Numerical simulation on the process of saltwater intrusion and its impact on the suspended sediment concentration in the Changjiang (Yangtze) estuary

To study the relationship between sediment transportation and saltwater intrusion in the Changjiang (Yangtze) estuary, a three-dimensional numerical model for temperature, salinity, velocity field, and suspended sediment concentration was established based on the ECOMSED model. Using this model, sediment transportation in the flood season of 2005 was simulated for the Changjiang estuary. A comparison between simulated results and observation data for the tidal level, flow velocity and direction, salinity and suspended sediment concentration indicated that they were consistent in overall. Based on model verification, the simulation of saltwater intrusion and its effect on sediment in the Changjiang estuary was analyzed in detail. The saltwater intrusion in the estuary including the formation, evolution, and disappearance of saltwater wedge and the induced vertical circulation were reproduced, and the crucial impact of the wedge on cohesive and non-cohesive suspended sediment distribution and transportation were successfully simulated. The result shows that near the salinity front, the simulated concentrations of both cohesive and non-cohesive suspended sediment at the surface layer had a strong relationship with the simulated velocity, especially when considering a 1-hour lag. However, in the bottom layer, there was no obvious correlation between them, because the saltwater wedge and its inducing vertical circulation may have resuspended loose sediment on the bed, thus forming a high-concentration area near the bottom even if the velocity near the bottom was very low during the transition phase from flood to ebb.

Laboratory Study on Sediment Diffusion and Deposition into Blind Channels

Any waterway with one end closed and the other open is generally called a blind channel. The main flow tends to expand, separate, and cause circulation at the mouth of blind channels. The main flow continuously transfers momentum and sediment into the circulation region through the turbulent mixing region (TMR) between them, thus leading to a large amount of sediment deposition in the blind channels. This paper experimentally investigated the properties of the water flow and sediment diffusion in TMR, demonstrating that both water flow and sediment motion in TMR approximately coincide with a similar structure as in the free mixing layer induced by a jet. The similarity functions of flow velocity and sediment concentration are then assumed, based on observation, and the resulting calculation of these functions is substantially facilitated. For the kind of low velocity flow system of blind channels with a finite width, a simple formula for the sediment deposition rate in blind channels is established by analyzing the gradient of crosswise velocity and sediment concentration in TMR.

Experimental Study on Flow and Sediment Movement in Cavity Circulations

This paper reports a flume experiment of flow and sediment movement in a cavity. The flow velocity, sediment concentration and the mechanism of hydraulic sorting in the circulation flow are discussed. The quantity and patterns of sediment deposition in the circulation area are studied as well.

Vertical sediment distribution

So far, various calculation models for the vertical distribution of suspended sediment concentration have been produced by several investigators from different theories. The limitations of all these models imply that it is possible to find a more reasonable model, for which each previous model can be included as special case. The formulation of a reasonable general model is the purpose of this paper.

Diagnostic experiments for transport mechanisms of suspended sediment discharged from the Yellow River in the Bohai Sea

Five diagnostic experiments with a 3D baroclinic hydrodynamic and sediment transport model ECOMSED in couple with the third generation wave model SWAN and the Grant-Madsen bottom boundary layer model driven by the monthly sediment load of the Yellow River, were conducted to separately diagnose effects of different hydrodynamic factors on transport of suspended sediment discharged from the Yellow River in the Bohai Sea. Both transport and spatio-temporal distribution of suspended sediment concentration in the Bohai Sea were numerially simulated. It could be concluded that suspended sediment discharged from the Yellow River cannot be delivered in long distance under the condition of tidal current. Almost all of sediments from the Yellow River are deposited outside the delta under the condition of wind-driven current, and only very small of them are transported faraway. On the basis of wind forcing, sediments from the Yellow River are mainly transported north-northwestward, and others which are first delivered to the Laizhou Bay are continuously moved northward. An obvious 3D structure characteristic of sediment transport is produced in the wind-driven and tide-induced residual circulation condition. Transport patterns at all layers are generally consistent with circulation structure, but there is apparent deviation between the depth-averaged sediment flux and the circulation structure. The phase of temporal variation of sediment concentration is consistent with that of the bottom shear stress, both of which are proved to have a ten-day cycle in wave and current condition.

Estimation of suspended sediment concentrations using Pulse-coherent Acoustic Doppler Profiler (PCADP)

The objective of the study is to investigate the suitability of using Pulse-coherent Acoustic Doppler Profiler (PCADP) to estimate suspended sediment concentration (SSC). The acoustic backscatter intensity was corrected for spreading and absorption loss, then calibrated with OBS and finally converted to SSC. The results show that there is a good correlation between SSC and backscatter intensity with R value of 0.74. The mean relative error is 22.4%. Then the time span of little particle size variation was also analyzed to exclude the influence of size variation. The correlation coefficient increased to 0.81 and the error decreased to 18.9%. Our results suggest that the PCADP can meet the requirement of other professional instruments to estimate SSC with the errors between 20% and 50%, and can satisfy the need of dynamics study of suspended particles.

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT TRANSPORT IN THE OFFSHORE NEAR YANGTZE ESTUARY

Based on the Estuarine, Coastal and Ocean Modeling System with Sediments (ECOMSED) model, a 3-D hydrodynamic-transport numerical model was established for the offshore area near the Yangtze Estuary in the East China Sea. The hydrodynamic module was driven by tide and wind. Sediment module included sediment resuspension, transport and deposition of cohesive and non-cohesive sediment. The settling of cohesive sediment in the water column was modeled as a function of aggregation (flocculation) and deposition. The numerical results were compared with observation data for August, 2006. It shows that the sediment concentration reduces gradually from the seashore to the offshore area. Numerical results of concentration time series in the observation stations show two peaks and two valleys, according with the observation data. It is mainly affected by tidal current. The suspended sediment concentration is related to the tidal current during a tidal cycle, and the maximum concentration appears 1 h-4 h after the current maximum velocity has reached.

Characteristics Of Energy Dissipation In Hyperconcentrated Flows

An equilibrium equation for the turbulence energy in sediment-laden flows was derived on the basis of solid-liquid two-phase flow theory. The equation was simplified for two-dimensional, uniform, steady and fully developed turbulent hyperconcentrated flows. An energy efficiency coefficient of suspended-load motion was obtained from the turbulence energy equation, which is defined as the ratio of the sediment suspension energy to the turbulence energy of the sediment-laden flows. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the characteristics of energy dissipation in hyperconcentrated flows. A total of 115 experimental runs were carried out, comprising 70 runs with natural sediments and 45 runs with cinder powder. Effects of sediment concentration on sediment suspension energy and flow resistance were analyzed and the relation between the energy efficiency coefficient of suspended-load motion and sediment concentration was established on the basis of experimental data. Furthermore, the characteristics of energy dissipation in hyperconcentrated flows were identified and described. It was found that the high sediment concentration does not increase the energy dissipation; on the contrary, it decreases flow resistance.

A laboratory study of rheological properties of mudflows in Hangzhou Bay, China

A laboratory study of the rheology of mudflows in Hangzhou Bay, China, is reported in this paper. Both the steady and oscillatory (dynamic) rheological properties are studied using RMS-605 rheometer. A Dual-Bingham model is proposed for analyzing flow curves and compared with Worrall-Tuliani model. It is found that Dual-Bingham plastic rheological model is easier to implement than Worrall-Tuliani model and can provide satisfactory representations of the steady mudflows in Hangzhou Bay and other published data. The dependence of the yield stress and viscosity on sediment concentration is discussed based on the data from Hangzhou Bay mud and other published data. For the dynamic rheological properties of Hangzhou Bay mud, empirical expressions for elastic modulus and dynamic viscosity are provided in the form of exponential functions of sediment volume concentration, and comparisons with other published data also discussed.

黏性泥沙絮凝沉降的数值研究

盐度等因素对泥沙絮凝沉降的影响是本文的研究目的.考虑了泥沙颗粒在水中的多体相互作用, 以及颗粒间的XDLVO势.分析了盐度、泥沙浓度、Hamaker常数、水合作用对泥沙絮凝沉降的影响.获得的泥沙絮凝沉降速度的拟合公式与计算和试验相符, 对于工程实际有重要参考意义

基于含沙量分段的人类活动对延河水沙变化的影响分析

采用延河甘谷驿水文站控制区1965-2002年降水量、径流量和输沙量资料,分析了人类活动对河流水沙变化的影响。与以往以年代为基准期的分段方法不同,本研究根据河流含沙量距平累计值变化特征,把延河水沙变化过程划分为5个时段,并以含沙量持续较高的时段Ⅰ(1965-1971年)为基期,分析了各时段径流量和输沙量的变化特征。以基期单位降水产沙量和产流量为参数,计算了各时段全年和汛期的计算输沙量和径流量。通过比较计算和实测的输沙量和径流量,分析了各时段人类活动对全年和汛期输沙量和径流量的影响。研究表明,根据含沙量距平累计值划分时段可以更好反映河流水沙变化特征:治理期人类活动平均减少年和汛期输沙量分别约50.3%和40.0%;而减少年和汛期径流量的幅度分别约为19.8%和34.2%。人类活动在时段Ⅱ(1971-1976年)和时段Ⅴ(1997-2001年)对水沙的影响较大,而在时段Ⅳ(1987-1996年)影响较小,且表现复杂。

CaCl_2对细颗粒泥沙静水絮凝沉降的影响

细颗粒泥沙的絮凝或分散对土壤渗透性、土壤可蚀性有重要作用 ,是水土保持研究的重要内容。在 Ca Cl2 浓度为 0～ 1.0 mmol/L ,泥沙浓度为 10 g/L时 ,用吸管法研究了 Ca Cl2 对细颗粒泥沙絮凝沉降的影响。结果表明 :泥沙沉降分 2个阶段 ,分选沉降段和絮凝沉降段 ;在絮凝沉降段 ,Ca Cl2 浓度越大 ,絮凝沉降越快。但较高浓度时 ,细颗粒泥沙平均沉速反而随 Ca Cl2浓度增大而逐渐减小 ;泥沙浓度随时间呈指数衰减 ;细颗粒泥沙絮凝临界粒径为 0 .0 3mm。

有机质、CaCl_2和MgCl_2对细颗粒泥沙絮凝沉降的影响

在CaCl2和MgCl2浓度为0~1.0mmol/L,泥沙浓度为10g/L时,用吸管法研究了有机质、CaCl2和MgCl2对细颗粒泥沙静水絮凝沉降的影响,结果表明,去除有机质后,细颗粒泥沙絮凝沉降加快,其絮凝所需的最佳电解质浓度降低;CaCl2和MgCl2的絮凝能力无明显差异,有机质含量对其几乎没有影响;在相同盐度下,细颗粒泥沙的絮凝沉降速度随电解质摩尔浓度的增大而增大.

细沟股流剥蚀率与载沙量以及沟长的耦合关系

土壤剥蚀是指由侵蚀动力引起的土壤颗粒从土壤母质移动的过程。细沟剥蚀土粒随着细沟股流中含沙量的增加而减少 ,已有的一些侵蚀模型 (如 WEPP)均提到了这一点。用黄土高原一种典型的粉壤土 ,在 5种坡度、3种流量下进行了细沟侵蚀模拟试验。对试验结果进行了回归 ,分析了黄土高原斜坡及陡坡地、细沟股流剥蚀率随含沙量以及沟长变化的函数关系。这对细沟侵蚀动力过程的研究深入 ,以及对侵蚀过程的预测预报提供了有力的参考依据