Analysis of influencing factors on fine sediment flocculation in the Changjiang Estuary

Based on the test data in dynamic water and static water, the main factors, which influence the fine sediment flocculation, are analyzed with a gray model method of correlation theory. It is shown that the main influencing factors are water temperature, settling time, salinity, grain size, sediment concentration and current velocity according to the correlation coefficients. Among them, the salinity and the sediment grain size are critical type influencing factors (CrTIF); the settling time, the sediment concentration and the velocity are continuous type influencing factors (CoTIF); and the water temperature has the characteristics of both. When the critical values of CrTIF are reached or exceeded, the fine sediments will be flocculated, but values of CrTIF will not influence the settlement strength of floes. The influence of CoTIF is continuous. The values of the CoTIF will not only influence the occurrence of flocculation but also the settlement strength of the floes.     

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。     

长江口细颗粒泥沙絮凝沉降影响因素分析

根据静水和动水条件下的细颗粒泥沙沉降试验结果,应用灰色模型分析中的关联度分析理论,分析了影响细颗粒泥沙絮凝沉降的主要因素.根据关联度的大小指出,影响细颗粒泥沙絮凝沉降的主要因素依次为水温、沉降历时、盐度、粒度、含沙量和流速,其中盐度和粒度是阈值型影响因素,沉降历时、含沙量和流速是连续型影响因素,水温是具有阈值型和连续型双重特性的影响因素.只要阈值型影响因素达到或超过了阈值,细颗粒泥沙就发生絮凝作用,因素值的变化对沉降强度影响不大.连续型影响因素对细颗粒泥沙絮凝沉降的影响是连续的,它们不仅影响絮凝作用发生,而且影响絮凝沉降强度.     

Relationship between biogeochemical features of biogenic elements and flocculation in the Changjiang Estuary

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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。     

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.     

黄河口潮滩泥沙絮凝研究

本文基于现场观测的絮团粒径、悬沙浓度及水动力数据,研究了黄河口南部潮滩泥沙絮凝特征。研究发现,黄河口潮滩絮团粒径在25.42～264.44μm之间,平均为95.20μm。水体紊动对黄河口潮滩絮凝的影响存在差异,紊动对絮凝促进作用的上限约为G_l=3.76 s^-1。紊动强度低于G_l时,紊动促进泥沙絮凝,絮团粒径随紊动加强而增大;反之水体紊动对絮凝主要起抑制作用,絮团粒径随紊动强度增大而减小。悬沙浓度对黄河口潮滩泥沙絮凝起抑制作用,同等紊动条件下高悬沙浓度对应的絮团粒径更小。黄河口潮滩絮团有效密度与粒径呈现负相关关系,沉速主要受粒径影响。本研究补充了对弱潮河口潮滩泥沙絮凝特性的认识。     

细颗粒泥沙动水絮凝的机理分析

本文首先阐述由环形水槽试验所得出的细颗粒泥沙动水絮凝的若干规律。然后进行絮凝体形成和破碎的机理分析。从而得出产生动水絮凝的充分、必要条件:一是泥沙和电介质的物理、化学性质;二是絮凝体的抗剪能力大于所受到的剪切力,由此引出动水絮凝临界流速的概念。     

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。     

Dissolved and particulate aluminum in the Columbia River and coastal waters of Oregon and Washington: Behavior in near-field and far-field plumes

The distribution of dissolved (soluble and total) and particulate (leachable and total) aluminum was examined in the Columbia River and estuary, in near-field and far-field river plumes, and in adjacent coastal waters of Washington and Oregon during the River Influence on Shelf Ecosystems (RISE) cruise of May/June 2006. Dissolved and particulate aluminum (Al) concentrations were significantly greater in the river than in the coastal waters that mixed to form the plume. Dissolved Al concentrations in the Columbia River (∼80 nM) were low relative to other major rivers. Leachable and total particulate Al concentrations within the river reached concentrations greater than 1000 nM and 18,000 nM, respectively. Dissolved Al within the Columbia River estuary showed a significant removal (∼60%) at salinities between 0 and 10 with salt-induced flocculation of colloidal Al complexes and enhanced particle scavenging being probable explanations for aluminum removal. Dissolved and particulate Al concentrations were significantly greater in near-field plumes relative to surrounding coastal waters. As the plume advected from near-field to far-field away from the river mouth, dilution of the plume with lower dissolved Al surface waters as well as particle scavenging along the flow path appeared to be controlling dissolved Al distributions. Particle settling as well as dilution with lower particle-load waters led to observed decreases in particulate Al as the plume moved from near-field to far-field. However, the percent-leachable particulate aluminum in both near-field and far-field plumes was remarkably constant at ∼7%. Dissolved and particulate Al in a far-field plume over 100 km southwest of the Columbia River mouth were over an order-of-magnitude greater than surrounding waters, illustrating the importance of the Columbia River plume as a mechanism for transporting Al offshore. Aluminum could be used to trace the input of biologically-required elements such as iron into waters off the shelf.     

An energy conversion method in the ocean using the density difference of water

A new method which produces energy from the ocean by utilizing the density difference of water, by means of a “chimney effect”, is proposed. Density difference of water in the ocean occurs in two ways, namely differences of consistency and water temperature. For instance, fresh river and melting floes and icebergs are pointed out as some origins of the former, while thermal effects of volcanoes and hot springs may account for the latter. Furthermore, sunlight power transmitted into the sea through glass fibre power lines can be an artificial source in the latter case.This paper concentrates on regions near estuaries where low density river water can be piped into the high density ocean. An analysis estimates that the proposed method extracts energy of several thousands or more kW in the above case.     

Dissolved Aluminum in the Upper St. Lawrence Estuary

The concentrations of dissolved aluminum (Al) in the upper St. Lawrence Estuary were determined during periods of high and intermediate river-discharge. Laboratory experiments simulating estuarine processes were also conducted in order to examine possible mechanisms controlling the Al distribution. During the high river-discharge, the Al concentration at river end-member was 1.63 µM and decreased exponentially with increasing salinity. An almost complete removal of dissolved Al was observed in the low salinity area up to 10 with an intensive removal in the turbidity maximum zone. Principal mechanisms responsible for the Al removal inferred from the laboratory experiments were flocculation and adsorption onto suspended particulate matter (SPM). During the intermediate river-discharge, the Al concentration was 0.72 µM at the river end-member and again decreased with increasing salinity. However, the removal was less pronounced, being only about 25%. Good fits with model predictions and laboratory experiments suggest that principal removal mechanisms were authigenic aluminosilicate formation and adsorption onto SPM. In the upper St. Lawrence Estuary, Al distribution is controlled by a combination of three removal mechanisms: flocculation, authigenic aluminosilicate formation, and adsorption. Each mechanism can become a dominant factor depending on the concentration level and speciation of dissolved Al in the river water.     

Flocculation and sedimentation on the Po River Delta

With the goal of improving understanding of the effect of flocculation on the formation of fine-grained deposits on continental shelves, hydrographic profiling, in situ imaging of suspended matter, and collection of surficial sediment samples were conducted at the Po River Delta in June 2001. These data show that during medium flow conditions (1920 m³/s), sedimentation occurs rapidly immediately offshore of the main distributary, Po della Pila. Rapid sedimentation is promoted by large rapidly sinking flocs forming in the river well upstream of the mouth. The delivery of fine sediment to the seabed at the mouth of the Po is sufficient to overwhelm the erosive effects of waves and currents, leading to accumulation of mud in water depths as shallow as 4 m. On cross-shelf transects 2 km north and south of the mouth, however, suspended sediment supply from the river is reduced to the point that mud accumulates only seaward of the 8-m isobath. Along the central transect, suspended sediment concentration decreases rapidly seaward of the 6-m isobath where the emergence of a more organic-rich population of flocs along a mid-water density interface is suggested. Energetic activity along the 15-m isobath likely promotes resuspension with the potential for removal of material from the delta. Further investigation of floc properties, namely the relationship of floc size to settling velocity, is necessary to establish the degree to which the suspension is flocculated during transport and deposition.     

Non-equilibrium flocculation characteristics of fine-grained sediments in grid-generated turbulent flow

Results are presented from a series of settling column experiments investigating temporal variations in the flocculation characteristics of purely cohesive (kaolin clay) sediment suspensions and cohesive (kaolin) and non-cohesive (fine sand) sediment fraction mixtures. Experimental runs were conducted under controlled hydrodynamic conditions generated by a rigid array of in-phase oscillating grids. The results indicated that rapid initial floc aggregation occurred under low turbulent shear rates, with peak maximal and root-mean-square (r.m.s.) floc sizes (∼ 400 μm and ∼ 200 μm, respectively) attained after relatively short time periods, before reducing with time. By contrast, lower aggregation rates and smaller floc sizes were observed under higher shear conditions, with flocs retaining suspended in the settling column for longer time scales due to the increased turbulence. The mud input concentration displayed some correlation with maximal and r.m.s. floc sizes at higher shear rates but no correlation was apparent at low shear rates. This observed floc behaviour may be attributed to the differences in concentration gradients at high and low shear rates that affect both floc settling rate and time required for flocs to attain equilibrium size. The addition of the fine sand fraction to the kaolin clay suspension reduced both the initial floc formation (i.e. aggregation) rate and the maximal and r.m.s. floc sizes attained throughout the experiments. The reduction in maximal floc sizes appeared to be enhanced by an increase in the ratio of fine sand to kaolin clay content within the mixture.     

Observation of the size,settling velocity and effective density of flocs,and their fractal dimensions

In situ instruments, particularly the instrument INSSEV (in situ settling velocity) have given new information on the sizes, settling velocities and effective densities of individual flocs within the spectrum of distribution. The low-density macroflocs (diameter >∼150 μm) contain a mixture of organic and inorganic constituents that become separated when the flocs are disrupted to form microflocs. Representation of the floc characteristics in terms of fractals reveals a range of fractal dimensions representing the distributions varying between 1 and 3, instead of the ideal value of 2. Measurements in estuarine turbidity maxima and on intertidal mudflats show that the fractal dimension is less than 2 in situations where turbulent shearing causes disruption of the flocs. At the same time increasing suspended sediment concentration tends to increase the fractal dimension. Measurements of size using an in situ Malvern sizer show that the floc size distribution is also affected by both turbulent energy dissipation and by concentration. Complementary laboratory studies suggest that, at a constant concentration, flocculation is enhanced by low shear, but that disruption occurs at higher shear. These experiments confirm the relationship between fractal dimension, shear stress and concentration.     

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.     

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.     

Observations and analyses of floc size and floc settling velocity in coastal salt marsh of Luoyuan Bay, Fujian Province, China

In coastal environments, fine-grain sediments often aggregate into large and porous flocs. ElectroMagnetic Current Meters (EMCM) and Laser In Situ Scattering and Transmissometry (LISST-ST) have been deployed within a Spartina alterniflora marsh of the Luoyuan Bay in Fujian Province, China, to measure the current velocity, the floc size and the settling velocity between 15 and 22 January 2008. During the observations, the near-bed water was collected in order to obtain the suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and constituent grain size. Data show that: (1) the nearbed current velocities vary from 0.1 to 5.6 cm/s in the central Spartina alterniflora marsh and 0.1–12.5 cm/s at the edge; (2) the SSCs vary from 47 to 188 mg/dm 3 . The mean grain size of constituent grains varies from 7.0 to 9.6 μm, and the mean floc sizes (MFS) vary from 30.4 to 69.4 μm. The relationship between the mean floc size and settling velocity can be described as: w s =ad b , in which w s is the floc settling velocity (mm/s), a and b are coefficients. The floc settling velocity varies from 0.17 to 0.32 mm/s, with a mean value of 0.26 mm/s, and the floc settling velocity during the flood tide is higher than that during the ebb tide. The current velocity and the SSC are the main factors controlling the flocculation processes and the floc settling velocity.     

Study of the sedimentation and self-weight consolidation behavior of seafloor sediments using a radioisotope densitometer

ABSTRACT

In this study, settling tests were conducted to investigate the sedimentation and self-weight consolidation behavior of seafloor sediments from Isahaya Bay, Ariake Sea, Japan. During the tests, the density variations with depth and time were measured by a gamma-ray transmission radioisotope densitometer. The test results show that the settling process of the seafloor sediments can be classified into the flocculation stage, settling stage, and consolidation stage. The settling rate of the seafloor sediments in the settling stage is dependent on the temperature and initial water content, while the settling rate in the consolidation stage is independent of the temperature and initial water content. The density profile changes from a constant density profile to a linear density profile when the sedimentation process transitions to the self-weight consolidation process. The relations between the void ratio (e) and effective vertical stress (p’) at very low pressures can be calculated from the measured density values, and this can be used for the analysis of the self-weight consolidation of seafloor sediments. For the seafloor sediments tested in this study, the undrained shear strength (s_u) values are almost the same when the density values are less than 1.14?g/cm³, and the s_u values increase linearly with an increase in density when the density values are in the range of 1.14–1.2?g/cm^3.