurements of wind activity and waves under different water cover depths and associated resuspension for a mine tailings pond in Ontario are presented and discussed. The results show that wind speeds greater than 8 m/s above water covers that are shallower than 1 m create waves of height greater than 10 cm and bottom shear stresses greater than 0.2 Pa. Under these conditions the critical shear stress of the mine tailings was exceeded, resulting in erosion and subsequent resuspension.Key words: mine tailings, water cover, wind-induced waves, resuspension, wind speed, shear stress.


Author(s):  
Shinya NAKASHITA ◽  
Kyeongmin KIM ◽  
Yuki IMAMURA ◽  
Tadashi HIBINO

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 587-600
Author(s):  
Xiaojing Gao ◽  
Qiusheng Wang ◽  
Chongbang Xu ◽  
Ruilin Su

HighlightsErosion tests were performed to study the critical shear stress of cohesive soils and soil mixtures.Linear relationships were observed between critical shear stress and cohesion of cohesive soils.Mixture critical shear stress relates to noncohesive particle size and cohesive soil erodibility.A formula for calculating the critical shear stress of soil mixtures is proposed and verified.Abstract. The incipient motion of soil is an important engineering property that impacts reservoir sedimentation, stable channel design, river bed degradation, and dam breach. Due to numerous factors influencing the erodibility parameters, the study of critical shear stress (tc) of cohesive soils and soil mixtures is still far from mature. In this study, erosion experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of soil properties on the tc of remolded cohesive soils and cohesive and noncohesive soil mixtures with mud contents varying from 0% to 100% using an erosion function apparatus (EFA). For cohesive soils, direct linear relationships were observed between tc and cohesion (c). The critical shear stress for soil mixture (tcm) erosion increased monotonically with an increase in mud content (pm). The median diameter of noncohesive soil (Ds), the void ratio (e), and the organic content of cohesive soil also influenced tcm. A formula for calculating tcm considering the effect of pm and the tc of noncohesive soil and pure mud was developed. The proposed formula was validated using experimental data from the present and previous research, and it can reproduce the variation of tcm for reconstituted soil mixtures. To use the proposed formula to predict the tcm for artificial engineering problems, experimental erosion tests should be performed. Future research should further test the proposed formula based on additional experimental data. Keywords: Cohesive and noncohesive soil mixture, Critical shear stress, Erodibility, Mud content, Soil property.


2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1187-1208 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Stark ◽  
A. E. Hay ◽  
R. Cheel ◽  
C. B. Lake

Abstract. The impact of particle shape on the friction angle, and the resulting critical shear stress on sediment dynamics, is still poorly understood. In areas characterized by sediments of specific shape, particularly non-rounded particles, this can lead to large departures from the expected sediment dynamics. The steep slope (1:10) of the mixed sand-gravel beach at Advocate Harbour was found stable in large-scale morphology over decades, despite a high tidal range of ten meters or more, and strong shorebreak action during storms. The Advocate sand (d < 2 mm) was found to have an elliptic, plate-like shape. Exceptionally high friction angles of the material were determined using direct shear, ranging from φ &amp;approx; 41–46°, while the round to angular gravel was characterized by φ = 33°. The addition of 25% of the elliptic sand to the gravel led to an immediate increase of the friction angle to φ = 38°. Furthermore, re-organization of the particles occurred during shearing, being characterized by a short phase of settling and compaction, followed by a pronounced strong dilatory behavior and an accompanying strong increase of shear stress. Long-term shearing (24 h) using a ring shear apparatus led to destruction of the particles without re-compaction. Finally, submerged particle mobilization was simulated using a tilted tray in a tank. Despite a smooth tray surface, particle motion was not initiated until reaching tray tilt angles of 31° and more, being 7° steeper than the latest gravel motion initiation. In conclusion, geotechnical laboratory experiments quantified the important impact of the elliptic, plate-like shape of Advocate Beach sand on the friction angles of both pure sand and sand-gravel mixtures. The resulting effect on initiation of particle motion was confirmed in tilting tray experiments. This makes it a vivid example of how particle shape can contribute to the stabilization of the beachface.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie F. López-Soto ◽  
Bryant A. Robbins

The critical shear stress and erodibility of soil are fundamental parameters for modeling embankment breaching. Unfortunately, very few studies have examined the erosion characteristics of soils consisting predominantly of particles larger than sand. This report presents results of an experimental study in which the erosion characteristics of gravelly soils were measured. A flume apparatus was developed in which 0.45-m-square samples were extruded into confined flow. A mechanical laser system allowed the measurement of scour in real time, resulting in a continuous and automated erosion test. The critical shear stress of a uniform gravel was found to match the expected values based on the Shields diagram, while tests that were composed largely of gravel but contained other soils, such as sand, silt, and clay, varied significantly with the critical shear stress and erodibility, depending highly on the characteristics of the finer soils.


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