scholarly journals Flocculation processes and sedimentation of fine sediments in the open annular flume – experiment and numerical modeling

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 437-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Klassen ◽  
G. Hillebrand ◽  
N. R. B. Olsen ◽  
S. Vollmer ◽  
B. Lehmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Fractal Dimension ◽  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Settling Velocity ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Fine Sediments ◽  
Aggregation Processes

Abstract. The prediction of cohesive sediment transport requires numerical models which include the dominant physico-chemical processes of fine sediments. Mainly in terms of simulating small scale processes, flocculation of fine particles plays an important role since aggregation processes affect the transport and settling of fine-grained particles. Flocculation algorithms used in numerical models are based on and calibrated using experimental data. A good agreement between the results of the simulation and the measurements is a prerequisite for further applications of the transport functions. In this work, the sediment transport model (SSIIM) was extended by implementing a physics-based aggregation process model based on McAnally (1999). SSIIM solves the Navier-Stokes-Equations in a three-dimensional, non-orthogonal grid using the k-ε turbulence model. The program calculates the suspended load with the convection-diffusion equation for the sediment concentration. Experimental data from studies in annular flumes (Hillebrand, 2008; Klassen, 2009) is used to test the flocculation algorithm. Annular flumes are commonly used as a test rig for laboratory studies on cohesive sediments since the flocculation processes are not interfered with by pumps etc. We use the experiments to model measured floc sizes, affected by aggregation processes, as well as the sediment concentration of the experiment. Within the simulation of the settling behavior, we use different formulas for calculating the settling velocity (Stokes, 1850 vs. Winterwerp, 1998) and include the fractal dimension to take into account the structure of flocs. The aim of the numerical calculations is to evaluate the flocculation algorithm by comparison with the experimental data. The results from these studies have shown, that the flocculation process and the settling behaviour are very sensitive to variations in the fractal dimension. We get the best agreement with measured data by adopting a characteristic fractal dimension nfc to 1.4. Insufficient results were obtained when neglecting flocculation processes and using Stokes settling velocity equation, as it is often done in numerical models which do not include a flocculation algorithm. These numerical studies will be used for further applications of the transport functions to the SSIIM model of reservoirs of the Upper Rhine River, Germany.

scholarly journals Numerical Simulation of Deep-Sea Sediment Transport Induced by a Dredge Experiment in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaveh Purkiani ◽  
Benjamin Gillard ◽  
André Paul ◽  
Matthias Haeckel ◽  
Sabine Haalboom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Suspended Sediment ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Plume Dispersion ◽  
Deep Sea Sediment

Predictability of the dispersion of sediment plumes induced by potential deep-sea mining activities is still very limited due to operational limitations on in-situ observations required for a thorough validation and calibration of numerical models. Here we report on a plume dispersion experiment carried out in the German license area for the exploration of polymetallic nodules in the northeastern tropical Pacific Ocean in 4,200 m water depth. The dispersion of a sediment plume induced by a small-scale dredge experiment in April 2019 was investigated numerically by employing a sediment transport module coupled to a high-resolution hydrodynamic regional ocean model. Various aspects including sediment characteristics and ocean hydrodynamics were examined to obtain the best statistical agreement between sensor-based observations and model results. Results show that the model is capable of reproducing suspended sediment concentration and redeposition patterns observed during the dredge experiment. Due to a strong southward current during the dredging, the model predicts no sediment deposition and plume dispersion north of the dredging tracks. The sediment redeposition thickness reaches up to 9 mm directly next to the dredging tracks and 0.07 mm in about 320 m away from the dredging center. The model results suggest that seabed topography and variable sediment release heights above the seafloor cause significant changes especially for the low sedimentation pattern in the far-field area. Near-bottom mixing is expected to strongly influence vertical transport of suspended sediment.

scholarly journals Unraveling the Essential Effects of Flocculation on Large-Scale Sediment Transport Patterns in a Tide-Dominated Estuary

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (7) ◽  
pp. 1957-1981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dante M. L. Horemans ◽  
Yoeri M. Dijkstra ◽  
Henk M. Schuttelaars ◽  
Patrick Meire ◽  
Tom J. S. Cox
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Suspended Sediment ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Settling Velocity ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Order Effect ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Estuarine Turbidity Maxima ◽  
The Impact

AbstractSediment transport in estuaries and the formation of estuarine turbidity maxima (ETM) highly depend on the ability of suspended particulate matter (SPM) to flocculate into larger aggregates. While most literature focuses on the small-scale impact of biological flocculants on the formation of larger aggregates, the influence of the flocculation process on large-scale estuarine SPM profiles is still largely unknown. In this paper, we study the impact of flocculation of SPM on the formation of ETM. For this, a semianalytical width-integrated model called iFlow is utilized and extended by a flocculation model. Starting from a complex one-class flocculation model, we show that flocculation may be described as a linear relation between settling velocity and suspended sediment concentration to capture its leading-order effect on the ETM formation. The model is applied to a winter case in the Scheldt estuary (Belgium, Netherlands) and calibrated to a unique, long-term, two-dimensional set of turbidity (cf. SPM) observations. First, model results with and without the effect of flocculation are compared, showing that the spatial and temporal variations of the settling velocity due to flocculation are essential to reproduce the observed magnitude of the suspended sediment concentrations and its dependence on river discharge. Second, flocculation results in tidally averaged land-inward sediment transport. Third, we conduct a sensitivity analysis of the freshwater discharge and floc breakup parameter, which shows that flocculation can cause additional estuarine turbidity maxima and can prevent flushing of the ETM for high freshwater inflow.

Sediment transport modifications induced by submerged artificial reef systems: a case study for the Gulf of Venice

2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Bonaldo ◽  
Alvise Benetazzo ◽  
Andrea Bergamasco ◽  
Francesco Falcieri ◽  
Sandro Carniel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Coastal Zone Management ◽  
Artificial Reef ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Zone Management ◽  
Basin Scale ◽  
Scale Modelling ◽  
Maritime Spatial Planning

AbstractThe shallow, gently sloping, sandy-silty seabed of the Venetian coast (Italy) is studded by a number of outcropping rocky systems of different size encouraging the development of peculiar zoobenthic biocenoses with considerably higher biodiversity indexes compared to neighbouring areas. In order to protect and enhance the growth of settling communities, artificial monolithic reefs were deployed close to the most important formations, providing further nesting sites and mechanical hindrance to illegal trawl fishing.In this framework, a multi-step and multi-scale numerical modelling activity was carried out to predict the perturbations induced by the presence of artificial structures on sediment transport over the outcroppings and their implications on turbidity and water quality. After having characterized wave and current circulation climate at the sub-basin scale over a reference year, a set of small scale simulations was carried out to describe the effects of a single monolith under different geometries and hydrodynamic forcings, encompassing the conditions likely occurring at the study sites. A dedicated tool was then developed to compose the information contained in the small-scale database into realistic deployment configurations, and applied in four protected outcroppings identified as test sites. With reference to these cases, under current meteomarine climate the application highlighted a small and localised increase in suspended sediment concentration, suggesting that the implemented deployment strategy is not likely to produce harmful effects on turbidity close to the outcroppings.In a broader context, the activity is oriented at the tuning of a flexible instrument for supporting the decision-making process in benthic environments of outstanding environmental relevance, especially in the Integrated Coastal Zone Management or Maritime Spatial Planning applications. The dissemination of sub-basin scale modelling results via the THREDDS Data Server, together with an user-friendly software for composing single-monolith runs and a graphical interface for exploring the available data, significantly improves the quantitative information collection and sharing among scientists, stakeholders and policy-makers.

Formation of Sedimentary Ripples in a Cylindrical Rotating Tank

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Cui ◽  
John C. Wells
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Numerical Model ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Rotating Cylinders ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Pattern Formations ◽  
Scale Experiment ◽  
Spiral Arm

Experiments on sedimentary ripples in rotating cylinders have been considered as a convenient configuration for studying ripples. This system is simple and convenient to study sediment transport compared to the traditional channel experiments. In the present contribution, we conduct a small scale experiment as a “benchmark” of our numerical model. Processes of pattern formations have been produced and the results of the spiral arm properties are compared to the published experimental data.

scholarly journals Sediment transport modelling in riverine environments: on the importance of grain-size distribution, sediment density and boundary conditions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jérémy Lepesqueur ◽  
Renaud Hostache ◽  
Núria Martínez-Carreras ◽  
Emmanuelle Montargès-Pelletier ◽  
Christophe Hissler
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Suspended Sediment ◽  
Grain Size Distribution ◽  
Suspended Sediment Concentration ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Sediment Grain Size ◽  
Model Based

Abstract. Hydromorphodynamic models are powerful tools to predict the potential mobilization and transport of sediment in river ecosystems. Recent studies even showed that they are able to satisfyingly predict suspended sediment matter concentration in small river systems. However, modelling exercises often neglect suspended sediment properties (e.g. particle site distribution and density), even though such properties are known to directly control the sediment particle dynamics in the water column during rising and flood events. This study has two objectives. On the one hand, it aims at further developing an existing hydromorphodynamic model based on the dynamic coupling of TELEMAC-3D (v7p1) and SISYPHE (v7p1) in order to enable an enhanced parameterisation of the sediment grain size distribution with distributed sediment density. On the other hand, it aims at evaluating and discussing the added-value of the new development for improving sediment transport and riverbed evolution predictions. To this end, we evaluate the sensitivity of the model to sediment grain size distribution, sediment density and suspended sediment concentration at the upstream boundary condition. As a test case, the model is used to simulate a flood event in a small scale river, the Orne River in North-eastern France. The results show substantial discrepancies in bathymetry evolution depending on the model setup. Moreover, the sediment model based on an enhanced sediment grain size distribution (10 classes) and with distributed sediment density outperforms the model with only two sediment grain size classes in terms of simulated suspended sediment concentration.

scholarly journals APPLICATION OF A SEDIMENT TRANSPORT MODEL

1976 ◽  
Vol 1 (15) ◽  
pp. 69 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.A. Fleming ◽  
J.N. Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Water Intake ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Cooling Water ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Wave Climate ◽  
Wave Refraction ◽  
Wave Statistics

A mathematical model for sediment transport under waves has been developed from concepts that have been used successfully for unidirectional flow. This model has been combined interactively with numerical models of wave refraction, wave diffraction, longshore currents and circulation currents in order to predict local topographical changes in the vicinity of a cooling water intake basin for a nuclear power station. The sediment model is calibrated using field data of sediment concentration profiles. Verification and adjustments may be made by analysing deep water wave statistics corresponding to periodic beach and hydrographic surveys. The model can be used to investigate the effects of any wave climate and consequently different layouts of coastal structures can be examined very rapidly. For the particular problem considered it was necessary to optimise the configuration of the breakwaters forming a cooling water intake basin in order to minimise the sediment concentration at the intake, estimate maintenance dredging quantities and investigate extreme events.

On the role of flocculation, hindered settling and sediment-induced damping of turbulence in trapping sediment in estuaries, with focus on the North Passage, Yangtze Estuary

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenjuan Jiang ◽  
Huib E. de Swart ◽  
Jianan Zhou ◽  
Jiufa Li
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Settling Velocity ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Yangtze Estuary ◽  
Fine Sediment ◽  
Sediment Distribution ◽  
Hindered Settling ◽  
Density Driven Flow ◽  
The North ◽  
Upstream Flow

<p>Many estuaries are characterized by one or more locations where the concentration of fine sediment attains a maximum. The locations and intensities of these estuarine turbidity maxima (ETM) are sensitive to river discharge, tides, depth and sediment properties. In this contribution, results are presented of a width-averaged process-based model that describes tides, residual currents and sediment transport in an estuarine channel. The aim is to quantify the sensitivity of location and intensity of ETM to 1) flocculation and hindered settling of fine sediment and 2) sediment-induced damping of turbulence. The model is applied to the North Passage of the Yangtze Estuary, which is a prototype estuary that undergoes strong variations in environmental conditions. The sediment settling velocity is allowed to vary along the channel due to the effects of flocculation and hindered settling, by parametrizing settling velocity as the function of the subtidal near-bed sediment concentration according to results obtained from laboratory experiments. Sediment-induced turbulence damping is taken into account by parametrizing eddy viscosity and eddy diffusivity coefficients as functions of bulk Richardson number.</p><p>In the flocculation (low concentration) regime, where the settling velocity increases with sediment concentration, the rapid settling of flocs induces larger landward sediment transport due to upstream flow in the lower layer of density-driven flow, leading to a landward shift and intensification of the ETM (with respect to the case of a constant settling velocity). In the hindered settling (high concentration) regime, the settling velocity decreases with bottom concentration. This induces a decrease in upstream sediment transport due to density-driven flow and an increase in seaward sediment transport due to river flow, leading to seaward migration and attenuation of the ETM. In both regimes, sediment-induced damping of turbulence results in stronger upstream flow in the bottom layer of density-driven flow and more vertically stratified sediment distribution, which significantly intensifies the landward sediment transport due to density driven flow, and hence causes a landward shift and intensification of the ETM.</p>

scholarly journals The investigation of sediment processes in rivers by means of the Acoustic Doppler Profiler

2014 ◽  
Vol 364 ◽  
pp. 368-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Guerrero
Keyword(s):  
Sound Propagation ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Po River ◽  
Pump Station ◽  
Navigation Channel ◽  
Acoustic Doppler Profiler ◽  
River Cross Section

Abstract. The measurement of sediment processes at the scale of a river cross-section is desirable for the evaluation of many issues related to river hydro-morphodynamics, such as the calibration and validation of numerical models for predicting the climate change impacts on water resources and efforts of maintenance of the navigation channel and other hydraulic works. Suspended- and bed-load have traditionally been measured by cumbersome techniques that are difficult to apply in large rivers. The acoustics for the investigation of small-scale sedimentological processes gained acceptance in the marine community because of its ability to simultaneously profile sediment concentration and size distribution, non-intrusively, and with high temporal and spatial resolution. The application of these methods in true riverine case studies presents additional difficulties, mainly related to water depths and stream currents that limit sound propagation into water and challenge the instruments deployment, especially during floods. This article introduces the motivations for using the ADCP for sediment processes investigation other than for flow discharge measurement, summarizes the developed methods and indicates future desirable improvements. In addition, an application on the Po River in Italy is presented, focusing on the calibration of the existing software by means of ADCP recordings. The calibrated model will assist in planning the dredging activities to maintain the navigation channel and the intake of a pump station for irrigation that is periodically obstructed with a sandbar.

scholarly journals On sediment transport under dam-break flow

2002 ◽  
Vol 473 ◽  
pp. 265-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID PRITCHARD ◽  
ANDREW J. HOGG
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Suspended Sediment ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Dam Break ◽  
Suspended Sediment Transport ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Small Depth ◽  
Dam Break Flow

We present exact solutions for suspended sediment transport under one-dimensional dam-break flow, both over a dry bed and into a small depth of tail water. We explicitly calculate the suspended sediment concentration, including erosion and deposition, and investigate the effect of varying the erosional and depositional models employed. These solutions order insight into sediment transport processes under floods or sheet flow events, and we also discuss their application as test-bed solutions for the validation of numerical models.

Identifying Physico-Chemical Laws from the Robotically Collected Data

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liwei Cao ◽  
Danilo Russo ◽  
Vassilios S. Vassiliadis ◽  
Alexei Lapkin
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Predictor Variable ◽  
Physical Models ◽  
Training Data ◽  
Mixed Integer ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
Data Points ◽  
Future Work ◽  
The Relationship

<p>A mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) formulation for symbolic regression was proposed to identify physical models from noisy experimental data. The formulation was tested using numerical models and was found to be more efficient than the previous literature example with respect to the number of predictor variables and training data points. The globally optimal search was extended to identify physical models and to cope with noise in the experimental data predictor variable. The methodology was coupled with the collection of experimental data in an automated fashion, and was proven to be successful in identifying the correct physical models describing the relationship between the shear stress and shear rate for both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, and simple kinetic laws of reactions. Future work will focus on addressing the limitations of the formulation presented in this work, by extending it to be able to address larger complex physical models.</p><p><br></p>

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