Alternate bar dynamics in response to increases and decreases of sediment supply

Gravel‐bed rivers can accommodate changes in sediment supply by adjusting their bed topography and grain size in both the downstream and cross‐stream directions. Under high supply aggradational conditions, this can result in spatially non‐uniform stratigraphic patterns, and the morphodynamic influence of heterogeneous stratigraphy during subsequent degradational periods is poorly understood and has not been studied through physical modelling. A flume experiment was conducted to analyse channel response where alternate bars were developed in a gravel–sand mixture under constant discharge and sediment supply before two supply increases led to the development of heterogeneous stratigraphy beneath alternate bars. The supply was then reduced back to the initial supply rate, causing degradation through that self‐formed stratigraphy. Stratigraphic samples were collected, and the bed topography and flow depth were measured frequently, which were used with a two‐dimensional hydrodynamic model to characterize flow conditions. Migrating alternate bars stabilized during the first equilibrium phase, creating bed surface sorting patterns of coarse bar tops and fine pools. During the first supply increase, the bars remained stable as the pools aggraded. During the second supply increase, the pools aggraded further, causing the boundary shear stress over the bar tops to increase until the bars gained the capacity to migrate and eventually stabilize in new locations. As aggradation occurred, the original sediment sorting patterns were preserved in the subsurface. During the degradational phase, the pools experienced incision and the bars eroded laterally, but this lateral erosion ceased when coarse sediment previously deposited during the bar‐building phase became exposed. The results suggest that if a sediment supply increase is capable of filling the pools, it can cause stable bars to migrate and the bed to be reworked. These findings also show that heterogeneous stratigraphy can play an important role in determining whether bars persist or disappear after a sediment supply reduction.     

An experimental study of flow, bedload transport and bed topography under conditions of erosion and deposition and comparison with theoretical models

The nature of flow, sediment transport and bed texture and topography was studied in a laboratory flume using a mixed size-density sediment under equilibrium and non-equilibrium (aggradational, degradational) conditions and compared with theoretical models. During each experiment, water depth, bed and water surface elevation, flow velocity, bed shear stress, bedload transport and bed state were continuously monitored. Equilibrium, uniform flow was established with a discharge of about 0.05 m³ s^?1, a flow depth of about 0.01 m, a flow velocity of about 0.81–0.88 m s^?1, a spatially averaged bed shear stress of about 1.7–2.2 Pa and a sediment transport rate of about 0.005–0.013 kg m^?1 s^?1 (i.e. close to the threshold of sediment transport). Such equilibrium flow conditions were established prior to and at the end of each aggradation or degradation experiment. Pebble clusters, bedload sheets and low-lying bars were ubiquitous in the experiments. Heavy minerals were relatively immobile and occurred locally in high concentrations on the bed surface as lag deposits. Aggradation was induced by (1) increasing the downstream flow depth (flume tilting) and (2) sediment overloading. Tilt-induced aggradation resulted in rapid deposition in the downstream half of the flume of a cross-stratified deposit with downstream dipping pebbles (pseudo-imbricated). and caused a slight decrease in the equilibrium mean water surface slope and total bedload transport rate. These differences between pre- and post-aggradation equilibrium flow conditions are due to a decrease in the local grain roughness of the bed. Sediment overloading produced a downstream fining and thinning wedge of sediment with upstream dipping pebbles (imbricated), whereas the equilibrium flow and sediment transport conditions remained relatively unchanged. Degradation was induced by (1) decreasing the downstream flow depth (flume tilting) and (2) cutting off the sediment feed. Tilt-induced degradation produced rapid downstream erosion and upstream deposition due to flow convergence with little change to the equilibrium flow and sediment transport conditions. The cessation of sediment feed produced degradation and armour development, a reduction in the mean water surface slope and flow velocity, an increase in flow depth, and an exponential decrease in bedload transport rate as erosion proceeded. A bedload transport model predicted total and fractional transport rates extremely well when the coarse-grained (or bedform trough) areas of the bed are used to define the sediment available to be transported. A sediment routing model, MIDAS, also reproduced the equilibrium and non-equilibrium flow conditions, total and fractional bedload transport rates and changes in bed topography and texture very well.     

无粘性均质土石坝漫顶溃决试验研究

针对当前土石坝溃决机理试验研究中泥沙粒径取值偏小、各砂样粒径相差不大的现状,采用粒径对比明显的两组砂样进行了土石坝漫顶溃决试验.试验表明,在给定的较强的初始冲刷条件下,粗细两种颗粒坝体的溃决过程基本一致,均是以水流的下切侵蚀为主,在坝顶下缘位置有溯源冲刷现象出现.整个溃决过程可明显分为3个阶段,第1阶段为坝顶下缘处陡坎形成阶段;第2阶段为陡坎坍塌,冲刷加剧阶段;第3阶段为出现逆行沙垄的冲刷终止阶段.试验还发现,下游坝坡对溃决过程的影响比较显著,坝坡越陡,坝顶侵蚀速率越快,洪峰值越大.另外,由于粗颗粒抗冲刷性强,同等条件下粗颗粒坝体溃决洪水过程偏矮胖,洪峰值偏小,但是值得注意的是,相比于较大的颗粒粒径差距而言,其洪峰值的差异并不是太大.     

Flow patterns, sedimentation and deposit architecture under a hydraulic jump on a non-eroding bed: defining hydraulic-jump unit bars

This paper presents results from two flume runs of an ongoing series examining flow structure, sediment transport and deposition in hydraulic jumps. It concludes in the presentation of a model for the development of sedimentary architecture, considered characteristic of a hydraulic jump over a non-eroding bed. In Run 1, a hydraulic jump was formed in sediment-free water over the solid plane sloping flume floor. Ultrasonic Doppler velocity profilers recorded the flow structure within the hydraulic jump in fine detail. Run 2 had identical initial flow conditions and a near-steady addition of sand, which formed beds with two distinct characteristics: a laterally extensive, basal, wedge-shaped massive sand bed overlain by cross-laminated sand beds. Each cross-laminated bed recorded the initiation and growth of a single surface feature, here defined as a hydraulic-jump unit bar . A small massive sand mound formed on the flume floor and grew upstream and downstream without migrating to form a unit bar. In the upstream portion of the unit bar, sand finer than the bulk load formed a set of laminae dipping upstream. This set passed downstream through the small volume of massive sand into a foreset, which was initially relatively coarse-grained and became finer-grained downstream. This downstream-fining coincided with cessation of the growth of the upstream-dipping cross-set. At intervals, a new bed feature developed above and upstream of the preceding hydraulic-jump unit bar and grew in the same way, with the foreset climbing the older unit bar. The composite architecture of the superimposed unit bars formed a fanning, climbing coset above the massive wedge, defined as one unit: a hydraulic-jump bar complex .     

Influence of bare soil and cultivated land use types upstream of a bank gully on soil erosion rates and energy consumption for different gully erosion zones in the dry-hot valley region,Southwest China

This study assessed temporal variation in soil erosion rates in response to energy consumption of flow (ΔE). It employed an in situ bank gully field flume experiment with upstream catchment areas with bare (BLG) or cultivated land (CLG) that drained down to bare gully headcuts. Water discharge treatments ranged from 30 to 120 L Min⁻¹. Concentrated flow discharge clearly affected bank gully soil erosion rates. Excluding minimal discharge in the CLG upstream catchment area (30 L min⁻¹), a declining power function trend (p ≤ 0.1) was observed with time in soil erosion rates for both BLG and CLG upstream catchment areas and downstream gully beds. Non-steady state soil erosion rates were observed after an abrupt collapse along the headcut slope after prolonged scouring treatments. However, as the experiment progressed, ΔE and energy consumption of flow per unit soil loss (ΔEu) exhibited a logarithmic growth trend (p < 0.1) at each BLG and CLG position. Although similar temporal trends in soil erosion and infiltration rates were observed, values clearly differed between BLG and CLG upstream catchment areas. Furthermore, Darcy–Weisbach friction factor (f) values in the CLG upstream catchment area were higher than the corresponding BLG area. In contrast to the BLG upstream catchment area, lower ΔEu and higher soil erosion rates were observed in the CLG upstream catchment area as a result of soil disturbances. This indicated that intensive land use changes accelerate soil erosion rates in upstream catchment areas of bank gullies and increase soil sediment transport to downstream gullies. Accordingly, reducing tillage disturbances and increasing vegetation cover in upstream catchment areas of bank gullies are essential in the dry-hot valley region of Southwest China.

     

Flow and sediment dynamics in a low sinuosity, braided river: Calamus River, Nebraska Sandhills

The interaction between channel geometry, flow, sediment transport and deposition associated with a midstream island was studied in a braided to meandering reach of the Calamus River, Nebraska Sandhills. Hydraulic and sediment transport measurements were made over a large discharge range using equipment operated from catwalk bridges. The relatively low sinuosity channel on the right-hand side of the island carries over 70% of the water discharge at high flow stages and 50–60% at low flow stages. As a result, mean velocity, depth, bed shear stress and sediment transport rate tend to be greater here than in the more strongly curved left-hand channel. The loci of maximum flow velocity, depth and bed shear stress are near the centre of the channel upstream of the island, but then split and move towards the outer banks of both channels downstream. Variations in these loci depend on the flow stage. Topographically induced across-stream flows are generally stronger than the weak, curvature-induced secondary circulations. Water surface topography is controlled mainly by centrifugal accelerations and local changes in downstream flow velocity. The averaged water surface slope of the study reach varies very little with discharge, having values between 0·00075 and 0·00090. As bed shear stress generally varies in a similar way to mean velocity, friction coefficients vary little, normally being in the range 0·07–0·13. These values are similar to those in straight channels with sandy dune-covered beds. Bedload is moved mainly as dunes at all flow stages. Grain size is mainly medium sand with coarse sand moved in thalwegs adjacent to the cut banks, and with fine sand at the downstream end of the island. These patterns of flow velocity, depth, water surface topography, bed shear stress, bedload transport rate and mean grain size can be accurately predicted using theoretical models of flow, bed topography and sediment transport rate in single river bends, applied separately to the left and right channels. During high flow stages deposition occurs persistently near the downstream end of the island, and cut banks are eroded. Otherwise, erosion and deposition occurs only locally within the channel as discharge varies. Abandonment and filling of a strongly curved channel segment may occur by migration of an upstream bar into the channel entrance at a high flow stage.     

The decrease in shear stress and increase in transport rates subsequent to an increase in sand supply to a gravel-bed channel

It is generally accepted that a gravel-bed river will aggrade if the supply of sediment to the river is increased. In a series of flume experiments using constant discharge and gravel feed rate, sand feed rates were increased to 6.1 times that of gravel. The slope of the bed decreased with increasing sand supply, indicating that the increased sediment load could be transported at the same rate due to a decrease in shear stresses. These results extend previous experiments to a wider range of boundary conditions. A recent surface transport model is used to predict the changes in bed composition and transport using the same sediment supply composition and feed rates as in the laboratory experiments. This model reasonably predicts a decrease in the reference shear stresses of the sand and gravel fractions as the sand supply is increased. An increase in sand supply can increase the mobility of gravel fractions in the stream bed, which can lead to bed degradation and preferential evacuation of these sediments from the river.     

Variations in the architecture of hydraulic‐jump bar complexes on non‐eroding beds

Sediment accumulation downstream of hydraulic jumps can occur in many settings but the architectures of such deposits are poorly documented. Here, three flume runs were used to examine the influence of sediment grain size and transport rate on the characteristics of hydraulic‐jump unit bars. In one of these runs six hydraulic‐jump unit bars formed a hydraulic‐jump bar complex. In another, the same sediment was supplied more quickly and only two unit bars formed. In the third run with the same sediment supply rate, but different grain size, only one large unit bar formed. All unit bars developed in a similar way but their size and internal architecture differed; they all resulted from a reduction in sediment transport capacity at the transition from supercritical flow to subcritical flow in the hydraulic jump. After initial onset of sedimentation and unit bar formation, generation of subsequent unit bars may be: (i) related to small changes in sediment flux; and (ii) independent of changes in the hydraulic jump. Continued sedimentation caused changes from oscillating to weak hydraulic jumps and hydraulic‐jump unit bars formed in both circumstances. The flow of water and suspended sediment becomes shallower over the lee of the bar complex. This leads to flow acceleration and a return to supercritical flow conditions. In turn, a chain of such features can form and generate a chute and pool bed morphology. There is an inherent upper size limit to a hydraulic‐jump bar complex due to the changing flow conditions over the growing deposit as the water above it becomes shallower. There is also an amplitude minimum for the development of foresets and subsequent unit bar growth. Hydraulic‐jump unit bars have architectures that should be recognizable in the rock record and because their size is constrained by the flow conditions, their identification should be useful for interpreting palaeoenvironment.     

Formation and preservation of open-framework gravel strata in unidirectional flows

Open‐framework gravel (OFG) in river deposits is important because of its exceptionally high permeability, resulting from the lack of sediment in the pore spaces between the gravel grains. Fluvial OFG occurs as planar strata and cross strata of varying scale, and is interbedded with sand and sandy gravel. The origin of OFG has been related to: (1) proportion of sand available relative to gravel; (2) separation of sand from gravel during a specific flow stage and sediment transport rate (either high, falling or low); (3) separation of sand from gravel in bedforms superimposed on the backs of larger bedforms; (4) flow separation in the lee of dunes or unit bars. Laboratory flume experiments were undertaken to test and develop these theories for the origin of OFG. Bed sediment size distribution (sandy gravel with a mean diameter of 1·5 mm) was kept constant, but flow depth, flow velocity and aggradation rate were varied. Bedforms produced under these flow conditions were bedload sheets, dunes and unit bars. The fundamental cause of OFG is the sorting of sand from gravel associated with flow separation at the crest of bedforms, and further segregation of grain sizes during avalanching on the steep lee side. Sand in transport near the bed is deposited in the trough of the bedform, whereas bed‐load gravel avalanches down the leeside and overruns the sand in the trough. The effectiveness of this sorting mechanism increases as the height of the bedform increases. Infiltration of sand into the gravel framework is of minor importance in these experiments, and occurs mainly in bedform troughs. The geometry and proportion of OFG in fluvial deposits are influenced by variation in height of bedforms as they migrate, superposition of small bedforms on the backs of larger bedforms, aggradation rate, and changes in sediment supply. If the height of a bedform increases as it migrates downstream, so does the amount of OFG. Changes in the character of OFG on the lee‐side of unit bars depend on grain‐size sorting in the superimposed bedforms (dunes and bedload sheets). Thick deposits of cross‐stratified OFG require high bedforms (dunes, unit bars) and large amounts of aggradation. These conditions might be expected to occur during high falling stages in the deeper parts of river channels adjacent to compound‐bar tails and downstream of confluence scours. Increase in the amount of sand supplied relative to gravel reduces the development of OFG. Such increases in sand supply may be related to falling flow stage and/or upstream erosion of sandy deposits.     

长江荆江河段滩槽演变与航道水深资源提升关系

长江是中国的“黄金水道”,通过系统性航道整治和疏浚维护,长江荆江河段航道水深已由2002年的2.9 m提升至2020年的3.5～3.8 m,但仍低于上游三峡大坝库区(4.5 m)及下游河段(4.5～6.0 m),航道水深与上下游不衔接且制约长江航道综合效益发挥。为了适应上下游航道水深,需提升荆江河段航道尺度,亟需明确航道水深资源、碍航特征与河道演变等关系。以长江荆江河段为对象,分析1960—2020年水沙及地形等资料,开展长江中游荆江河段滩槽演变与航道水深资源提升关系研究。研究表明：三峡工程运行后荆江河段以枯水河槽冲刷为主,冲刷量占全部冲刷量的90.97%,江心洲和边滩面积减少18.3%,其中江心洲、边滩面积减幅分别为9.4%和24.9%;在河床冲刷与航道整治工程实施条件下,以4.5 m×200 m(水深×宽度)进行航道尺度核查,荆江河段碍航总长度占全河段5.3%;4.5 m水深碍航特征包括砂卵石河段枯水位下降幅度高于河槽下切深度引起航道水深不足,沙质河床内弯曲河段“凸岸侧边滩冲刷、凹岸侧深槽淤积”引起滩槽形态及航道边界不稳定,以及分汊河段内洲滩萎缩与汊道间不均衡冲刷引起枯水航路不稳定...     

坡面细沟侵蚀产沙时空分布规律试验研究

利用放水冲刷试验结合稀土元素(REE)示踪技术对坡面侵蚀产沙特征及其时空变化进行了研究。结果表明:在径流冲刷下,坡面侵蚀产沙可分为三个不同的阶段并对应不同的产沙特征。其空间变化表现为,在6°、9°情况下,坡面不同坡段的相对侵蚀量沿下坡方向呈现出先减小后增大的趋势;在12°小流量情况下,坡面各坡段的相对侵蚀量与坡度较小的情况相似,当流量较大时,坡面各不同坡段的相对侵蚀量随坡长的增大而减小。但坡面最下端坡段的相对侵蚀量总是随着冲刷历时的延长而减小,其余各坡段的相对侵蚀量则呈现出缓慢的波动式上升。     

Experimental study on the formation and development law of delta deposition in shallow and narrow water basins

This study conducted a generalized experiment of non-uniform sediment, in order to examine the formation and development laws of delta deposition in shallow and narrow water basins caused by constant water and sediment flow. A test of 425 h in duration is presented in this paper, and the results obtained from the experiment are as follows. First, the evolution process can be divided into two stages before the front of the sediment deposition reaches the outlet of the flume. In stage one, the front advancing of the deposition follows a certain cycle, and the front of the delta has an alternative development between the longitudinal advancing and lateral widening along the flume. The sediment first occurs longitudinally advancing along the water flow direction to make the front of the delta spread in the shape of a fan and lift through the constant deposition. Then, after the front deposition has been lifted, the topographical gradient along the way decelerates, which leads to the diversion water flowing toward the areas at both sides and constant lateral widening development. Next, after the lateral transport is blocked on the two side walls, the flow sediment turns back, inclines toward the central area, undergoing inclined spreading in a fan shape, and deposition lifting and development constantly occur during this process of spreading. With the increase of the test duration, the delta deposits in the area of both sides constantly undergo deposition and lifting, the water flow is centered and returned to the flume, then turns to the central area to further lift the deposition in the front of the delta through longitudinal advancing, and the above process is repeated. In stage two, the front of the delta deposition develops progressively without stagnation. Sediment constantly advances along the swinging flume, which causes the delta deposit to undergo deposition and lifting development in the swinging. Second, the paper analyzes the changes of the longitudinal advancing rate, lateral widening, and vertical deposition lifting rate shown in the two development stages of the delta. Finally, the paper analyzes the factors influencing the two development stages of the delta. The transportation of water flow and sediment is mainly controlled by three factors: the inertia of the inflow from the inlet, topography of the bed, and the side walls of the flume. In the evolution of the delta sediment deposition, the first influencing factor only acts in the initial stage, while the second and third factors are the dominating factor altering periodically in stage one, which results in the cycling of the front advancing. Meanwhile, in stage two, the evolution of the delta deposition is dominated by the other two factors.     

粉质黏土堤防漫溢溃决试验

为研究粉质黏土堤防漫溢溃决破坏过程及其对水流要素和土体性质的响应规律,以河道流量、筑堤土体含水率和孔隙率为变量,在弯道水槽中开展了9组堤防漫溢溃决概化试验.通过试验发现,粉质黏土堤漫溢溃决溃口发展过程可分为垂向侵蚀和横向扩宽两个阶段,垂向侵蚀阶段以"陡坎"后退为主要形式;筑堤土体含水率与孔隙率不仅影响了溃口垂向侵蚀以及横向扩宽速度,而且决定了溃口最终形态,河道流量主要影响堤防溃口的横向扩宽速度;溃口处流速以及下游水位变化受溃口高度的制约.拟合得到土体黏聚力与土体含水率、孔隙率的相关关系式;通过试验数据提出了由土体黏聚力和水流参数表达的"陡坎"侵蚀后退速度计算公式,证明具有一定合理性.     

Flume tank study of surface morphology and stratigraphy of a fan delta

The morphodynamics of a river flood on a fan delta and its resultant stratigraphic and sedimentary signatures have been studied by means of a flume experiment under controlled boundary conditions. The experiment revealed that deposition was dominant in flood periods when the channels were highly loaded with sediments. In contrast, erosion was dominant in periods of low flow. Mouth bars were formed when a subaqueous channel began to backfill. The development of a mouth bar began with progradation in the down‐dip direction and proceeded by aggradation, then retrogradation and finally transverse growth. A channel bifurcated in multiple stages by sequentially forming mouth bars or by simultaneously forming arrays of mouth bars. During the bifurcation, the diffluent point moved upstream, which resulted in channel migration and the development of a delta lobe. Flood events triggered fan‐delta front slide‐slump deposits.     

东江沙卵石河床浅滩-深潭序列水沙演变特征

东江是珠三角网河区入汇河流之一,属少沙河流,其上游浅滩-深潭序列密集分布,河床结构的演变特性尚不清晰。选取东江浅滩-深潭序列河段进行现场河床质与推移质测量,结合试验得到不同流量和坡降中水流与河床在无上游来沙补给中的互馈机理。试验结果表明：浅滩与深潭交替造成沿程平均流速不连续变化,浅滩中部在洪水流量的塑造下容易产生紊动能峰值。无上游来沙条件下,序列中粗化层的形成、破坏过程交替与循环发生,其中静态分选是主导因素且导致沿程级配不连续。流量与坡降的增大促进浅滩-深潭序列发育,同时使得深潭与浅滩的纵向长度缩短;有上游来沙条件下推移质输沙率增大,无来沙条件下输沙率减小。     

Sedimentology of the Upper Burdekin River of North Queensland, Australia—an example of a tropical, variable discharge river

The Burdekin River is an example of a class of tropical streams which experience two to four orders of magnitude variation in discharge, in response to seasonal but erratic monsoonal rainfall. Floods of the Burdekin rise abruptly, reaching peak discharges of up to 40,000 m³ s^-1 in less than 24 h; maintain peak flow for up to a few days, and recede exponentially. The geomorphology and deposits of these rivers reflect the extreme discharge fluctuations, and have not previously been described. A stretch of the upper Burdekin River comprising four bends and one straight reach was examined near the town of Charters Towers. The river bed is largely exposed for most of any year, with a small, misfit perennial channel carrying low stage flow. Major geomorphic elements of bends include point bars with ridge-and-swale topography, three distinct types of chute channels, avalanche slipfaces up to 5 m or more high around the downstream edges of bars, and on the outer part of one point bar an elevated, vegetated ridge. Straight reaches are flat or gently inclined, sand- and gravel-covered surfaces. Much of the river bed is covered by well sorted, in places gravelly, coarse to very coarse-grained sand with local accumulations of pebble to boulder gravel. Lower parts of the river bed are periodically draped by mud which is desiccated on exposure. Dunes and plane beds are the most commonly occurring bedforms, with local development of gravelly antidunes. Most bank tops and upper, vegetated bars are covered by silt and fine-grained sand. The river bed also hosts a low-diversity but locally high-abundance, flood-tolerant flora dominated by the paperbark tree Melaleuca argentea, which plays an important role in controlling the distribution of sediment. The gross geomorphology of the river bed and most of the sedimentary features are interpreted as having formed during major (bankfull or near bankfull) flows, which have a recurrence of about 18 years (based on 65 years hydrographic data). The initial rapid drop in discharge following flood peaks appears to preserve flood peak features on upper bars more or less intact, whereas lower areas are subjected to variable degrees of modification during falling stage and by more frequent, non-bankfull discharge events.     

推移质翻越低坝输移特性的试验研究

对于山区河流低坝而言,平时淤积在坝前的推移质粗沙可能会在洪水期集中翻越坝顶,形成高强度输沙。本文开展水槽试验,研究推移质粗沙自上游起动、推进、再翻越坝顶后向下游输移的过程,分析了输沙参数的变化特性及数理规律,描述了翻坝输沙模式及运动特征,揭示了输沙规律与河床形态之间的自然联系。取得如下认识:①输沙量随时间大致以幂函数规律增长。②低坝附近区域河床形态终将趋于稳定,上游和下游均形成相对稳定的曲面斜坡淤积体。③在不同的水流强度下推移质翻坝输移模式存在差异。对于一般水流强度工况,上游淤积体曲面斜坡表面泥沙颗粒以滚动或滑动模式起动,推移至接近坝顶位置时再跃移翻坝,后向下游输移;对于更高水流强度工况,后期的翻坝输沙模式可能发生显著转变,周期性边壁漩涡成为翻坝输沙的主要动力来源。     

推移质翻越低坝输移特性的试验研究

对于山区河流低坝而言，平时淤积在坝前的推移质粗沙可能会在洪水期集中翻越坝顶，形成高强度输沙。本文开展水槽试验，研究推移质粗沙自上游起动、推进、再翻越坝顶后向下游输移的过程，分析了输沙参数的变化特性及数理规律，描述了翻坝输沙模式及运动特征，揭示了输沙规律与河床形态之间的自然联系。取得如下认识：①输沙量随时间大致以幂函数规律增长。②低坝附近区域河床形态终将趋于稳定，上游和下游均形成相对稳定的曲面斜坡淤积体。③在不同的水流强度下推移质翻坝输移模式存在差异。对于一般水流强度工况，上游淤积体曲面斜坡表面泥沙颗粒以滚动或滑动模式起动，推移至接近坝顶位置时再跃移翻坝，后向下游输移；对于更高水流强度工况，后期的翻坝输沙模式可能发生显著转变，周期性边壁漩涡成为翻坝输沙的主要动力来源。     

非恒定流驱动下床面形态变化特征

为深入认识非恒定流驱动下床面形态的演变规律及尺度变化趋势,采用水泵控制系统生成了一系列历时与洪峰流量不同的洪水过程来冲刷由粗沙组成的实验动床（中值粒径d₅₀=1.95 mm）,研究中运用非恒定流的形态、非恒定性及水流做功参数来量化洪水过程;统计分析河床高程数据得到床面形态的波长、波高及陡度。实验结果表明:在不同尺度的非恒定流洪水作用下,实验动床表面分别形成了沙垄、交错边滩以及介于两者之间的过渡型床面形态;洪水的非恒定性对床面形态尺度的影响最大,其次是水流做功参数,而非恒定流的形态影响较为微弱;在此基础上构建了用于描述非恒定流驱动条件与床面形态尺度响应的定量关系。     

Bedform spurs: a result of a trailing helical vortex wake

The formative conditions for bedform spurs and their roles in bedform dynamics and associated sediment transport are described herein. Bedform spurs are formed by helical vortices that trail from the lee surface of oblique segments of bedform crest lines. Trailing helical vortices quickly route sediment away from the lee surface of their parent bedform, scouring troughs and placing this bed material into the body of the spur. The geometric configuration of bedform spurs to their parent bedform crests is predicted by a cross‐stream Strouhal number. When present, spur‐bearing bedforms and their associated trailing helical wakes exert tremendous control on bedform morphology by routing enhanced sediment transport between adjacent bedforms. Field measurements collected at the North Loup River, Nebraska, and flume experiments described in previous studies demonstrate that this trailing helical vortex‐mediated sediment transport is a mechanism for bedform deformation, interactions and transitions between two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional bedforms.