Water and sediment movement around a coastal headland: Portland Bill,southern UK

Numerical simulations of tidal flow and sand transport around a coastal headland (Portland Bill, southern UK) were undertaken to investigate patterns of sand transport during the development of tidally induced transient eddies. Results obtained from a 2-D finite-element hydrodynamic model (TELEMAC-2D) were combined with a sediment transport model (SEDTRANS), to simulate the sand transport processes around the headland. Simulation of the tidal flow around Portland Bill has shown the formation and evolution of tidally induced transient eddies, around the headland. During the evolution of these transient eddies, no current-induced bedload (transport) eddy is formed for either side of the headland. Net bedload sand transport direction, around a coastal headland, is the result of instantaneous gradients in bedload transport rates, during flood and ebb flows, rather than the average (residual) flow. Thus, the use of residual (water) circulation to describe patterns of sediment movement as bedload is not an appropriatedapproach. In the case study presented here, the distinct characteristics of the coastal and seabed morphology around the Isle of Portland (i.e. headland shape and the bathymetry) indicate that these parameters can be influencing tidal (flow) and sediment dispersion around the headland. Such an interpretation has broader implications and applications to headland-associated sandbanks elsewhere.Responsible Editor: Hans Burchard     

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS OF HEC-6 RIVER MORPHOLOGICAL MODEL

Only comparatively few experimental studies have been carried out to investigate the performance of the HEC-6 river morphological model. The model was developed by the Hydrologic Engineering Center of the US Army Corps of Engineers. In this study, experiments were carried out in a 20 m long concrete flume 0.6 m wide with varying rectangular cross-sections. The channel bed is paved with uniform sand of D₅₀ = 0.9 mm and D₉₀ = 1.2 mm within the test reach of 12 m. Two types of experiments were carried out with sediment transport, one under steady uniform flow and another under steady non-uniform flow conditions. Nine steady uniform flow experiments were carried out to compare the measured equilibrium relationship of flow and sediment transport rate with two bedload formulae, namely, Du Boys and Meyer–Peter and Muller, and with three total load formulae, namely, Toffaleti, Laursen and Yang. It was found that even though the sediment transport consists of a certain portion of bedload, the total load formulae give satisfactory results and better agreement than the two bedload formulae. Five steady non-uniform flow experiments were carried out under various conditions of varying bed profile and channel width and also with sediment addition and withdrawal. The measured transient water surface and bed profiles are compared with the computed results from the HEC-6 model. It was found that the Toffaleti and Yang total load formulae used in the HEC-6 model give the most satisfactory prediction of actual bed profiles under various conditions of non-uniform flow and sediment transport. The effects of Manning's n, variations of sediment inflow, various sediment transport formulae, sediment grain size and the model numerical parameters, i.e. distance interval Δx and numerical weighting factor, on the computed water surface and bed profiles were determined. It was found that the selection of the sediment transport formulae has the most significant effect on the computed results. It can be concluded that the HEC-6 model can predict satisfactorily a long-term average pattern of local scour and deposition along a channel with either a small abrupt change in geometry or gradually varying cross-sections. However, the accuracy of the model prediction is reduced in the regions where highly non-uniform flow occurs.     

An advanced signal processing technique for deriving grain size information of bedload transport from impact plate vibration measurements

A reliable characterization of bedload transport is required to gauge the engineering and theoretical issues related to the dynamics of sediments transport in rivers. However, while significant advances have been made in the development of monitoring techniques, robust quantitative predictive relationships have proven difficult to derive. In this article, we develop a dedicated signal processing technique aimed at improving the usage of impact plate measurements for material transport characterization. Our set‐up consists of a piezoelectric hydrophone mounted on the bottom side of a stainless steel plate, thus acting as a ‘sediment vibration sensor’. While the classical analysis with such systems is usually limited to rather simple procedures, such as impact counting, a large amount of useful information is contained in the actual waveform of the impact signal, which conveys the force and the contact time that the bedload imposes on the plate. An advanced signal processing technique called ‘first arrival atomic decomposition’ is used to improve the characterization of bedload transport by analysing the amplitude and frequency attributes of each single impact. This new processing approach proves to be well suited for bedload transport monitoring using plate systems and allows us to establish a relationship between the median grain size (D₅₀) and the impact signal properties. This link is first observed and validated with controlled flume experiments and then applied to continuous impact records in a small gravel‐bed river during a flood event. The estimated D₅₀ offers a novel possibility to observe the time‐varying grain size distribution of bedload transport. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment mobility and bedload transport conditions in an alpine stream

The mobility conditions of bedload transport in an alpine high‐gradient step–pool stream (Rio Cordon) are analysed. Since 1986, a device system at the downstream end section of the stream has been operating in order to monitor the water discharge, suspended sediment and bedload transport. Sediment distribution of bedload transported by various floods has been analysed, and equal‐mobility evidence is recognized only for the high‐magnitude flows ever recorded (RI > 50 years). The thresholds for size‐selective and equal‐mobility transport conditions are identified and quantified by using both data provided by the fractional transport rate and by length displacements of marked particles. Size‐selective bedload transport seems to dominate when the critical shear stress of the size fractions τ_ci considered is exceeded, whereas the equal‐mobility condition is approached as levels of excess shear stress become higher (τ_eqi = 1·45τ_ci). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Morphological controls in sandy estuaries: the influence of tidal flats and bathymetry on sediment transport

The morphodynamics of shallow, vertically well-mixed estuaries, characterised by tidal flats and deeper channels, have been investigated. This paper examines what contributes to flood/ebb-dominant sediment transport in localised regions through a 2D model study (using the TELEMAC modelling system). The Dyfi Estuary in Wales, UK has been used as a case study and, together with idealised estuary shapes, shows that shallow water depths lead to flood dominance in the inner estuary whilst tidal flats and deep channels cause ebb dominance in the outer estuary. For medium sands and with an artificially ‘flattened’ bathymetry (i.e. no tidal flats), the net sediment transport switches from ebb-dominant to flood-dominant where the parameter a/h (local tidal amplitude ÷ local tidally averaged water depth) exceeds 1.2. Sea level rise will reduce this critical value of a/h and also reduce the ebb-directed sediment transport significantly, leading to a flood-dominated estuarine system. A similar pattern, albeit with greater transport, was simulated with tidal flats included and also with a reduced grain size. This suggests that analogous classifications for flood/ebb asymmetry of the tide in estuaries as a whole may not represent the local sediment transport in sufficient detail. Through the Dyfi simulations, the above criterion involving a/h is shown to be complicated further by augmented flow past a spit at the estuary mouth which gives rise to a self-maintaining scour hole. Simulations of one year of bed evolution in an idealised flat-bottomed estuary, including tidal flow past a spit, recreate the flood/ebb dominance on either side of the spit and the formation of a scour hole in between. The erosion rate at the centre of the hole is reduced as the hole deepens, suggesting the establishment of a self-maintaining equilibrium state.     

Monitoring gravel augmentation in a large regulated river and implications for process‐based restoration

The artificial gravel augmentation of river channels is increasingly being used to mitigate the adverse effects of river regulation and sediment starvation. A systematic framework for designing and assessing such gravel augmentations is still lacking, notably on large rivers. Monitoring is required to quantify the movement of augmented gravel, measure bedform changes, assess potential habitat enhancement, and reduce the uncertainty in sediment management. Here we present the results of an experiment conducted in the Rhine River (French and German border). In 2010, 23 000 m³ of sediments (approximately the mean annual bedload transport capacity) were supplied in a by‐passed reach downstream of the Kembs dam to test the feasibility of enhancing sediment transport and bedform changes. A 620‐m‐long and 12‐m‐wide gravel deposit was created 8 km downstream from the dam. Monitoring included topo‐bathymetric surveys, radio‐frequency particle tracking using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, bed grain size measurement, and airborne imagery. Six surveys performed since 2009 have been described (before and after gravel augmentation, and after Q₂ and Q₁₅ floods). The key findings are that (i) the augmented gravel was partially dispersed by the first flood event of December 2010 (Q₁); (ii) PIT tags were found up to 3200 m downstream of the gravel augmentation site after four years, but the effects of gravel augmentation could not be clearly distinguished from the effects of floods and internal remobilization on more than 3500 m downstream; (iii) linear and log‐linear relationships linking bedload transport, particle mobility, and grain size were established; and (iv) combined bathymetry and PIT tag surveys were useful for evaluating potential environmental risks and the first morpho‐ecological responses. This confirmed the complementary nature of such techniques in the monitoring of gravel augmentation in large rivers. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical modeling of hydrodynamics and sediment transport—an integrated approach

Point measurement-based estimation of bedload transport in the coastal zone is very difficult. The only way to assess the magnitude and direction of bedload transport in larger areas, particularly those characterized by complex bottom topography and hydrodynamics, is to use a holistic approach. This requires modeling of waves, currents, and the critical bed shear stress and bedload transport magnitude, with a due consideration to the realistic bathymetry and distribution of surface sediment types. Such a holistic approach is presented in this paper which describes modeling of bedload transport in the Gulf of Gdańsk. Extreme storm conditions defined based on 138-year NOAA data were assumed. The SWAN model (Booij et al. 1999) was used to define wind–wave fields, whereas wave-induced currents were calculated using the Ko?odko and Gic-Grusza (2015) model, and the magnitude of bedload transport was estimated using the modified Meyer-Peter and Müller (1948) formula. The calculations were performed using a GIS model. The results obtained are innovative. The approach presented appears to be a valuable source of information on bedload transport in the coastal zone.     

Sediment flux-driven channel geometry adjustment of bedrock and mixed gravel–bedrock rivers

Sediment supply (Q_s) is often overlooked in modelling studies of landscape evolution, despite sediment playing a key role in the physical processes that drive erosion and sedimentation in river channels. Here, we show the direct impact of the supply of coarse-grained, hard sediment on the geometry of bedrock channels from the Rangitikei River, New Zealand. Channels receiving a coarse bedload sediment supply are systematically (up to an order of magnitude) wider than channels with no bedload sediment input for a given discharge. We also present physical model experiments of a bedrock river channel with a fixed water discharge (1.5 l min⁻¹) under different Q_s (between 0 and 20 g l⁻¹) that allow the quantification of the role of sediment in setting the width and slope of channels and the distribution of shear stress within channels. The addition of bedload sediment increases the width, slope and width-to-depth ratio of the channels, and increasing sediment loads promote emerging complexity in channel morphology and shear stress distributions. Channels with low Q_s are characterized by simple in-channel morphologies with a uniform distribution of shear stress within the channel while channels with high Q_s are characterized by dynamic channels with multiple active threads and a non-uniform distribution of shear stress. We compare bedrock channel geometries from the Rangitikei and the experiments to alluvial channels and demonstrate that the behaviour is similar, with a transition from single-thread and uniform channels to multiple threads occurring when bedload sediment is present. In the experimental bedrock channels, this threshold Q_s is when the input sediment supply exceeds the transport capacity of the channel. Caution is required when using the channel geometry to reconstruct past environmental conditions or to invert for tectonic uplift rates, because multiple configurations of channel geometry can exist for a given discharge, solely due to input Q_s. © 2020 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

The causes of bedload pulses in a gravel channel: the implications of bedload grain‐size distributions

Unsteady bedload transport was measured in two c. 5 m wide anabranches of a gravel‐bed braided stream draining the Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland, during the 1998 and 1999 melt seasons. Bedload was directly sampled using 152 mm square Helley–Smith type samplers deployed from a portable measuring bridge, and independent transport rate estimates for the coarser size fractions were obtained from the dispersion of magnetically tagged tracer pebbles. Bedload transport time series show pulsing behaviour under both marginal (1998) and partial (1999) transport regimes. There are generally weak correlations between transport rates and shear stresses determined from velocity data recorded at the measuring bridge. Characteristic parameters of the bedload grain‐size distributions (D₅₀, D₈₄) are weakly correlated with transport rates. Analysis of full bedload grain‐size distributions reveals greater structure, with a tendency for transport to become less size selective at higher transport rates. The bedload time series show autoregressive behaviour but are dif?cult to distinguish by this method. State–space plots, and associated measures of time‐series separation, reveal the structure of the time series more clearly. The measured pulses have distinctly different time‐series characteristics from those modelled using a one‐dimensional sediment routing model in which bed shear stress and grain size are varied randomly. These results suggest a mechanism of pulse generation based on irregular low‐amplitude bedforms, that may be generated in‐channel or may represent the advection of material supplied by bank erosion events. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Video‐based gravel transport measurements with a flume mounted light table

The study of bedload transport processes is constrained by an inability to monitor the mass, volume and grain size distribution of sediment in transport at high temporal frequencies. Building upon a previously published design, we have integrated a high‐resolution (1392 × 1024 pixels) video camera with a light table to continuously capture images of 2–181 mm material exiting a flume. The images are continuously recorded at a rate of 15 to 20 frames per second and are post‐processed using LabView^(?) software, yielding continuous grain‐size‐specific transport information on a per second basis. The video capture rate is sufficient to record multiple images of each grain leaving the flume so that particle velocities can be measured automatically. No manual image processing is required. After calibration the method is accurate and precise for sediment in the 2 mm through to 45 mm grain size classes compared with other means of measuring bedload. Based on a set of validation samples, no statistically significant difference existed between the D₁₀, D₁₆, D₂₅, D₅₀, D₇₅, D₈₄, D₉₀ and D₉₅ determined by sieving captured samples and the D_i values determined with the system. On average the system overpredicted transport by 4 per cent (n = 206, SD = 42%). This error can be corrected easily by simply weighing the mass of sediment that leaves the flume. The technology is relatively inexpensive and provides high‐resolution data on coarse sediment transport out of a flume. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A stability criterion inherent in laws governing alluvial channel flow

The stability criterion of maximum flow efficiency (MFE) has previously been found inherent in typical alluvial channel flow relationships, and this study investigates the general nature of this criterion using a wider range of flow resistance and bedload transport formulae. For straight alluvial channels, in which the effect of sediment sorting is insignificant, our detailed mathematical analysis demonstrates that a flow efficiency factor ε occurs generally as the ratio of sediment (bedload) discharge Q_s to stream power Ω (γQS) in the form of . When ε is maximized (i.e. Q_s is maximized or Ω is minimized), maximally efficient straight channel geometries derived from most flow resistance and bedload transport formulae are found compatible with observed bankfull hydraulic geometry relations. This study provides support for the use of the criteria of MFE, maximum sediment transporting capacity and minimum stream power for understanding the operation of alluvial rivers, and also addresses limitations to the direct application of its findings. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Testing bedload transport equations with consideration of time scales

Bedload transport is known to be a highly fluctuating temporal phenomenon, even under constant (mean) flow conditions, as a consequence of stochasticity, bedform migration, grain sorting, hysteresis, or sediment supply limitation. Because bedload transport formulas usually refer to a single mean transport value for a given flow condition, one can expect that prediction accuracy (when compared to measurements) will depend on the amplitude and duration of fluctuations, which in turn depend on the time scale used for observations. This paper aims to identify how the time scale considered can affect bedload prediction. This was done by testing 16 common bedload transport formulas with four data sets corresponding to different measurement period durations: (i) highly fluctuating (quasi‐)instantaneous field measurements; (ii) volumes accumulated at the event scale on two small alpine gravel‐bed rivers, potentially affected by seasonal fluctuations; (iii) volumes accumulated at the interannual scale in a meandering gravel bed river, thought to be weakly subject to fluctuations; (iv) time‐integrated flume measurements with nearly uniform sediments. The tests confirmed that the longer the measurement period, the better the precision of the formula's prediction interval. They also demonstrate several consequential limitations. Most threshold formulas are no longer valid when the flow condition is below two times the threshold condition for the largest elements' motion on the bed surface (considering D₈₄). In such conditions, equations either predict zero transport, or largely overestimate the real transport, especially when D₈₄ is high. There is a need for new sediment data collected with highly reliable techniques such as recording slot bedload samplers to further investigate this topic. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sand transport measurements in Chioggia inlet,Venice lagoon: Theory versus observations

This paper presents results of recent measurements of sand transport made in Chioggia inlet as part of an extensive monitoring programme in the Venetian inlets. Measurements were made in order: (1) to define a relationship between sand transport magnitude and tidal flow; (2) to derive the thresholds for sand transport; (3) to identify the dominant modes of transport; (4) to evaluate the concentration profiles of sand within the benthic boundary layer; (5) to compare bedload transport observations with model predictions using existent bedload formulae; and (6) to produce yearly estimates of bedload transport across the inlet. The vertical distribution of sand in the water column was sampled using modified Helley–Smith bedload samplers at three sites. Transport was found to vary according to the flow and bed grain size, with considerable temporal and spatial variability. A difference of up to three orders of magnitude in transport was observed through the inlet, with higher transport rates measured on the seaward part. The dominant mode of transport in the central inlet was suspension, while bedload was dominant in the mouths. The measured profiles of sand concentration varied with the tidal stage and seabed grain size according to the Rouse parameter (R). R was high at the inlet mouths (1<R<2), indicative of a well-developed bedload layer. The inverse movability number (W_s/U_*) was also higher at these sites and appeared to be grain size dependant. Formulae for bedload transport were tested against field data; stochastic methods such as Einstein–Brown, Engelund–Hansen and Van Rijn produce the best fits. The coupled model SHYFEM-Sedtrans05 appears to simulate well observed transport for most conditions of flow. Long-term bedload predictions indicate a dominant export of sand, with a yearly average of 4500 m³.     

Relationship between bedload and suspended sediment in the sand-bed Exu River,in the semi-arid region of Brazil

Abstract

Suspended sediment and bedload discharges in sand-bed rivers shape semi-arid landscapes and impact sediment delivery from these landscapes, but are still incompletely understood. Suspended sediment and bedload fluxes of the intermittent Exu River, Brazil, were sampled by direct measurements. The highest suspended sediment concentration observed was 4847.4 mg L^-1 and this value was possibly associated with the entrainment of sediment that was deposited in the preceding year. The bedload flux was well related to the stream power and the river efficiently transported all available bedload with a mean rate of 0.0047 kg m^-1 s^-1, and the percentage of bedload to suspended sediment varied between 4 and 12.72. The bed sediment of Exu River was prone to entrainment and showed a proclivity for transport. Thus, sand-bed and gravel-bed rivers of arid environments seem to exhibit the same mobility in the absence of armour layer.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor B. Touaibia

Citation Cantalice, J.R.B., Cunha Filho, M., Stosic, B.D., Piscoya, V.C., Guerra, S.M.S., and Singh, V.P., 2013. Relationship between bedload and suspended sediment in the sand-bed Exu River, in the semi-arid region of Brazil. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (8), 1789–1802.     

Coarse sediment transport in mountain streams in Colorado and Wyoming,USA

Since the early 1990s, US Forest Service researchers have made thousands of bedload measurements in steep, coarse‐grained channels in Colorado and Wyoming, USA. In this paper we use data from 19 of those sites to characterize patterns and rates of coarse sediment transport for a range of channel types and sizes, including step–pool, plane‐bed, pool–riffle, and near‐braided channels. This effort builds upon previous work where we applied a piecewise regression model to (1) relate flow to rates of bedload transport and (2) define phases of transport in coarse‐grained channels. Earlier, the model was tested using bedload data from eight sites on the Fraser Experimental Forest near Fraser, Colorado. The analysis showed good application to those data and to data from four supplementary channels to which the procedure was applied. The earlier results were, however, derived from data collected at sites that, for the most part, have quite similar geology and runoff regimes. In this paper we evaluate further the application of piecewise regression to data from channels with a wider range of geomorphic conditions. The results corroborate with those from the earlier work in that there is a relatively narrow range of discharges at which a substantial change in the nature of bedload transport occurs. The transition from primarily low rates of sand transport (phase I) to higher rates of sand and coarse gravel transport (phase II) occurs, on average, at about 80 per cent of the bankfull (1·5‐year return interval) discharge. A comparison of grain sizes moved during the two phases showed that coarse gravel is rarely trapped in the samplers during phase I transport. Moreover, the movement and capture of the D₁₆ to D₂₅ grain size of the bed surface seems to correspond with the onset of phase II transport, particularly in systems with largely static channel surfaces. However, while there were many similarities in observed patterns of bedload transport at the 19 studied sites, each had its own ‘bedload signal’ in that the rate and size of materials transported largely reflected the nature of flow and sediment particular to that system. Published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mechanisms of along-channel sediment transport in the North Passage of the Yangtze Estuary and their response to large-scale interventions

The effects of large-scale interventions in the North Passage of the Yangtze Estuary (the Deep Waterway Project, DWP) on the along-channel flow structure, suspended sediment distribution and its transport along the main channel of this passage are investigated. The focus is explaining the changes in net sediment transport in terms of physical mechanisms. For this, data of flow and suspended sediment concentration (SSC), which were collected simultaneously at several locations and at different depths along the main channel of the North Passage prior to and after the engineering works, were harmonically analyzed to assess the relative importance of the transport components related to residual (time-mean) flow and various tidal pumping mechanisms. Expressions for main residual flow components were derived using theoretical principles. The SSC revealed that the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) was intensified due to the interventions, especially in wet seasons, and an upstream shift and extension of the ETM zone occurred. The amplitude of the M ₂ tidal current considerably increased, and the residual flow structure was significantly altered by engineering works. Prior to the DWP, the residual flow structure was that of a gravitational circulation in both seasons, while after the DWP, there was seaward flow throughout the channel during the wet season. The analysis of net sediment transport reveals that during wet seasons and prior to the DWP, the sediment trapping was due to asymmetric tidal mixing, gravitational circulation, tidal rectification, and M ₂ tidal pumping, while after the DWP, the trapping was primarily due to seaward transport caused by Stokes return flow and fresh water discharge and landward transport due to M ₂ tidal pumping and asymmetric tidal mixing. During dry seasons, prior to the DWP, trapping of sediment at the bottom relied on landward transports due to Stokes transport, M ₄ tidal pumping, asymmetric tidal mixing, and gravitational circulation, while after the DWP the sediment trapping was caused by M ₂ tidal pumping, Stokes transport, asymmetric tidal mixing, tidal rectification, and gravitational circulation.     

Bedload transport resistance in rough open‐channel flows

During bedload movement by saltation, streamwise momentum is transferred from the ?ow to the saltating grains. When the grains collide with other grains on the bed or in the ?ow, streamwise momentum is reduced, and there is a decrease in streamwise ?ow velocity and an increase in ?ow resistance, herein termed bedload transport resistance f_bt. Based on experiments in two ?umes with ?xed and mobile plane beds and previously published data, an equation is developed that may be used to predict f_bt for both capacity and non‐capacity ?ows. The variables in this equation are identi?ed by dimensional analysis and the coef?cients are determined by non‐linear regression. This equation applies to rough turbulent open‐channel ?ows, where the relative submergence is between 1 and 20 and the entire sediment load moves by saltation. An investigation of the relative magnitudes of f_bt and grain resistance f_c suggests that where dimensionless shear stress θ is less than 1 and saltation is the dominant mode of bedload transport, f_bt/f_c increases with θ but never exceeds 1. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of methods for quantifying active layer dynamics and bedload discharge in armoured gravel‐bed rivers

Several methods were employed in the Ardennian rivers (Belgium) to determine the depth of the active layer mobilized during floods and to evaluate the bedload discharge associated with these events. The use of scour chains has shown that the depth of the active layer is systematically less than the b‐axis of the average particle size (D₅₀) of the elements which compose the surface layer of the riffles. This indicates that only a partial transport exists during low magnitude floods. The bedload discharge has been evaluated by combining data obtained using the scour chains technique and the distance covered by tracers. Quantities of sediment transported during frequent floods are relatively low (0·02 t km^–2) due to the armour layer which protects the subsurface material. These low values are also related to the fact that the distance calculated for mobilized bedload only applies to tracers fitted with PIT (passive integrated transponder)‐tags (diameter > 20 mm), whereas part of the bedload discharge is composed of sand and fine gravel transported over greater distances than the pebbles. The break‐up of the armour layer was observed only once, for a decennial discharge. During this event, the bedload discharge increased considerably (2 t km^–2). The use of sediment traps, data from dredging and a Helley–Smith sampler confirm the low bedload transport in Ardennian rivers in comparison to the bedload transport in other geomorphological contexts. This difference is explained by the presence of an armoured layer but also by the imbricated structures of flat bed elements which increase the resistance to the flow. Finally, the use of the old iron industry wastes allowed to quantify the thickness of the bed reworked over the past centuries. In the Lembrée River, the river‐bed contains slag elements up to a depth of about 50 cm, indicating that exceptional floods may rework the bed to a considerable depth. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Growth of large-scale bed forms due to storm-driven and tidal currents: a model approach

An idealized morphodynamic model is used to gain further understanding about the formation and characteristics of shoreface-connected sand ridges and tidal sand banks on the continental shelf. The model consists of the 2D shallow water equations, supplemented with a sediment transport formulation and describes the initial feedback between currents and small amplitude bed forms. The behaviour of bed forms during both storm and fair weather conditions is analyzed. This is relevant in case of coastal seas characterized by tidal motion, where the latter causes continuous transport of sediment as bed load.The new aspects of this work are the incorporation of both steady and tidal currents (represented by an M₂ and M₄ component) in the external forcing, in combination with dominant suspended sediment transport during storms. The results indicate that the dynamics during storms and fair weather strongly differ, causing different types of bed forms to develop. Shoreface-connected sand ridges mainly form during storm conditions, whereas if fair weather conditions prevail the more offshore located tidal sand banks develop. Including the M₄ tide changes the properties of the bed forms, such as growth rates and migration speeds, due to tidal asymmetry. Finally a probabilistic formulation of the storm and fair weather realization of the model is used to find conditions for which both types of large-scale bed forms occur simultaneously. These conditions turn out to be a low storm fraction and the presence strong tidal currents in combination with strong steady currents during storms.     

Long-term evolution of sand waves in the Marsdiep inlet. II: Relation to hydrodynamics

A discussion is presented about the mechanisms that govern the spatial and seasonal variability in sand-wave height and migration speed in the 4 km wide Marsdiep tidal inlet, the Netherlands. Since 1998, current velocities and water depths have been recorded with an ADCP that is mounted under the ferry ‘Schulpengat’. In this paper, the current measurements were used to explain the sand-wave observations presented in Buijsman and Ridderinkhof [this issue. Long-term evolution of sand waves in the Marsdiep inlet. I: high-resolution observations. Continental Shelf Research, doi:10.1016/j.csr.2007.10.011]. Across nearly the entire inlet, the sand waves migrate in the flood direction. In the flood-dominated southern part of the inlet, the ‘measured’ (i.e. based on sand-wave shape and migration speed) and predicted bedload transport agree in direction, magnitude, and trends, whereas in the ebb-dominated northern part the predicted bedload and suspended load transport is opposite to the sand-wave migration. In the southern part, 55% of the bedload transport is due to tidal asymmetries and 45% due to residual currents. In addition to the well-known tidal asymmetries, asymmetries that arise from the interaction of _M2${\mathrm{M}}_2$ and its overtides with _S2${\mathrm{S}}_2$ and its compound tides are also important. It is hypothesised that in the northern part of the inlet the advection of suspended sand and lag effects govern the sand-wave migration. The relative importance of suspended load transport also explains why the sand waves have smaller lee-slope angles, are smaller, more rounded, and more three-dimensional in the northern half of the inlet. The sand waves in this part of the inlet feature the largest seasonal variability in height and migration speed. This seasonal variability may be attributed to the tides or a seasonal fluctuation in fall velocity. In both cases sediment transport is enhanced in winter, increasing sand-wave migration and decreasing sand-wave height. The influence of storms and estuarine circulation on the sand-wave variability is negligible.