Transport processes of uniform and mixed sands in oscillatory sheet flow

New experiments were carried out in the Large Oscillating Water Tunnel of WL|Delft Hydraulics (scale 1:1) using asymmetric 2nd-order Stokes waves. The main aim was to gain a better understanding of size-selective sediment transport processes under oscillatory plane-bed/sheet-flow conditions. The new data show that for uniform sand sizes between 0.2 < D < 1.0 mm, measured net transport rates are hardly affected by the grain size and are proportional to the third-order velocity moment. However for finer grains (D = 0.13 mm) net sand transport rates change from the ‘onshore’ direction into the ‘offshore’ direction in the high velocity range. A new measuring technique for sediment concentrations, based on the measurement of electro-resistance (see [McLean, S.R., Ribberink, J.S., Dohmen-Janssen, C.M. and Hassan, W.N.M., 2001. Sediment transport measurements within the sheet flow layer under waves and currents. J. Waterw., Port, Coast., Ocean Eng., ISSN 0733-950X]), was developed further for the improved measurement of sediment dynamics inside the sheet-flow layer. This technique enabled the measurements of particle velocities during the complete wave cycle. It is observed that for long period waves (T = 12.0 s), time-dependent concentrations inside the sheet-flow layer are nearly in phase with the time-dependent flow velocities. As the wave period decreases, the sediment entrainment from the bed as well as the deposition process back to the bed lags behind the wave motion more and more. The new data show that size-gradation has almost no effect on the net total transport rates, provided the grain sizes of the sand mixture are in the range of 0.2 < D < 1.0 mm. However, if very fine grains (D = 0.13 mm) are present in the mixture, net total transport rates of graded sand are generally reduced in comparison with uniform sand with the same D₅₀. The transport rates of individual size fractions of a mixture are strongly influenced by the presence of other fractions in a mixture. Fine particles in sand mixtures are relatively less transported than in that uniform sand case, while the opposite occurs for coarse fractions in a mixture. The relative contribution of the coarse grains to the net total transport is therefore larger than would be expected based on their volume proportion in the original sand mixture. This partial transport behaviour is opposite to what is generally observed in uni-directional (e.g. river) flows. This is caused by vertical sorting of grain sizes in the upper bed layer and in the sheet flow and suspension layers. Kinematic sorting is believed to be responsible for the development of a coarse surface layer on top of a relatively fine sub-layer, providing in this way a relatively large flow exposure for the coarser sizes. Furthermore fine grains are suspended more easily than coarse grains to higher elevations in the flow where they are subject to increasing phase-lag effects (settling lags). The latter also leads to reduced net transport rates of these finer sizes.     

Modelling and measurement of sand transport processes over full-scale ripples in oscillatory flow

A new series of laboratory experiments was performed in the Aberdeen Oscillatory Flow Tunnel (AOFT) and the Large Oscillating Water Tunnel (LOWT) to investigate time-averaged suspended sand concentrations and transport rates over rippled beds in regular and irregular oscillatory flow. The wave-induced oscillatory near-bed flows were simulated at full-scale. Five series of experiments were carried out. During the two AOFT experimental series, ripple dimensions, ripple migration rates and net sand transport rates were measured under regular and irregular asymmetric flow for two different sand types. The three LOWT experimental series focussed on measurements of the ripple dimensions, ripple migration rates, time-averaged suspended sand concentrations and net sand transport rates under regular asymmetric and irregular weakly asymmetric flow for two different sand types. From analysis of new and other full-scale data, it is concluded that the lower part of the time- and bed-averaged concentration profile (up to two times the ripple height above the ripple crest level) has an exponential profile. A new reference concentration formula is proposed based on the formula of Bosman and Steetzel [Bosman, J.J., Steetzel, H.J., 1986. Time- and bed-averaged concentration under waves. Proc. 20th ICCE Taipei, ASCE, pp. 986–1000], which includes the grain-size influence. Furthermore, it is shown that the concentration decay length is strongly related to the ripple height and that the simple formula R_c = 1.27η gives good agreement with the data. A new transport model is proposed for the wave-related net transport over full-scale ripples based on a modified half wave cycle concept of Dibajnia and Watanabe [Dibajnia, M., Watanabe, A., 1992. Sheet flow under nonlinear waves and currents. Proc. 23rd ICCE Venice, ASCE, pp. 2015–2028; Dibajnia, M., Watanabe, A., 1996. A transport rate formula for mixed sands. Proc. 25th ICCE Orlando, ASCE, pp. 3791–3804]. The magnitudes of the half wave cycle transport contributions are related to the grain-related Shields parameter, the degree of wave asymmetry and a newly defined vortex suspension parameter P, which is the ratio between the ripple height and the median grain-size. The new model has been calibrated using transport data from the new regular flow experiments and has subsequently been validated using other data, including measurements from irregular flow experiments. The new model is seen to perform better overall than existing practical models for ripple regime net sand transport.     

Sand transport under combined current and wave conditions: A semi-unsteady,practical model

For the general purposes of morphodynamic computations in coastal zones, simple formula-based models are usually employed to evaluate sediment transport. Sediment transport rates are computed as a function of the bottom shear stress or the near bed flow velocity and it is generally assumed that the sediment particles react immediately to changes in flow conditions. It has been recognized, through recent laboratory experiments in both rippled and plane bed sheet flow conditions that sediment reacts to the flow in a complex manner, involving non-steady processes resulting from memory and settling/entrainment delay effects. These processes may be important in the cross-shore direction, where sediment transport is mainly caused by the oscillatory motions induced by surface short gravity waves.The aim of the present work is to develop a semi-unsteady, practical model, to predict the total (bed load and suspended load) sediment transport rates in wave or combined wave-current flow conditions that are characteristic of the coastal zone. The unsteady effects are reproduced indirectly by taking into account the delayed settling of sediment particles. The net sediment transport rates are computed from the total bottom shear stress and the model takes into account the velocity and acceleration asymmetries of the waves as they propagate towards the shore.A comparison has been carried out between the computed net sediment transport rates with a large data set of experimental results for different flow conditions (wave-current flows, purely oscillatory flow, skewed waves and steady currents) in different regimes (plane bed and rippled bed) with fine, medium and coarse uniform sand. The numerical results obtained are reasonably accurate within a factor of 2. Based on this analysis, the limits and validity of the present formulation are discussed.     

A sheetflow sediment transport model for skewed-asymmetric waves combined with strong opposite currents

Prototype scale physical model tests were conducted to investigate the sheetflow sediment transport of uniform sand under different skewed-asymmetric oscillatory flows with and without the presence of relatively strong currents in the opposite direction against wave propagation. Experiments show that in most cases with fine sands, the “cancelling effect” which balances the on-/off-shore net transport under pure asymmetric/skewed oscillatory flows and results a moderate net transport was developed for combined skewed-asymmetric shaped oscillations. However, under certain conditions (T > 5 s) with coarse sands, the onshore sediment transport was enhanced for combined skewed-asymmetric flows. Additionally, the new experimental data under collinear oscillatory flows and strong currents show that offshore net transport rates increase with decreasing velocity skewness and acceleration skewness. Sediment movement behaviors were investigated through analysis of experimental data obtained from the image analysis technique and attempts were made to estimate and formulate the sheetflow layer thickness. Accordingly, sediment transport under oscillatory sheetflow conditions was studied and successfully explained by comparing the bed shear stress and the phase lag parameter at each half cycle. Consequently, these parameters were incorporated in an improved Dibajinia and Watanabe's type sediment transport model. The formula is calibrated against a comprehensive experimental data (331 in total). Good agreement obtained between predictions and measurements shows that the new formula is fulfilled for practical purposes.     

Phase-lag effects in sheet flow transport

The inception of the sheet flow regime as well as the effects of the phase lag when the sheet flow regime is established were investigated for oscillatory flows and combined steady and oscillatory flows. A new criterion for the inception of sheet flow is proposed based on around 300 oscillatory flow cases from experiments. This criterion was introduced in the Camenen and Larson [Camenen, B., Larson, M., 2005. A bedload sediment transport formula for the nearshore. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 63, 249–260.] bed load formula in order to take into account phase-lag effects in the sheet flow regime. The modification of the Camenen and Larson formula significantly improves the overall agreement with data and yields a correct behavior in relation to some of the main governing parameters, which are the median grain size d₅₀, the orbital wave velocity U_w, and the wave period T_w. The calibration of the new formula was based on more than 200 experimental data values on the net sediment transport rate for a full wave cycle. A conceptual model was also proposed to estimate the ratio between sediment transport rate with and without phase lag, (r_pl = q_s,net / q_s,net,ϕ=0). This simple model provides accurate results and may be used together with any quasi-steady model for bed load transport.     

Database of full-scale laboratory experiments on wave-driven sand transport processes

A new database of laboratory experiments involving sand transport processes over horizontal, mobile sand beds under full-scale non-breaking wave and non-breaking wave-plus-current conditions is described. The database contains details of the flow and bed conditions, information on which quantities were measured and the value of the measured net sand transport rate for 298 experiments conducted in 7 large-scale laboratory facilities. Analysis of the coverage of the experiments and the measured net sand transport rates identified the following gaps in the range of test conditions and/or the type of measurements: (i) graded sand experiments, (ii) wave-plus-current experiments and (iii) intra-wave velocity and concentration measurements in the ripple regime. Furthermore, it highlights two areas requiring further research: (i) the differences in sand transport processes and sand transport rates between real waves and tunnel flows with nominally similar near-bed oscillatory flow conditions and (ii) the effects of acceleration skewness on transport rates. The database is a useful resource for the development and validation of sand transport models for coastal applications.     

前进波作用下沙纹床面的净输沙方向与净输沙强度

在沙纹床面输沙过程中，假设水流从涡中取出并搬运的悬移质数量与推移质运动的沙星成比例，由12组细沙实验结果得到了沙纹床面净输沙的方向和输沙强度公式，并与他人的实验结果进行对比。     

Measurements of sheet flow transport in acceleration-skewed oscillatory flow and comparison with practical formulations

Near-bed oscillatory flows with acceleration skewness are characteristic of steep and breaking waves in shallow water. In order to isolate the effects of acceleration skewness on sheet flow sand transport, new experiments are carried out in the Aberdeen Oscillatory Flow Tunnel. The experiments have produced a dataset of net transport rates for full-scale oscillatory flows with varying degrees of acceleration skewness and three sand sizes. The new data confirm previous research that net transport in acceleration-skewed flow is non-zero, is always in the direction of the largest acceleration and increases with increasing acceleration skewness. Large transport rates for the fine sand conditions suggest that phase lag effects play an important role in augmenting positive net transport. A comparison of the new experimental data with a number of practical sand transport formulations that incorporate acceleration skewness shows that none of the formulations performs well in predicting the measured net transport rates for both the fine and the coarser sands. The new experimental data can be used to further develop practical sand transport formulations to better account for acceleration skewness.     

Predictability of wave-induced net sediment transport using the conventional 1DV RANS diffusion model

Based on a large database of laboratory experiments, the predictability of the conventional one-dimensional vertical Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) diffusion model is systematically investigated with respect to wave-induced net sediment transport. The predicted net sediment transport rates are compared with the measured data of 176 physical experiments in wave flumes and oscillating water tunnels, covering a wide range of wave conditions (surface, skewed, and asymmetric waves with and without currents), sediment conditions (fine, medium, and coarse sands with median grain diameters ranging from 0.13 to 0.97 mm) and bed forms (flat beds and rippled beds), corresponding to various sediment dynamic regions in the near-shore area. Comparisons show that the majority (73 %) of predictions on a flat bed are within a factor 2 of the measurements. The model behaves much better for medium/coarse sand than for fine sand. The model generally underpredicts the transport rates beneath asymmetric waves and overpredicts the fine sand transport beneath skewed waves. Nevertheless, the model behaves well in reproducing the transport rates under surface waves. A detailed discussion and a quantitative measure of the overall model performance are made. The poor model predictability for fine sand cases is mainly due to the underestimation of unsteady phase-lag effect. It is revealed that the model predictability can be significantly improved by implementing alternative bedload formulas and incorporating more physical processes (mobile-bed roughness, hindered settling, and turbulence damping).     

A new facility for studying ocean-structure–seabed interactions: The O-tube

This paper describes a unique new physical testing facility for studying ocean-structure–seabed interactions, and in particular pipeline on-bottom stability on erodible seabed under hydrodynamic loading. The facility, named the O-tube due to its shape, is a fully enclosed flume in which ambient and storm-induced near-seabed flows are generated by a computer-controlled flow pump. Combined steady and oscillatory flow can be generated by alternating pump flow directions in a controlled manner, and computer control also allows irregular flow to be generated. The design of the O-tube combines the capabilities of a conventional open channel flume (which provides steady current) with a U-tube (which provides oscillatory flow). The facility is designed to physically model severe storm conditions, as well as ambient or tidal flows. When studying pipeline stability on erodible seabed under severe hydrodynamic loading conditions, tests can be performed at a relatively large scale (typically 1/5) for large diameter pipelines (e.g. 40 in. gas trunklines) and at full scale for small diameter pipelines (< 8 in.) to minimize potential scaling effects associated with movable bed model tests. The specifications of the O-tube, a model pipe and an actuator system that supports the model pipe are given in detail. Preliminary model testing results show that the facility has met its design expectations.     

Predicting Net Cross-Shore Total Load Transport: A Phase-Averaging, Quasi-Steady Approach Incorporating Undertow Contribution

Wave shapes that induce velocity skewness and acceleration asymmetry are usually responsible for onshore sediment transport, whereas undertow and bottom slope effect normally contribute to offshore sediment transport. By incorporating these counteracting driving forces in a phase-averaged manner, the theoretically-based quasi-steady formula of Wang (2007) is modified to predict the magnitude and direction of net cross-shore total load transport under the coaction of wave and current. The predictions show an excellent agreement with the measurement data on medium and fine sand collected by Dohmen-Janssen and Hanes (2002) and Schretlen (2012) in a full-scale wave flume at the Coastal Research Centre in Hannover, Germany. The modified formula can predict the net onshore transport of fine sand in sheet flows. In particular, it can predict the net offshore transport of medium sand in rippled beds through enlarged bed roughness, as well as the net offshore transport of fine-to-coarse sand in sheet flows with the aid of a new criterion to judge the occurrence of net offshore transport.     

Measurement and modelling of the influence of grain size and pressure gradient on swash uprush sediment transport

The paper examines the dependency between total sediment transport, q, and grain size, D (i.e. q ∝ D^p) under dam break generated swash flows. Experiments were performed in a dam break flume over a sloping mobile sand bed with median grain sizes ranging from 0.22 mm to 2.65 mm. The total sediment transport was measured by truncating the flume bed and collecting the sediment transported over the edge. The experiments were designed to exclude pre-generated turbulence and pre-suspended sediment so as to focus solely on the swash flow. The magnitude and nature of the grain size dependency (i.e. p value) were inferred for different flow parameters; the initial dam depth, d_o, the integrated depth averaged velocity cubed, ∫ u³dt, and against the predicted transport potential, q_p, using the Meyer-Peter Muller (MPM) transport model and variations of that model. The data show that negative dependencies (p < 0) are obtained for d_o and q_p, whilst positive dependencies (p > 0) are obtained for ∫ u³dt. This indicates that a given d_o and q_p transport less sediment as grain size increases, whereas transport increases with grain size for a given ∫ u³dt. The p value is found to be narrowly ranged, 0.5 ≤ p ≤ − 0.5. On average, the incorporation of a pressure gradient term via the piezometric head into the MPM formulation reduces q_p by 4% (fine sand) to 18% (coarse sand). The measured total transport for fine and coarse sands is best predicted using MPM and MPM + dp*/dx respectively. However, the inferred optimum transport coefficient in the MPM formulation is about 30, much higher than the standard coefficient in a steady flow and this is not due to the presence of the pre-suspended sediment. The optimum transport coefficient indicates some sensitivity to grain size, suggesting that some transport processes remain unaccounted for in the model.     

Sheet flow and suspension of sand in oscillatory boundary layers

after revisionTime-dependent measurements of flow velocities and sediment concentrations were conducted in a large oscillating water tunnel. The measurements were aimed at the flow and sediment dynamics in and above an oscillatory boundary layer in plane bed and sheet-flow conditions. Two asymmetric waves and one sinusoidal wave were imposed using quartz sand with D₅₀ = 0.21 mm. A new electro-resistance probe with a large resolving power was developed for the measurement of the large sediment concentrations in the sheet-flow layer. The measurements revealed a three layer transport system consisting of a pick-up/deposition layer, an upper sheet flow layer and a suspension layer.In the asymmetric wave cases the total net transport was directed “onshore” and was mainly concentrated in the thin sheet flow layer (< 0.5 cm) at the bed. A small net sediment flux was directed “offhore” in the upper suspension layer. The measured flow velocities, sediment concentrations and sedimenl fluxes showed a good qualitative agreement with the results of a (numerical) 1DV boundary-layer flow and transport model. Although the model did not describe all the observed processes in the sheet-flow and suspension layer, the computational results showed a reasonable agreement with measured net transport rates in a wide range of asymmetric wave conditions.     

Numerical simulation of oscillatory flows over a rippled bed by immersed boundary method

In this paper, a well-developed numerical model based on the immersed boundary (IB) method is used to study oscillatory flows over a bed with large-amplitude ripples in a systematic manner. The work shows that the complex flow over the rippled bed can be numerically dealt with in Cartesian coordinate by the IB method and that the IB method is able to provide main features of the flows near the ripples. An accurate simulation of vortices generation as a result of flow separation at the rippled bed is obtained. It is found that the oscillatory flows start to separate during the flow deceleration when the Keulegan–Carpenter (KC) number is small. The steady streaming for various ripple steepness is simulated and the criterion for separating the single and double structure streaming is also discussed. Moreover, a new type of steady streaming which consists of a pair of embedded recirculations in the vicinity of the ripple trough is obtained for relatively steep ripples in this work. The numerical results, including the steady streaming in particular, may be helpful to improve the understanding of the sediment transport and the seabed evolution with natural ripples under sea waves.     

Bed load transport on the shoreface by currents and waves

Tide-driven bed load transport is an important portion of the net annual sediment transport rate in many shoreface and shelf environments. However, bed load transport under waves cannot be measured in the field and bed load transport by currents without waves is barely measurable, even in spring tidal conditions. There is, consequently, a strong lack of field data and validated models. The present field site was on the shoreface and inner shelf at 2 to 8.5 km offshore the central Dutch coast (far outside the surfzone), where tidal currents flow parallel to the coast. Bed load transports were carefully measured with a calibrated sampler in spring tidal conditions without waves at a water depth of 13–18 m with fine and medium sands. The near-bed flow was measured over nearly a year and used for integration to annual transport rates. An empirical bed load model was derived, which predicts bed load transports that are a factor of > 5 smaller than predicted by existing models. However, they agree with laboratory data of sand and gravel transport in currents near incipient motion. The damped transport rates may have been caused by cohesion of sediment or turbulence damping due to mud or biological activity. The annual bed load transport rate was calculated using a probability density function (pdf) derived from the near-bed current and orbital velocity data which represented the current and wave climate well when compared to 30 years of data from a nearby wave station. The effect of wave stirring was included in the transport calculations. The net bed load transport rate is a few m²/year. This is much less than predicted in an earlier model study, which is partly due to different bed load models but also due to the difference in velocity pdf. The annual transport rate is very sensitive to the probability of the largest current velocities.     

Numerical assessment of bathymetric changes caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami at Kirinda Fishery Harbor,Sri Lanka

Thus far various numerical models have been developed and improved to aid understanding of the sediment transport process due to tsunamis. However, the applicability of these models for the field-scale bathymetric change remains a major issue due to the scarcity of measured bathymetric data immediately before and after tsunamis. This study focuses on assessing the applicability of the sediment transport model by comparing the model results with measured bathymetry data obtained one month before and two months after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami at Kirinda Fishery Harbor, Sri Lanka. Obtained model results were compared with measured data along four different transects. In particular, similar to the measured data, the model reproduced the bed level change at the harbor mouth well, although it shows some discrepancy on bathymetric change along the shoreline, which is directly affected by littoral drift. Therefore, it is noted that the divergence of reproducing the local bathymetry change is due to the normal wind wave effect on measured data and the model limitations. Hence we included the wind wave effect in modeled data and the discrepancy between measured and modeled data was reduced. Furthermore, the modeled bed level change indicates a dynamic behavior in terms of the net variation during the tsunami flow, such that deposition dominates in the inflow and erosion dominates in the backflow. Both bed level variation and the suspended load concentration reveal that the large amount of eroded sediment attributable to tsunami waves was in suspended form and was deposited in the nearshore area after the water fluctuation had abated. The model results further indicate that eroded sediment at the initial depth deeper than 11 m might be brought by the incoming tsunami waves and deposited in the nearshore area where the depth is shallower than 7 m.     

Modelling of sand transport under wave-generated sheet flows with a RANS diffusion model

A 1DV-RANS diffusion model is used to study sand transport processes in oscillatory flat-bed/sheet flow conditions. The central aim is the verification of the model with laboratory data and to identify processes controlling the magnitude and direction (‘onshore’/‘offshore’) of the net time-averaged sand transport. The model is verified with a large series of measured net sand transport rates, as collected in different wave tunnels for a range of wave-current conditions and grain sizes. Although not all sheet flow details are represented in the 1DV-model, it is shown that the model is able to give a correct representation of the observed trends in the data with respect to the influence of the velocity, wave period and grain diameter. Also detailed mean sediment flux profiles in the sheet flow layer are well reproduced by the model, including the direction change from ‘onshore’ to ‘offshore’ due to a difference in grain size from 0.34 mm (medium sand) to 0.13 mm (fine sand). A model sensitivity study with a selected series of net transport data shows that the stirring height of the suspended sediment ε_s/w_s strongly controls the magnitude and direction of the net sediment transport. Inclusion of both hindered settling and density stratification appears to be necessary to correctly represent the sand fluxes for waves alone and for waves + a superimposed current. The best agreement with a large dataset of net transport measurements is obtained with the 1DV-RANS model in its original settings using a Prandtl–Schmidt number σ_ρ = 0.5.