Nonlinear dynamics of sand waves in sediment scarce environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Damveld ◽  
Gaetano Porcile ◽  
Paolo Blondeaux ◽  
Pieter Roos
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Sand Wave ◽  
Average Height ◽  
Nonlinear Behaviour ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
Marine Geology ◽  
Geophysical Research ◽  
Continuous Growth ◽  
Sand Waves ◽  
Tidal Sand

<p>Field observations in the Dover Strait (Le Bot and Trentesaux, 2004) show sandy bed patterns in an environment where sand is scarce. Their morphological features closely resemble tidal sand waves, however, these type of bed forms are characterized by a crest-to-crest spacing which is larger than the wavelength of sand waves in the same surveyed area where sand is abundant. Based on stability theory, Porcile et al (2017) developed a morphodynamic model that was able to explain these features. They found that where the motionless substratum is exposed due to the growth of dunes, the lack of sand affects sediment transport, and consequently the morphology of the bed patterns. Their results also showed that the continuous growth leads to a lengthening of the dunes, and an increasing irregularity of the spacing. The found that their results were supported by the field observations.</p><p>Since the model by Porcile et al (2017) is partly based on the perturbation principle, the results are only valid for small amplitude patterns. To further understand the nonlinear behaviour of these sand starved dunes (e.g. shape, height), we here apply the fully numerical sand wave model by Damveld et al (2020). We extend this model by accounting for the presence of a hard substrate just below a thin layer of sand. Moreover, we start with a randomly perturbed bed pattern to give the morphodynamic system the freedom of self-organization.</p><p>Preliminary results show that the numerical model is able to reproduce the results found by Porcile et al (2017). In situations where sand is less abundant, wavelengths increase, and so does the spacing irregularity. Moreover, it is found that the average height of the sandy dunes is becoming increasingly smaller with decreasing sand availability. Further analysis should reveal dependencies to different environmental parameters, such as grain size, depth and tidal current strength.</p><p>Le Bot, S., & Trentesaux, A. (2004). Types of internal structure and external morphology of submarine dunes under the influence of tide- and wind-driven processes (Dover Strait, northern France). Marine Geology, 211(1), 143-168. doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2004.07.002</p><p>Damveld, J. H., Borsje, B. W., Roos, P. C., & Hulscher, S. J. M. H. (2020). Horizontal and Vertical Sediment Sorting in Tidal Sand Waves: Modeling the Finite-Amplitude Stage. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 125(10), e2019JF005430. doi:https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JF005430</p><p>Porcile, G., Blondeaux, P., & Vittori, G. (2017). On the formation of periodic sandy mounds. Continental Shelf Research, 145(Supplement C), 68-79. doi:10.1016/j.csr.2017.07.011</p>

Sediment sorting in tidal sand waves fields: the internal structure revealed?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Damveld ◽  
Bas Borsje ◽  
Pieter Roos ◽  
Suzanne Hulscher
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Internal Structure ◽  
Nonlinear Effects ◽  
Wave Formation ◽  
Sand Wave ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Suspended Sediment Transport ◽  
Geophysical Research ◽  
Sand Waves ◽  
Tidal Sand

<p>Tidal sand waves are rhythmic bed forms found on coastal shelves all around the world. An important property of sand waves is their mobility, as they display migration rates of several meters per year. Insight in these dynamics is of practical relevance, as this behaviour may interfere with offshore engineering activities. State-of-the-art morphodynamic models are used to predict sand wave dynamics, but they still overestimate dimensions such as their height (Van Gerwen et al, 2018). Moreover, these models often assume a uniform grain size distribution, whereas field observations indicate a clear sorting of sediments along sand waves. Previous modelling studies found that a combination of sediment mobility effects and tidal current strength may explain these sorting patterns (e.g. van Oyen and Blondeaux, 2009). However, as these models were limited to the early stage of sand wave formation, they did not account for the nonlinear effects of increasing sand wave amplitudes. Our goal is to include these nonlinear effects in order to further unravel sorting processes, in particular the internal sand wave structure.</p><p>Hereto we extend the work by van Gerwen et al (2018), allowing for an arbitrary number of sediment fractions, and we adopt the active layer approach of Hirano (1971) to account for bed stratigraphy. To investigate the role of asymmetry in hydrodynamic forcing, we include a residual current superimposed on the dominant tidal component.</p><p>Results show that in general the crests of sand waves are coarser than the troughs. In the case of an asymmetrical forcing, larger sediments are found on the upper lee slope, whereas the smaller grains are deposited on the lower lee slope. Due to migration, also the internal structure of the sand wave is revealed over time, showing the same pattern as found on the lee slope surface. Many field studies have shown that these model results qualitatively agree with observations on surficial sorting patterns (e.g. Cheng et al, 2018). However, as field data on the internal sediment structure is scarce, it is difficult to validate this model output.</p><p>Hence, the question remains whether the results on the internal sorting are a true representation of the substrate of sand waves. Nonetheless, the model results give insight in the processes governing grain size sorting over and in sand waves, which could be a valuable element in developing future coastal management strategies, such as sand extraction.</p><p><em>Cheng, C.H., Soetaert, K., & Borsje, B.W. (2018). Small-scale variations in sediment characteristics over the different morphological units of tidal sand waves offshore of Texel. NCK Days 2018.<br></em><em>Hirano, M. (1971). River bed degradation with armouring. Trans. Jpn. Soc. Civ. Eng, 3, 194-195.<br></em><em>Van Gerwen, W., Borsje, B.W., Damveld, J.H., & Hulscher, S.J.M.H. (2018). Modelling the effect of suspended load transport and tidal asymmetry on the equilibrium tidal sand wave height. Coastal Engineering, 136, 56-64.<br></em><em>Van Oyen, T., & Blondeaux, P. (2009). Tidal sand wave formation: Influence of graded suspended sediment transport. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 114(C7).</em></p>

Interaction Between Offshore Pipelines and Migrating Sand Waves

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan Matthieu ◽  
Tim Raaijmakers
Keyword(s):  
Wave Crest ◽  
Sand Wave ◽  
Offshore Pipelines ◽  
Sand Waves ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Wave Trough ◽  
Migration Direction ◽  
Operational Life ◽  
Tidal Sand ◽  
Wave Migration

Large areas of shallow, sandy seas are covered by migrating tidal sand waves. Sand wave migration rates are on the order of 10s of meters per year, with heights between 10 and 30% of the water depth. If such regions are traversed by pipelines, the dynamic interaction between the rock-berm protection of the pipelines and the migratory sand waves must be accounted for to assure the long term stability of both the rock-berms and pipelines. This study employs a 2DV model to demonstrate the hydrodynamic and morphodynamic interaction between migrating sand waves and a rock-berm constructed perpendicular to the migration direction. The timescale of sand waves and the design life of rock-berm are similar, consequently, rock-berms in sand wave regions experience a change in bed level approximately equal to that sand wave height. Due to the large difference in temporal scales between local erosive processes and sand wave migration, the passing of a sand wave is manifest as a general rising or falling of the ambient seabed, while a rock-berm is fixed at its construction elevation. Consequently, the critical design case is for a rock-berm constructed at a sand wave crest since the surrounding bed level decreases throughout the operational life of the pipeline. A conservative design approach is to construct rock berm protection in a sand wave trough, resulting in rising ambient seabed levels throughout the operational lifetime of the underlying pipeline or electrical cable.

scholarly journals A CLASSIFICATION METHOD FOR THE PRESENCE OF TIDAL SAND WAVES AND MAINTENANCE DREDGING DESIGN

2018 ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Rick De Koning ◽  
Jaap van Thiel De Vries ◽  
Bas Borsje
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Tidal Flow ◽  
Narrow Channel ◽  
Sand Wave ◽  
Maintenance Strategies ◽  
Sand Waves ◽  
Recirculating Flow ◽  
The North ◽  
Tidal Sand ◽  
And Migration

The study into sand wave dynamics in South Channel commenced after large dune forms were observed in monitoring campaigns following the channel deepening project of the Port of Melbourne. The project involved deepening of the harbor berths and channels, but more importantly, it involved the deepening of South Channel in Port Phillip Bay. South Channel, the main shipping channel, crosses the bay over ≈20km. The growth of bedforms at various locations in South Channel now threatens to impede marine traffic. The dimensions and migration rate of the bedforms in the channel are remarkable, especially in the harsh flow conditions in the narrow channel. Therefore, the bedforms in South Channel cannot be given an obvious classification. In this paper it is shown that the bedforms in South Channel can be classified as a tidal sand wave type with a method that requires only insight in water depth, tidal flow velocity and grain size. Tidal sand waves are large-scale bedforms generated by recirculating flow cells that drive sediment to the top of a crest and are commonly observed on shallow coastal seas such as the North Sea. The bedform concern in the channel illustrates the necessity of an evaluation of the present, and alternative, channel maintenance strategies. A numerical model in Delft3D software is applied, along with a probabilistic calculation that combines insights from the simulations and survey data, to assess different maintenance strategies.

scholarly journals Sediment Characteristics over Asymmetrical Tidal Sand Waves in the Dutch North Sea

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiu Hwa Cheng ◽  
Karline Soetaert ◽  
Bas Wijnand Borsje
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
North Sea ◽  
Sand Wave ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Sand Waves ◽  
Offshore Engineering ◽  
Organic Carbon Concentration ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Sediment Sorting ◽  
Tidal Sand

The behavior of asymmetrical bedforms, which include many tidal sand waves, is challenging to understand. They are of particular interest since they are mostly located within areas prone to offshore engineering activities. Most experimental investigations regarding asymmetrical bedforms consider the riverine environment, are limited to a single sand wave or a few scattered ones, and focus only on differences between crest and trough. Hardly any information is available on sediment compositional changes along asymmetrical tidal sand waves, despite their abundance offshore. An asymmetrical sand wave field located off the coast of Texel Island in the North Sea was studied in June and October 2017. A total of 102 sediment samples were collected over two seasons along a single transect that covered five complete sand waves to measure the grain size composition, organic carbon concentration, chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration, and sediment permeability. We found significant variations in these sediment parameters between the sand wave trough, crest, and gentle and steep slopes, including a difference in permeability of more than 2-fold, as well as a difference in median grain size exceeding 65 µm. Based on these characteristics, a sand wave can be divided into two discrete halves: gentle slope + crest and steep slope + trough. Our results indicate a distinct sediment-sorting process along the Texel sand waves, with a significant difference between the two halves of each sand wave. These data could serve as input for process-based modeling of the link between sediment-sorting processes and seabed morphodynamics, necessary to design offshore engineering projects.

scholarly journals Modelling the Past and Future Evolution of Tidal Sand Waves

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1071
Author(s):  
Janneke Krabbendam ◽  
Abdel Nnafie ◽  
Huib de Swart ◽  
Bas Borsje ◽  
Luitze Perk
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Direction ◽  
Skill Score ◽  
The Other ◽  
Sand Wave ◽  
Sand Waves ◽  
Future Evolution ◽  
The North ◽  
Skill Scores ◽  
The North Sea ◽  
Tidal Sand

This study focuses on the hindcasting and forecasting of observed offshore tidal sand waves by using a state-of-the-art numerical morphodynamic model. The sand waves, having heights of several meters, evolve on timescales of years. Following earlier work, the model has a 2DV configuration (one horizontal and one vertical direction). First, the skill of the model is assessed by performing hindcasts at four transects in the North Sea where sand wave data are available of multiple surveys that are at least 10 years apart. The first transect is used for calibration and this calibrated model is applied to the other three transects. It is found that the calibrated model performs well: the Brier Skill Score is ’excellent’ at the first two transects and ’good’ at the last two. The root mean square error of calculated bed levels is smaller than the uncertainty in the measurements, except at the last transect, where the M2 is more elliptical than at the other three transects. The calibrated model is subsequently used to make forecasts of the sand waves along the two transects with the best skill scores.

Three-dimensional tidal sand waves

2009 ◽  
Vol 618 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
PAOLO BLONDEAUX ◽  
GIOVANNA VITTORI
Keyword(s):  
Stability Analysis ◽  
Nonlinear Interaction ◽  
Small Amplitude ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Time Development ◽  
Resonance Mechanism ◽  
Weakly Nonlinear ◽  
Sand Waves ◽  
Tidal Sand ◽  
Harmonic Components

The process which leads to the formation of three-dimensional sand waves is investigated by means of a stability analysis which considers the time development of a small-amplitude bottom perturbation of a shallow tidal sea. The weakly nonlinear interaction of a triad of resonant harmonic components of the bottom perturbation is considered. The results show that the investigated resonance mechanism can trigger the formation of a three-dimensional bottom pattern similar to that observed in the field.

Study of sand wave migration over five years as observed in two windfarm development areas, and the implications for building on moving substrates in the North Sea

2014 ◽  
Vol 105 (4) ◽  
pp. 241-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken P. Games ◽  
David I. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Sand Wave ◽  
Sand Waves ◽  
Migration Rates ◽  
The North ◽  
The North Sea ◽  
Wave Migration ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTSand waves are well known indicators of a mobile seabed. What do we expect of these features in terms of migration rates and seabed scour? We discuss these effects on seabed structures, both for the Oil and Gas and the Windfarm Industries, and consider how these impact on turbines and buried cables. Two case studies are presented. The first concerns a windfarm with a five-year gap between the planning survey and a subsequent cable route and environmental assessment survey. This revealed large-scale movements of sand waves, with the displacement of an isolated feature of 155 m in five years. Secondly, another windfarm development involved a re-survey, again over a five-year period, but after the turbines had been installed. This showed movements of sand waves of ∼50 m in five years. Observations of the scour effects on the turbines are discussed. Both sites revealed the presence of barchans. Whilst these have been extensively studied on land, there are few examples of how they behave in the marine environment. The two case studies presented show that mass transport is potentially much greater than expected and that this has implications for choosing turbine locations, the effect of scour, and the impact these sediment movements are likely to have on power cables.

scholarly journals Study on hydraulic resistance of erodible bed at the Chiyoda experimental flume

2014 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 81-87
Author(s):  
T. Kakinuma ◽  
T. Inoue ◽  
R. Akahori ◽  
A. Takeda
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Longitudinal Survey ◽  
Sand Wave ◽  
Vertical Flow ◽  
Sand Waves ◽  
Wave Development ◽  
Logarithmic Distribution ◽  
Steady Flow Condition ◽  
Experimental Flume

Abstract. The authors made erodible bed experiments under steady flow condition at the Chiyoda Experimental Flume, a large-scale facility constructed on the floodplain of the Tokachi River, and observed sand waves on the bed of the flume. In this study, the characteristics of the sand waves are examined along the longitudinal survey lines and confirmed to be dunes. Next, the authors estimated Manning's roughness coefficients from the observed hydraulic values and assumed that the rise of the coefficients attributed to the sand wave development. Finally, vertical flow distribution on the sand waves are examined, and observed velocity distribution on the crest of waves found to be explained by the logarithmic distribution theory.

scholarly journals Biogeomorphology in the marine landscape: Modelling the feedbacks between patches of the polychaete worm Lanice conchilega and tidal sand waves

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 2572-2587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan H. Damveld ◽  
Bas W. Borsje ◽  
Pieter C. Roos ◽  
Suzanne J. M. H. Hulscher
Keyword(s):  
Sand Waves ◽  
Lanice Conchilega ◽  
Tidal Sand
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