In-situ investigation on real-time suspended sediment measurement techniques: Turbidimetry,acoustic attenuation,laser diffraction (LISST) and vibrating tube densimetry

Real-time measurements of Suspended Sediment mass Concentration(SSC) and Particle Size Distribution(PSD) are of prime importance for the investigation and management of fine-sediment related processes in surface water systems and hydraulic schemes. In a field study at the waterway of the hydropower plant(HPP) Fieschertal in the Swiss Alps, the real-time measurement performance of the following techniques and instruments were assessed based on measurements in the sediment seasons of the years 2013 and 2014:(1) turbidimetry,(2) single-frequency acoustic attenuation using a standard acoustic discharge measurement(ADM) installation,(3) laser diffraction(Laser In-Situ Scattering and Transmissometry, LISST), and(4) vibrating tube densimetry using a Coriolis Flow and Density Meter(CFDM).Reference SSCs were obtained from gravimetric analysis of 219 automatically pumped water samples.LISST additionally supplied PSD every minute. The median particle diameter, d_(50), was usually 15μm and increased occasionally to 100μm. The turbidimeter and the ADM underestimated the SSC when the transported particles were coarser than usual. Such temporary biases resulted from the poor correlation between d_(50) and SSC at this study site. The SSCs from CFDM and LISST were not or less biased by PSD variations. Mainly due to angular and flaky particle shapes, SSC from LISST needed a correction by 79% on average. With the usually prevailing silt particles, an optical path length of 5 mm and no dilution, the SSC measurement range of LISST was limited to about 1.5 g/l. The CFDM allowed measuring higher SSC than the other investigated instruments(e.g. up to 13.5 g/l). With a periodic offset correction, its relative SSC measurement uncertainty was 20% for SSC≥ 1.5 g/I. To reliably measure a wide range of SSC with temporarily variable PSD, a combination of instruments is recommended: e.g. a standard LISST, a CFDM,and an automatic water sampler for gravimetric reference measurements.     

Estimating instantaneous concentration of suspended sediment using acoustic backscatter from an ADV

The measurement of instantaneous sediment concentration remains a challenging task. In this study, a three-step procedure is proposed to estimate instantaneous sediment concentration using acoustic backscatter from Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV). The influences of acoustic noise and particle diameter on an ADV's performance was first tested in the laboratory, then the three-step procedure was verified based on field measurements in the Zhongxian and Fengjie reaches in the Three Gorges Reservoir. The first step involves reconstructing the backscatter signal time series. Due to contamination from both the noise floor and spurious spikes, the denoising-despiking method was applied instead of the traditional velocity-despiking methods, and this approach performed well based on spectrum ana-lysis. The second step involves calibrating the sediment concentration against the backscatter signal. A linear relation, whose slope and intercept were calibrated to be dependent on particle diameter, is proposed in double logarithmic coordinates. The third step involves calculating the instantaneous sediment concentration using reconstructed instantaneous backscatter based on the proposed relation. The accuracy of the proposed method was evaluated through consideration of the concentration spec-trum and sediment flux, indicating that the proposed three-step procedure is effective for the mea-surement of instantaneous sediment concentration.     

Measurements of coupled fluid and sediment motion over mobile sand dunes in a laboratory flume

The relationship between turbulent fluid motions and sediment particle motions over mobile sand dunes was investigated by using a laser Doppler velocimeter and an acoustic backscatter system in laboratory experiments performed at the USDA-ARS-National Sedimentation Laboratory. Profiles of acoustic backscatter from particles and at-a-point turbulence data were collected while translating both measurement devices downstream at the speed of mobile dune bedforms. The resulting data set was used to examine the frequency （recurrence frequency） at which the fluctuating backscatter and fluid velocity signals exceeded magnitude thresholds based on the standard deviation （σ） of the local velocity and the magnitude the acoustic signal resulting from backscatter from suspended particles. The slope of the downstream and vertical velocity recurrence frequencies generally indicated a gradually increasing recurrence time with increasing elevation. The recurrence frequency for acoustic backscatter data was not strongly variable with elevation. The closest correspondence between the recurrence frequencies of sediment backscatter and vertical velocities at the 1σ magnitude threshold was in a region defined by X/L〈0.4 and y〈6 cm. The downstream velocity was most closely related to backscatter in a small region at 0.4〈X/L〈0.8 and less than 3-4 cm from the bed.     

Particle size analysis of the sediment suspended in a proglacial stream: Glacier De tsidjiore Nouve,Switzerland

Hourly, at-a-point samples of suspended sediment taken from the outflow stream of Glacier de Tsidjiore Nouve, Switzerland, over a 60 day sampling period (n = 1440) are shown to be dominantly composed of silt-sized particles. Particle size, SEM, and XRD analyses indicate a subglacial provenance for the suspended sediment. Temporal variations in particle size and sorting correspond poorly to fluctuations in water discharge, being dominated by erratic hour-to-hour fluctuations and clockwise hysteresis over diurnal flow events. Examination of grain size and sorting dynamics over snowmelt- and icemelt-related ablation events, during precipitation events, and during glacier drainage events enables some inferences to be drawn regarding sediment source areas and supply regimes. We conclude that although the bulk of the suspended sediment in the proglacial stream of Glacier de Tsidjiore Nouve is derived directly from subglacial sources (with occasional contributions from the valley train during rapid snowmelt and heavy rainfall periods), a portion of the suspended load undergoes intermittent ‘flush-fall’ transfer through the proglacial zone, which acts as a sediment source during rising flows and as a sink during periods of waning flow.     

三峡水库区间来沙量估算及水库排沙效果分析

三峡水库是控制和开发长江的重要工程,具有巨大的防洪、发电、航运等综合效益.水库排沙比是反映水库拦截泥沙程度的重要指标.针对目前三峡水库排沙比计算没有考虑三峡水库区间来沙,结果偏大的问题,依据三峡水库区间水文站2003-2016年实测水文资料,采用水文学法估算了三峡水库区间月、年入库输沙量,分析了三峡水库排沙效果及主要影响因素.结果表明：1）三峡水库区间年均来沙量约1775×10⁴ t,占总入库沙量的10.3%,近年来沙占比有所增大,其中2013-2016年来沙量占总入库沙量的26.9%;2）三峡水库年均排沙比为21.6%,其中围堰蓄水期为34.1%,初期蓄水期为17.0%,试验性蓄水期为15.4%;3）三峡水库采用"蓄清排浑"方式运行,主汛期7-9月的排沙比一般大于枯季,但2013年以后,出现了主汛期排沙比小于枯季的现象;4）入库细颗粒泥沙的排沙比大于粗颗粒泥沙,其中粒径d ≤ 0.062 mm的细颗粒泥沙排沙比为23.4%,0.062 mm0.125 mm的中粗沙排沙比分别为5.5%和11.1%;5）三峡水库排沙比汛期主要受V/Q影响,枯季主要受入库含沙量的影响;当V/Q约为170×10⁴ s时,水库排沙效果最差;分别建立了汛期和枯季排沙比经验计算式.本文的研究成果可为三峡水库水沙优化调度等提供参考.     

Further discussion on the intercomparison of the trace metal concentrations and particle size of fluvial sediment recovered from two centrifuge systems

A single large volume water sample taken at the mouth of the Upper Rhone River on Lake Geneva was processed directly in parallel through two continuous flow centrifuges, a Westphalia and an Alfa-Laval. Sediment was recovered from the Westphalia, and separately from the bowl and brass core of the Alfa-Laval. The three sediment samples were analyzed for particle size and the following elements: Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, P, Co, B, V, Be, Sr, Na, Pb, Ni, Ba, Fe, Ca, and Mg. Results indicate that the particle size recovery of both machines is similar when sediment from the brass core and bowl of the Alfa-Laval are combined, and that the recovery for all elements other than Cu, V, B, and Pb are the same when the particle size differences are taken into account. Sediment from the Alfa-Laval brass core is clearly contaminated by Cu, B and is also elevated in V and Pb but not to a significant extent. The sediment recovered from the bowl of the Alfa-Laval is contaminated only with Cu, with a 10 ppm increase over the 52 ppm recovered in the Westphalia sediment. Operating procedures involve the discarding of the brass core sediment and the mixing of the Alfa-Laval bowl sediment with that from the Westphalia. The consequent increase in Cu is estimated at less than 5 ppm or within the confidence level of the analysis. These procedures are recommended to all operators of non modified Alfa-Laval units.     

Turbidity and suspended solids variations downstream of a regulating reservoir

A controlled reservoir release from Llyn Celyn to the Afon Tryweryn, Wales, U.K., has been used to study suspended load and turbidity variations. Turbidity was monitored continuously at two sites and 235 suspended solids samples were obtained at these and three additional sites during the passage of the release wave. The results are compared with data for a natural tributary flood event. The reservoir release data relate to sediment source depletion and reflects changing sources along the channel. Close to the dam, fine organic matter dominates the seston which scanning electron microscopy revealed to be predominantly allochthonous organic matter, with algal fragments and inorganic diatom frustules, derived from the periphyton of the channel bed. Coulter Counter analysis showed the seston to be relatively coarse with a median particle-size of 20 μm. Within 3 km of the dam, however, minerogenic particles dominate the sediment load of which more than 90 per cent is finer than 10 μm. This represents the flushing of channel-bed accumulations derived from tributary sources. The relationships between suspended sediment concentration and turbidity during the release are characterized by a marked, anticlockwise hysteresis. This contrasts with the clockwise hysteresis for the tributary flood event, but the different relationships cannot be explained by particle-size variations alone; seston composition also appears to be an important control.     

Sources of suspended and deposited sediment in a broadland river

Increasing rates of bank erosion and sediment deposition have been reported from the Norfolk Broads since the early 19th century. The major sources of both suspended and deposited sediment in the rivers and Broads is quantified using sediment mineralogy, identified by X-ray diffraction. This indicates that higher proportions of bank derived sediment are present in suspension in the waterway during the summer months, due primarily to bank erosion by motor craft. Dated sediment cores show how the sources of inorganic sediment have changed over time. Whilst in the past upland catchment sources dominated, at present material is mainly derived from river bank material.     

An improved method for evaluating the seasonal variability of total suspended sediment flux field in the Yellow and East China Seas

The suspended sediment flux field in the Yellow and East China Seas(YECS) displays its seasonal variability.A new method is introduced in this paper to obtain the flux field via retrieval of ocean color remote sensing data,statistical analysis of historical suspended sediment concentration data,and numerical simulation of three-dimensional(3D) flow velocity.The components of the sediment flux field include(i) surface suspended sediment concentration inverted from ocean color remote sensing data;(ii) vertical distribution of suspended sediment concentration obtained by statistical analysis of historical observation data;and(iii) 3D flow field modeled by a numerical simulation.With the improved method,the 3D suspended sediment flux field in the YECS has been illustrated.By comparison with the suspended sediment flux field solely based on the numerical simulation of a suspended sediment transport model,the suspended sediment flux field obtained by the improved method is found to be more reliable.The 3D suspended sediment flux field from ocean colour remote sensing and in situ observation are more closer to the reality.Furthermore,by quantitatively analyzing the newly obtained suspended sediment flux field,the quantity of sediment erosion and deposition within the different regions can be evaluated.The sediment exchange between the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea can be evident.The mechanism of suspended sediment transport in the YECS can be better understood.In particular,it is suggested that the long-term transport of suspended sediment is controlled mainly by the circulation pattern,especially the current in winter.     

Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of a sediment transport model: a global approach

Computerized sediment transport models are frequently employed to quantitatively simulate the movement of sediment materials in rivers. In spite of the deterministic nature of the models, the outputs are subject to uncertainty due to the inherent variability of many input parameters in time and in space, along with the lack of complete understanding of the involved processes. The commonly used first-order method for sensitivity and uncertainty analyses is to approximate a model by linear expansion at a selected point. Conclusions from the first-order method could be of limited use if the model responses drastically vary at different points in parameter space. To obtain the global sensitivity and uncertainty features of a sediment transport model over a larger input parameter space, the Latin hypercubic sampling technique along with regression procedures were employed. For the purpose of illustrating the methodologies, the computer model HEC2-SR was selected in this study. Through an example application, the results about the parameters sensitivity and uncertainty of water surface, bed elevation and sediment discharge were discussed.