Velocity profiles in a salt marsh canopy

Flow velocity profiles, measured in aSpartina anglica canopy in a laboratory flume, change with the location of measurement and plant stem density. The shear velocity above the canopy is larger than that within the canopy. The reduction ofu _* within the canopy will favor the deposition of cohesive sediment. The reducedu _* and flow turbulence within the canopy can enhance particle flocculation and settling velocity. The canopy exerts a strong influence on the concentration, settling velocity of the flocs, and deposition rate of the suspended sediment through effects on bed shear stress and turbulence of flow within the canopy.     

The effect of suspended sediment concentration on the settling velocity of cohesive sediment in quiescent water

A laboratory study was carried to qualitatively investigate the effect of suspended sediment concentration C on the settling velocity w_s of cohesive sediment in quiescent water. A bay mud sample was mixed with water in a cylindrical container, and three optical back scatterance sensors were then used to measure suspended sediment concentrations of the mud–water mixture at three levels every 15 s for 5 h while sediments were settling in the quiescent water. Based on the measured sediment concentrations, the settling velocities at different concentrations were derived from the depth-integrated mass balance equation. This study has found that the settling velocity w_s is independent of C in the free settling regime of C<0.3 g/l, and then increases nonlinearly with C in the enhanced settling regime of 0.3<C<4.3 g/l, and finally decreases sharply with C in the hindered settling regime of C>4.3 g/l. The maximum settling velocity occurs at C≈4.3 g/l and is about nine times faster than the settling velocity in the free settling regime. A single empirical formula is also proposed to calculate the settling velocities at different sediment concentrations.     

Numerical modeling of hyperpycnal flows in an idealized river mouth

Numerical experiments in an idealized river mouth are conducted using a three-dimensional hydrodynamics model (EFDC model) to examine the impacts of suspended sediment concentration (SSC), settling velocity of sediment and tidal mixing on the formation and maintenance of estuarine hyperpycnal flows. The standard experiment presents an illustrative view of hyperpycnal flows that carry high-concentrated sediment and low-salinity water in the bottom layer (>1.0 m in thickness) along the subaqueous slope. The structure and intra-tidal variation of the simulated hyperpycnal flows are quite similar to those previously observed off the Huanghe (Yellow River) mouth. Results from the three control experiments show that SSC of river effluents is the most important parameter to the formation of hyperpycnal flows. High SSC will increase the bulk density of river effluents and thus offset the density difference between freshwater and seawater. Low SSC of river effluents will produce a surface river plume, as commonly observed in most large estuaries. Both the settling velocity of sediment particles and the tidal mixing play an important role in maintaining the hyperpycnal flows. Increasing settling velocity enhances the deposition of sediment from the hyperpycnal layer and thus accelerates the attenuation of hyperpycnal flows, whereas increasing tidal mixing destroys the stratification of water column and therefore makes the hyperpycnal flows less evident. Our results from numerical experiments are of importance to understand the initiation and maintenance of hyperpycnal flows in estuaries and provide a reference to the rapidly decaying hyperpycnal flows off the Huanghe river mouth due to climatic and anthropogenic forcing over the past several decades.     

伶仃洋河口泥沙絮凝特征及影响因素研究

泥沙絮凝对河口细颗粒泥沙运动过程起着极其重要的作用。本文通过LISST-100激光粒度仪等仪器实测伶仃洋河口2013年洪季悬浮泥沙絮凝体现场粒径及水动力、泥沙条件,结合实验室悬沙粒径分析,研究大小潮期间伶仃洋河口泥沙絮凝特征,探讨紊动剪切强度、含沙量、盐度分层及波浪等因素对伶仃洋河口泥沙絮凝的影响。结果表明:伶仃洋河口水体中现场粒径平均值为148.53 μm,大于实验室悬沙分散粒径36.74 μm,河口絮凝现象明显;沉速与有效密度、粒径呈正相关,絮团平均有效密度为153.49 kg/m3,平均沉速达1.13 mm/s;小潮时絮团平均粒径大于大潮,垂向上表底层絮团粒径小、中层大,中底层絮团沉速大于表层。伶仃洋河口水动力、泥沙条件是影响其泥沙絮凝的重要因素,低剪切强度（小于5 s-1）、低含沙量（小于50 mg/L）及高体积浓度有利于细颗粒泥沙之间的相互碰撞,促进絮凝作用;当剪切强度与颗粒间碰撞强度高于絮团所能承受的强度时,絮团易破碎分解成小絮团或更细的泥沙颗粒;伶仃洋河口盐度层化引起的泥沙捕获现象增大中层泥沙体积浓度,有利于中层絮凝体的发育;观测期相对较大的波浪增强水体紊动,增大了水体细颗粒泥沙的碰撞几率,表层絮团粒径随波高峰值的出现而增大。     

风暴过程中潮滩悬沙浓度和悬沙输运的变化及其动力机制——以长江三角洲南汇潮滩为例

悬沙浓度是淤泥质海岸重要的环境指标。为探讨潮滩悬沙浓度和悬沙输运对风暴事件的响应过程及其动力机制,于2014年9月"凤凰"台风过境前、中、后在长江三角洲南汇潮滩进行了现场观测,获得同步高分辨率的水深、波高、近底流速和浊度剖面时间序列(9个潮周期)。结果表明,风暴中平均和最大波高、波-流联合底床剪切应力、悬沙浓度和悬沙输运率可比平静天气高数倍;风暴期间高潮位低流速阶段悬沙沉降导致近底发育数十厘米厚的浮泥层(悬沙浓度大于10 g/L)。研究认为风暴事件中淤泥质海岸悬沙浓度和悬沙输运的剧烈变化其根本动力机制是风暴把巨大能量传递给近岸水体,进而显著增大波-流联合底床剪切应力,导致细颗粒泥沙再悬浮。     

The variability of settling velocities of suspended fine-grained sediment in the Ems estuary

Settling velocities of suspended fine-grained sediment in estuaries vary over a range of several orders in magnitude. Variations in the suspended sediment concentration are often put forward as the principal cause. However, comparison of settling velocities from a number of estuaries shows that even in the case of the same suspended sediment concentration, large variations in the settling velocities can occur of up to two orders in magnitude. From measurements in the Ems estuary we found that even within a single estuary such large variations can occur. Field measurements and complementary laboratory experiments demonstrate that `other factors' can affect the settling velocity in the same order as the assumed effects of the suspended sediment concentration. To address these `other factors', which include physical–chemical and biological effects, the concept of `flocculation ability' is introduced, as a measure of the effectiveness of the collisions between suspended particles for floc growth. On the basis of the results from the Ems estuary, it is hypothesised that variations in the flocculation ability of the suspended fine-grained sediments are at the root of the large differences in settling properties of suspended fine-grained sediment in estuaries.     

利用坐底观测估算济州岛西南海域再悬浮临界应力

底边界层中沉积物的再悬浮和沉降是控制陆架海悬浮沉积物的输运的关键过程。沉积物输运过程的数值^*模拟也依赖于沉积物侵蚀和沉降的关键参数的研究。本文根据济州岛西南泥质区的坐底观测估算了此处临界应力。通过底边界层声学仪器ADV和PC-ADP的流速和悬浮物浓度同步观测,基于湍生成与耗散平衡假设,使用惯性耗散法计算沉降速度。这种方法得到的沉降速度ws平均值为0.91 mm s^-1,标准差为0.20 mm s^-1,此结果远大于Soulbsy（1997）和LISST-ST现场观测粒径分析仪等经验方法的结果。这主要是由于两种方法的本质不同,惯性耗散法形象的刻画了底边界层的水动力,并且更加合理的现场估计沉降速度w_s,然而Soulsby的方法通常适用于静水环境。我们提出了一种估计临界应力的新方法,根据悬浮颗粒物浓度时空变化的统计分析（深度平均的悬浮颗粒物浓度对时间求导数）和对应的底应力估算侵蚀临界应力τ_ce和沉降临界应力τ_cd。侵蚀临界应力τ_ce和沉降临界应力τ_ce的变化范围为0.11-0.25 Pa,对应的中值分别为0.20 Pa和0.16 Pa,这也证实了侵蚀临界应力略大于沉降临界应力。除此之外,我们还使用了另一种方法估算临界应力,通过沉降速度间接估算的临界应力范围为0.06-0.17 Pa。     

ADCP measurements of suspended sediment flux at the entrance to Jiaozhou Bay, western Yellow Sea

The purpose of the present contribution is to explore the technique to use Acoustic Doppler Current Pro- filers （ADCPs） for suspended sediment flux measurements, which may be applied to coastal embayment environments such as estuaries and tidal inlets for sediment exchange and budget studies. Based on tidal cycle measurements from the entrance of ]iaozhou Bay, Shandong Peninsula, eastern China, statistical rela- tionships between the suspended sediment concentration （SSC） and ADCP echo intensity output are estab- lished. Echo intensity data obtained during an ADCP survey along two cross-sections during a spring tidal phase were transformed into SSC data. The ADCP current velocity and SSC data were then used to calculate the flux of fine-grained sediment. The results show that net sediment transport at the entrance is directed towards the open sea, with an order of magnitude of 103 t per spring tidal cycle; hence, although Jiaozhou Bay is a low SSC environment, the tidally induced suspended sediment transport can be intense.     

长江口悬沙沉速室内试验研究

在充分认识传统沉降筒缺陷的基础上提出了"大型可温控自动搅拌沉降试验筒"。通过室内系列试验发现:(1)含沙量对长江口细颗粒沉降速度影响最大;(2)温度上升,沉速增加,但不同阶段影响程度有所不同;(3)含沙量越高,盐度对沉速的影响越小,含沙量相同情况下,长江口北槽悬沙枯季水温下盐度对沉速的影响在1.8~5.7倍左右;洪季水温下盐度对沉速的影响在1.5~2.2倍左右。(4)枯季最佳絮凝盐度在7左右,最佳絮凝含沙量为7 kg/m3;洪季最佳絮凝盐度在10~12左右,最佳絮凝含沙量为4.5kg/m3。本研究成果可望加深我们对细颗粒泥沙动力过程相关机理的认识,同时可为相关港口、航道的淤积机理分析,数学模型、物理模型研究工作提供一定技术参考。     

Floc size variability under strong turbulence: Observations and artificial neural network modeling

The flocculation of cohesive sediment in the presence of waves is investigated using high-resolution field observations and a newly-developed flocculation model based on artificial neural networks. Vertical profiles of suspended sediment concentration and turbulent intensity are estimated using measurements of current profile and acoustic backscatter. The vertical distribution of floc size is estimated using an artificial neural network (ANN) that is trained and validated using floc size measurements at one vertical level. Data analysis suggests a linear correlation between suspended sediment concentration and turbulence intensity. Observations and numerical simulations show that floc size is inversely related to sediment concentration, turbulence intensity and water temperature. The numerical results indicate that floc growth is supported by low concentration and low turbulence. In the vertical direction, mean size of flocs decreases toward the bottom, suggesting floc breakage due to increasing turbulence intensity toward the bed. A significant decrease in turbulent shear could occur within the bottom few-cm, related to increased damping of turbulence by sediment induced density stratification. The results of the numerical simulations presented here are consistent with the concept of a cohesive sediment particle undergoing aggregation-fragmentation processes, and suggest that the ANN can be a precise tool to study flocculation processes.     

Dispersion of disposed dredged slurry in the meso-tidal Changjiang (Yangtze River) Estuary

To understand the dispersal pattern of sediment plume and its controlling processes, a field experiment of concentrated slurry dispersal created by a dredger was conducted in the Changjiang (Yangtze River) Estuary during the 2002 flood season. An acoustic suspended sediment concentration profiler and an acoustic Doppler profiler were deployed to simultaneously observe suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) and tidal currents at the pre-selected sections shortly following the release of dredged materials. Water sampling, grab sampling and shallow coring were simultaneously carried out to obtain the SSC and grain-size texture. High-resolution SSC profiler observations showed that two distinct sediment plumes (middle level- and near-bed plumes) occurred during the intermediate tidal phase between the spring and neap due to differential settling of the sediment mixture, whereas only a benthic plume occurred due to rapid flocculation settling during the neap tide. Three subsequent stages can be identified during the dispersal of the sediment plume: (1) initially stable stage before the release; (2) unstable stage shortly following the release as a settling cloud; and (3) stable stage after the formation of a primary lutocline or a benthic plume. Enhanced mixing due to oscillatory shear flows could raise only the elevation of the lutocline in the slurry, but could not enhance the transport capacity of suspension. In the presence of high concentration, the fate of bottom sediment plume was controlled by the bottom stress, independent of the interfacial mixing.     

钱塘江河口细颗粒泥沙絮凝沉降特性研究

钱塘江口河口上游河流和海域来沙多为细颗粒泥沙,粘性细颗粒泥沙由于其特殊的表面电化学性质遇到强电解质海水而产生絮凝沉降,是形成河口淤积的原因之一。影响絮凝的因素很多,除了电解质,还有泥沙粒径的大小、盐度、含沙量、PH值、温度、有机质含量、矿物成分、水流速度及紊动情况等。本文通过粒度分析、静水沉降、动水沉降等各种实验手段分析钱塘江口泥沙的基本特性,找出最佳絮凝盐度以及泥沙不淤流速等值,初步探讨了细颗粒泥沙的絮凝机理,为治理钱塘江口提供科学依据。     

On the variability of near-bed floc size due to complex interactions between turbulence,SSC, settling velocity,effective density and the fractal dimension of flocs

Interactions between turbulence, suspended sediment concentration (SSC), settling velocity, effective density, fractal dimension, and floc size were studied on the tide-dominated, muddy coastal shelf of the southwestern Yellow Sea, China. The measurements were carried out in July 2013 at two sites located in water depths of 21.2 and 22.1 m. Negative correlations were observed between shear rate, SSC, effective density, and mean floc size, which supports the results of previous numerical, experimental, and field studies. A significant positive correlation was observed between near-bed SSC and shear rate, an indication that SSC variations are controlled by turbulence and re-suspension. In addition, significant linear relationships were found between settling velocity and other parameters (floc size, turbulence, SSC, effective density, and fractal dimension) at the two sites, indicating that the controlling factors on settling velocity are spatially variable. Principal component analysis was applied to determine the relative importance of turbulence, flocculation ability, and SSC as controls on floc size in situ. The relative contributions of turbulence, flocculation ability, and SSC to floc size (at both sites) were ~33.0%, 30.3%, and 29.7%, respectively, this being a new field-based quantitative analysis of the controls on floc size. The findings demonstrate that, in nature, flocculation ability affects floc size to the same degree as turbulence and SSC. Therefore, predictions of floc size in coastal marine environments require constraints not only on turbulence and SSC, but also on flocculation ability.     

基于ADP-XR和OBS-3A的潮滩水文泥沙过程研究以胶州湾北部红岛潮滩为例

于2004年8月17~24日在胶州湾北部红岛潮滩上用OBS-3A和ADP-XR观测了水深、浊度、水平和垂直流速、回声强度、波浪、盐度、水温等水文泥沙要素,同时采集了悬沙和底沙样品作粒度分析.结果和结论为:(1)潮流动力较弱,表层和近底层最大流速分别只有31和26cm/s;(2)弱潮流动力导致潮周期大部分时间的悬沙浓度小于30mg/dm3,但浅水阶段近底悬沙浓度为100~1000mg/dm3;浅水阶段的短暂高悬浮泥沙浓度和其余长淹没时段的低悬沙浓度共同构成悬沙浓度的“U”形潮周期过程线;(3)悬沙浓度的垂直成层分布主要发生在潮周期的深水阶段和平静天气;(4)由于潮流弱和风浪的干扰,悬沙浓度未呈现大小潮周期的变化规律;(5)水体盐度为23.6~29.5;(6)淹没期的温度(21.4~28.6℃)比出露期的(19.3~30.9℃)稳定,温度极高值出现在午后出露期,而极低值出现在凌晨出露期;(7)“浅水效应”是弱动力潮滩泥沙运动的重要特点.     

长江口北支悬沙浓度在潮周期内和大小潮周期尺度的变化特征及输运研究

Profiles of tidal current and suspended sediment concentration(SSC) were measured in the North Branch of the Changjiang Estuary from neap tide to spring tide in April 2010. The measurement data were analyzed to determine the characteristics of intratidal and neap-spring variations of SSC and suspended sediment transport. Modulated by tidal range and current speed, the tidal mean SSC increased from 0.5 kg/m3 in neap tide to 3.5 kg/m3 in spring tide. The intratidal variation of the depth-mean SSC can be summarized into three types: V-shape variation in neap tide, M-shape and mixed M-V shape variation in medium and spring tides. The occurrence of these variation types is controlled by the relative intensity and interaction of resuspension, settling and impact of water exchange from the rise and fall of tide. In neap tide the V-shape variation is mainly due to the dominant effect of the water exchange from the rise and fall of tide. During medium and spring tides, resuspension and settling processes become dominant. The interactions of these processes, together with the sustained high ebb current and shorter duration of low-tide slack, are responsible for the M-shape and M-V shape SSC variation. Weakly consolidated mud and high current speed cause significant resuspension and remarkable flood and ebb SSC peaks. Settling occurs at the slack water periods to cause SSC troughs and formation of a thin fluff layer on the bed. Fluxes of water and suspended sediment averaged over the neap-spring cycle are all seawards, but the magnitude and direction of tidal net sediment flux is highly variable.     

珠江口磨刀门泥沙絮凝特征

本文利用激光粒度仪实测得到珠江口磨刀门河口2013年夏季悬浮泥沙现场絮凝及絮凝体特征,同时对比悬沙分散粒径和含沙量,研究表明:悬沙分散粒径平均值为27.9μm,现场实测絮团粒径平均值为91.6μm,表明磨刀门口外的悬浮泥沙絮凝现象显著;实测絮团平均粒径变化范围为13.0~273.8μm,小潮期间絮团粒径平均值为131.5μm,大于大潮平均值76.9μm;絮凝体粒径在垂向上的变化表现为由表及底先变大再变小。絮团体积浓度、沉速与粒径的关系在不同情况下有差异,体积浓度和絮团粒径在表层和中层有明显正相关关系,絮团沉速在大潮时刻随着粒径的增大而增大。综合分析影响絮凝的因素,得知在珠江口盐度对于絮团大小影响不明显;而流速大小的差异是影响大小潮之间絮团大小不同的主要因素。研究结果有助于了解珠江口细颗粒泥沙输移特性和相关生物化学过程。     

长江河口区边界层参数的观测与分析

2003年11月在长江口南槽用ADCP进行定点水文观测,结果表明研究区为不规则半日潮,在水流转向期流速较低时常出现悬沙浓度峰值。根据流速对数剖面分布模型与悬沙分布模型,分别计算了海底边界层参数,其中潮周期内摩阻流速可达0.15 m/s,粗糙长度为0.01~1.2 m,拖曳系数为10-3~10-4,边界层厚度为2~4 m,悬沙的沉降速率为0.2~6 mm/s。     

The influence of particle size of the dispersed mineral fraction on the settlement of marine and estuarine muds

Considering the sedimentation behaviour of suspensions, four states of different sediment-water mixtures are usually distinguished, these being (in increasing concentration) dilute suspensions, concentrated suspensions, fluid muds and mud deposits. As the concentration values delimiting these states vary considerably from one cohesive sediment to another, a procedure for their quantitative determination is proposed here. This paper deals mainly with the effects of hindered settling in interacting concentrated suspensions and of sedimentation in fluid muds. In contrast to the settling velocity of individual particles in a dilute suspension, which must be studied statistically as a stochastic variable denoted W, hindered settling and sedimentation velocities can be described by a scalar denoted V, as solids at any particular level of concentrated suspensions and fluid muds settle at the same velocity. On the basis of settlement tests carried out in this study and published data on organic-rich cohesive sediments, a concentration-dependent empirical law for a permeability coefficient (k) has been generated for cohesive sediments, using data from ten estuarine and nine marine environments, based on the one-dimensional Kynch theory of sedimentation. Based on the median diameters of the dispersed mineral fraction, the main provenances of the sediments are: fine to very fine clay from tropical marine/estuarine environments, medium clay to very fine silt from estuaries in western France, and fine to coarse silt from marine (harbour) environments in the Normandy region of France. A general trend for the influence of the grain size of the mineral fraction on the permeability coefficient has been established. It is demonstrated that the concentrations delimiting the different states of sediment-water mixtures can also be related to the grain size of the mineral fraction. Thus, hindered settling and sedimentation processes of muds, similar to the marine and estuarine cohesive sediments considered in this paper, can be studied as generic problems parameterized through a defined median diameter of the dispersed mineral fraction. Results for Loire estuary sediments are presented separately, based on specific tests to analyse the influence of experimental conditions on settlement. Moreover, the concentration values delimiting the different sediment-water mixture states have been largely established for this estuary.     

半日潮流作用下悬移质泥沙的运动特征及其影响因素研究

本文通过建立一维水深平均悬沙模型,对典型潮流控制的水道内悬沙运动特征进行研究。模型以泥沙再悬浮、沉降和平流为主要物理过程,动力因素包含M₂、S₂分潮及余流,采用湄洲湾2007年8月潮位、潮流、悬沙、底质同步观测资料进行分析和验证。通过三角傅里叶分析,将悬沙的时间序列分解为12个主要的谐波分量,其中主要分量包括:M₂分潮作用下产生的具有M₂倍潮角速度的1/4日分潮项,M₂与S₂分潮共同作用下且角速度为两分潮角速度之和的1/4日分潮项,及水平悬沙梯度、余流与M₂分潮共同作用下具有M₂分潮角速度的半日潮项。悬沙在时间上的平均值受到余流、悬沙水平梯度、M₂分潮流及悬沙起动条件等因素控制。余流导致了悬沙序列中相邻周期之间的不对称性。反映泥沙特性的参量对悬沙的曲线特征具有重要影响,泥沙沉降速度影响悬沙的相位,并影响其振幅;再悬浮有关的参量仅影响各谐波分量的振幅,但不影响相位。