scholarly journals Grain sorting in the morphological active layer of a braided river physical model

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 577-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Leduc ◽  
P. Ashmore ◽  
J. T. Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Numerical Modeling ◽  
Active Layer ◽  
Bedload Transport ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Active Layer Thickness ◽  
Braided River ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Physical Scale ◽  
Bed Material

Abstract. A physical scale model of a gravel-bed braided river was used to measure vertical grain size sorting in the morphological active layer aggregated over the width of the river. This vertical sorting is important for analyzing braided river sedimentology, for numerical modeling of braided river morphodynamics, and for measuring and predicting bedload transport rate. We define the morphological active layer as the bed material between the maximum and minimum bed elevations at a point over extended time periods sufficient for braiding processes to rework the river bed. The vertical extent of the active layer was measured using 40 hourly high-resolution DEMs (digital elevation models) of the model river bed. An image texture algorithm was used to map bed material grain size of each DEM. Analysis of the 40 DEMs and texture maps provides data on the geometry of the morphological active layer and variation in grain size in three dimensions. By normalizing active layer thickness and dividing into 10 sublayers, we show that all grain sizes occur with almost equal frequency in all sublayers. Occurrence of patches and strings of coarser (or finer) material relates to preservation of particular morpho-textural features within the active layer. For numerical modeling and bedload prediction, a morphological active layer that is fully mixed with respect to grain size is a reliable approximation.

scholarly journals Grain sorting in the morphological active layer of a braided river physical model

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 577-600
Author(s):  
P. Leduc ◽  
P. Ashmore ◽  
J. T. Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Numerical Modeling ◽  
Active Layer ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Bed Load ◽  
Active Layer Thickness ◽  
Braided River ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Physical Scale ◽  
Bed Material

Abstract. A physical scale model of a gravel-bed braided river was used to measure vertical grain size sorting in the morphological active layer aggregated over the width of the river. This vertical sorting is important for analyzing braided river sedimentology, for numerical modeling of braided river morpho-dynamics and for measuring and predicting bed load transport rate. We define the morphological active layer as the bed material between the maximum and minimum bed elevations at a point over extended time periods sufficient for braiding processes to re-work the river bed. The vertical extent of the active layer was measured using 40 hourly high-resolution DEMs of the model river bed. An image texture algorithm was used to map bed material grain size of each DEM. Analysis of the 40 DEMs and texture maps provides data on the geometry of the morphological active layer and variation in grain size in three-dimensions. Normalizing active layer thickness and dividing into 10 sub-layers we show that all grain sizes occur with almost equal frequency in all sub-layers. Occurrence of patches and strings of coarser (or finer) material relates to preservation of particular morpho-textural features within the active layer. For numerical modeling and bed load prediction a morphological active layer that is fully mixed with respect to grain size is a reliable approximation.

scholarly journals Geometry of meandering and braided gravel-bed threads from the Bayanbulak Grassland, Tianshan, P. R. China

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 273-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
François Métivier ◽  
Olivier Devauchelle ◽  
Hugo Chauvet ◽  
Eric Lajeunesse ◽  
Patrick Meunier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Scaling Laws ◽  
Sedimentary Basin ◽  
Bedload Transport ◽  
Braided River ◽  
Statistical Distributions ◽  
Meandering Rivers ◽  
Gravel Bed ◽  
Threshold Theory ◽  
Gravel Bed Rivers

Abstract. The Bayanbulak Grassland, Tianshan, P. R. China, is located in an intramontane sedimentary basin where meandering and braided gravel-bed rivers coexist under the same climatic and geological settings. We report and compare measurements of the discharge, width, depth, slope and grain size of individual threads from these braided and meandering rivers. Both types of threads share statistically indistinguishable regime relations. Their depths and slopes compare well with the threshold theory, but they are wider than predicted by this theory. These findings are reminiscent of previous observations from similar gravel-bed rivers. Using the scaling laws of the threshold theory, we detrend our data with respect to discharge to produce a homogeneous statistical ensemble of width, depth and slope measurements. The statistical distributions of these dimensionless quantities are similar for braided and meandering threads. This suggests that a braided river is a collection of intertwined threads, which individually resemble those of meandering rivers. Given the environmental conditions in Bayanbulak, we furthermore hypothesize that bedload transport causes the threads to be wider than predicted by the threshold theory.

Spatiotemporal response of an Alpine braided river reach to snow melt and flood events

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarten Bakker ◽  
Florent Gimbert ◽  
Clément Misset ◽  
Laurent Borgniet ◽  
Alain Recking
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Change ◽  
Return Period ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Bedload Transport ◽  
Snow Melt ◽  
Braided River ◽  
Flood Events ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Extreme Flood ◽  
Braided Reach

<p>Alpine environments are responding to accelerated climate warming through the release and mobilization of large amounts of unconsolidated sediment. Sediment fluxes delivered to Alpine streams may be buffered, filtered and/or modulated as they pass through braided river reaches, which play a key role in the downstream transfer and dynamics of bed material. The functioning of these braided reaches is however still poorly understood, particularly during high magnitude events whose effects are very difficult to monitor but play an ever more prominent role in river system evolution.</p><p>In this study, we investigate the transfer of bedload material and river bed morphological change in a braided reach of the Séveraisse River (France), over the course of the melt season and two large flood events with an estimated return period of 5 and 50 years. To quantify braided reach dynamics, a multi-physical approach is employed that combines both temporally and spatially resolved techniques. We use bank-side geophones and locally derived parameters that describe seismic wave propagation in the subsurface to accurately quantify bedload transport and gain a unique insight in its temporal dynamics, particularly during the flood events. River bed elevation changes are determined from intermittent UAV-based LiDAR and photogrammetric acquisition. These are complemented with hourly (daytime) time-lapse images that register planform changes during the flood events.</p><p>Our results show strongly contrasting morphodynamic behavior with different flow conditions. During ‘normal’ bedload transport conditions driven by annual snow-melt, channel aggradation occurs leading to progressively lower bedload export from the reach for a given discharge. During the flood with a 5 year return period, which occurred at the end of the melt season, the braided riverbed morphology is rearranged and net sediment export took place. Most interestingly, in the autumn an extreme flood event led to the development of a single channel, meandering planform with significant outer bend erosion on alternating banks. Although this morphological change may be only temporary, i.e. a braided configuration may be expected to be gradually re-instated, it has important implications on the general functioning and morphological evolution of the reach and the downstream transfer of sediment.</p>

scholarly journals Using ground-penetrating radar, topography and classification of vegetation to model the sediment and active layer thickness in a periglacial lake catchment, western Greenland

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 663-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Petrone ◽  
Gustav Sohlenius ◽  
Emma Johansson ◽  
Tobias Lindborg ◽  
Jens-Ove Näslund ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Modeling ◽  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Active Layer ◽  
Ground Penetrating Radar ◽  
Vegetation Classification ◽  
Active Layer Thickness ◽  
Sediment Thickness ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Scale Models ◽  
Ground Penetrating

Abstract. The geometries of a catchment constitute the basis for distributed physically based numerical modeling of different geoscientific disciplines. In this paper results from ground-penetrating radar (GPR) measurements, in terms of a 3-D model of total sediment thickness and active layer thickness in a periglacial catchment in western Greenland, are presented. Using the topography, the thickness and distribution of sediments are calculated. Vegetation classification and GPR measurements are used to scale active layer thickness from local measurements to catchment-scale models. Annual maximum active layer thickness varies from 0.3 m in wetlands to 2.0 m in barren areas and areas of exposed bedrock. Maximum sediment thickness is estimated to be 12.3 m in the major valleys of the catchment. A method to correlate surface vegetation with active layer thickness is also presented. By using relatively simple methods, such as probing and vegetation classification, it is possible to upscale local point measurements to catchment-scale models, in areas where the upper subsurface is relatively homogeneous. The resulting spatial model of active layer thickness can be used in combination with the sediment model as a geometrical input to further studies of subsurface mass transport and hydrological flow paths in the periglacial catchment through numerical modeling. The data set is available for all users via the PANGAEA database, doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.845258.

scholarly journals Uniform grain-size distribution in the active layer of a shallow, gravel-bed, braided river (the Urumqi River, China) and implications for paleo-hydrology

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laure Guerit ◽  
Laurie Barrier ◽  
Youcun Liu ◽  
Clément Narteau ◽  
Eric Lajeunesse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Grain Size Distribution ◽  
Active Layer ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Gravel Bed ◽  
Surface Samples ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Braided Stream ◽  
Grain Size Distributions

Abstract. The grain-size distribution of ancient alluvial systems is commonly determined from surface samples of vertically exposed sections of gravel deposits. This method relies on the hypothesis that the grain-size distribution obtained from a vertical cross-section is equivalent to that of the river bed. We report a field test of this hypothesis on samples collected on an active, gravel-bed, braided stream: the Urumqi River in China. We compare data from volumetric samples of a trench excavated in an active thread and surface counts performed on the trench vertical faces. We show that the grain-size distributions obtained from all samples are similar and that the deposit is uniform at the scale of the river active layer, a layer extending from the surface to a depth of approximately ten times the size of the largest clasts.

scholarly journals Numerical Modeling of the Active Layer Thickness and Permafrost Thermal State Across Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

2017 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 11,604-11,620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanhui Qin ◽  
Tonghua Wu ◽  
Lin Zhao ◽  
Xiaodong Wu ◽  
Ren Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Modeling ◽  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Layer Thickness ◽  
Active Layer ◽  
Thermal State ◽  
Active Layer Thickness

scholarly journals Physical and numerical modelling of a bedload deposition area for an Alpine torrent

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1589-1597 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kaitna ◽  
M. Chiari ◽  
M. Kerschbaumer ◽  
H. Kapeller ◽  
J. Zlatic-Jugovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Modelling ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Bedload Transport ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Simulation Tool ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Deposition Area ◽  
Physical Scale ◽  
Alpine Watersheds

Abstract. Floods including intensive bedload transport represent a severe hazard to the often densely populated alluvial fans of small Alpine watersheds. In order to minimize the risk of future inundation, an existing bedload deposition area on the fan upstream of the village Vorderberg in southern Austria is planned for reconstruction. The suggested concept for protection measures includes dividing the area into three similar sections of reduced slope. The three sections are to be separated by a block ramp. To test this concept and to optimize the sedimentation process, an analysis was performed by using both a physical scale model (1:30) and a numerical simulation tool (SETRAC). Four configurations for the section-outlet were tested based on three flood scenarios. The results support the general protection concept and suggest a minimum construction configuration, including a woody debris filter. Employing a physical scale model for analysing small watershed processes is rarely found in literature. This contribution represents an applied study and provides quantitative information on bedload deposition and outflow from a deposition area. We test a novel simulation tool for bedload transport on the steep slopes against the measurements in the laboratory and show that the combination of physical and numerical modelling is a valuable tool to evaluate the efficiency of planned measures for torrent hazard mitigation.

scholarly journals Uniform grain-size distribution in the active layer of a shallow, gravel-bedded, braided river (the Urumqi River, China) and implications for paleo-hydrology

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 1011-1021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laure Guerit ◽  
Laurie Barrier ◽  
Youcun Liu ◽  
Clément Narteau ◽  
Eric Lajeunesse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Grain Size Distribution ◽  
Active Layer ◽  
Vertical Section ◽  
Vertical Surface ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Braided Rivers ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Grain Size Distributions

Abstract. The grain-size distribution of ancient alluvial systems is commonly determined from surface samples of vertically exposed sections of gravel deposits. This method relies on the hypothesis that the grain-size distribution obtained from a vertical cross section is equivalent to that of the riverbed. Such an hypothesis implies first that the sediments are uniform in size in the river bed, and second that the sampling method implemented on a vertical section leads to a grain-size distribution equivalent to the bulk one. Here, we report a field test of this hypothesis on granulometric samples collected in an active, gravel-bedded, braided stream: the Urumqi River in China. We compare data from volumetric samples of a trench excavated in an active thread and from surface counts performed on the trench vertical faces. Based on this data set, we show that the grain-size distributions obtained from all the samples are similar and that the deposit is uniform at the scale of the river active layer, a layer extending from the surface to a depth of approximately 10 times the size of the largest clasts. As a consequence, the grid-by-number method implemented vertically leads to a grain-size distribution equivalent to the one obtained by a bulk volumetric sampling. This study thus brings support to the hypothesis that vertical surface counts provide an accurate characterization of the grain-size distribution of paleo-braided rivers.

scholarly journals Morphology, bedload and sedimentology of active gravel bed rivers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Ashmore
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Change ◽  
Active Layer ◽  
Bedload Transport ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Physical Models ◽  
Stream Power ◽  
Gravel Bed ◽  
Longitudinal Connectivity ◽  
Gravel Bed Rivers ◽  
Bed Material

<p>Morphology, bedload and sedimentology of morphologically active gravel bed rivers interact in fundamental ways. In braided and wandering rivers these interactions have distinct characteristics.  In these cases much of the bedload transfer is tied up in morphological change so that the bar and channel scale morpho-dynamics are, in effect, the bedload transport process. Physical models and field data reveal several inter-related aspects of this interaction.  We can define the morphological active layer as that in which erosion, deposition and bed particle exchange occur during channel-forming flows. The dimensions, complexity, and lateral and longitudinal connectivity of this layer increase with discharge in a given river and with channel-forming stream power between rivers. Bedload flux correlates strongly with the dimensions of the active layer and temporal variability of bedload at a given discharge is a consequence of bar-scale  variation in morphological change in complex morphology. Rates of planimetric change in braided channels also follow this morphological-bedload relationship. Higher rates of morphological change also correlate with greater bed material mobility, approaching equal mobility at the highest rate of change and the highest morphological active layer dimensions. Bed particle transfer distances and burial depths are also strongly controlled with the length scale and depth of the bar-scale morphology and active layer. The sedimentology reflects the channel morphological scale and processes in defining sedimentary unit thicknesses and geometry. The deposits of the active channel belt are almost homogenous with respect to particle size because of the ‘turnover’ of the bed material.  Morphology, bedload and sedimentology of morphologically active gravel bed rivers interact in fundamental ways that help to define the characteristics of these channel types. To what extent are these observations applicable in other channel types?</p>

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