Scour holes and ripples occur below the hydraulic smooth to rough transition of movable beds

Scour holes often form in shallow flows over sand on the beach and in morphodynamic scale experiments of river reaches, deltas and estuarine landscapes. The scour holes are on average 2 cm deep and 5 cm long, regardless of the flow depth and appear to occur under similar conditions as current ripples: at low boundary Reynolds numbers, in fine sand and under relatively low sediment mobility. In landscape experiments, where the flow is only about 1 cm deep, such scours may be unrealistically large and have unnatural effects on channel formation, bar pattern and stratigraphy. This study tests the hypotheses that both scours and ripples occur in the same conditions and that the roughness added by sediment saltation explains the difference between the ripple–dune transition and the clear‐water hydraulic smooth to rough transition. About 500 experiments are presented with a range of sediment types, sediment mobility and obstructions to provoke scour holes, or removal thereof to assess scour hole persistence. Most experiments confirm that ripples and scour holes both form in the ripple stability field in two different bedform stability diagrams. The experiments also show that scours can be provoked by perturbations even below generalized sediment motion. Moreover, the hydraulic smooth to rough transition modified with saltation roughness depending on sediment mobility was similar in magnitude and in slope to ripple–dune transitions. Given uncertainties in saltation relations, the smooth to rough transitions modified for movable beds are empirically equivalent to the ripple–dune transitions. These results are in agreement with the hypothesis that scours form by turbulence caused by localized flow separation under low boundary Reynolds numbers, and do not form under generalized flow separation over coarser particles and intense sediment saltation. Furthermore, this suggests that ripples are a superposition of two independent forms: periodic bedforms occurring in smooth and rough conditions plus aperiodic scours occurring only in hydraulic smooth conditions.     

淹没植物明渠床面冲淤及其对水流运动的影响

植物的存在改变了河流水动力特性,造成独特的床面冲淤态势。利用实验室水槽模拟含淹没植物的河道,对床面形态和紊流统计特性参数进行测量,研究不同类型紊流作用下的床面冲淤特征以及床面起伏对流动的影响。结果表明:床面剪切紊流条件下,床面形态为马蹄坑-沙沟/沙脊与沙波复合分布,床面变形加剧了流速沿水深不均匀分布并促进水流动量交换;在自由剪切混合层紊流条件下,床面形态为植物根部马蹄形冲坑及其后方沙沟、沙脊交错分布,床面变形对流动的影响并不显著;“类二重紊流”条件下,床面形态同样表现为马蹄坑-沙沟/沙脊-沙波复合,床面变形促进植物层内部的水流动量交换、抑制紊动清扫,抑制植物层外部的动量交换、促进紊动喷射。     

Aeolian granule ripple deposits, Namibia

Granule ripples are a common feature of most dunefields, yet they have seldom been recognized in ancient deposits. Although granule ripples are common in erosional settings, such as windward slopes of dunes, or scour surfaces in interdunes, they nevertheless migrate laterally and leave distinctive deposits that can be recognized in ancient rocks. These deposits have characteristics of ‘type B’sand sheet deposits, including: ‘poured-in’texture; curving ripple trough; tangential, coarse-grained foresets; irregular silty layers; well-sorted coarse and fine layers (either horizontal or within foresets); and fine layers in ripple troughs. Wind tunnel experiments suggest that under low-velocity wind conditions, granule ripples grow to a significant degree as parasites dependent on saltation of fine sand grains whose impact moves the larger grains of the granule ripple. Although the depositional surface of granule ripples is commonly coated with a layer of coarse grains, this is in most places only a few grains thick. Underlying deposits commonly have a poorly sorted, or ‘poured-in’texture. This texture results from an admixture of fine grains that fall among the spaces between the larger grains during deposition.     

Reflected sediment gravity flows and their deposits in flysch of Middle Dalmatia, Yugoslavia

The Eocene flysch of Middle Dalmatia comprises several beds that are interpreted to have been deposited from reflected sediment gravity flows. Their compositions are similar and two bed types are differentiated: complex beds that are debrite-plus-turbidite couplets, and turbidites. The sequence alternations in the turbidite part of the bed, opposing ripples within the same bed, and opposite flow directions indicated by flutes and ripples are indicative of flow reflections. The influence of seiches is suggested by the occurrence of symmetrical (oscillation) ripples. The palaeotransport directions of reflected flows show wide dispersal. A geometry of small, fault-controlled sub-basins with centripetal palaeotransport patterns is proposed.     

Geologic implications and potential hazards of scour depressions on bering shelf,Alaska

Flat-bottomed depression 50–150 m in diameter and 60–80 cm deep occur in the floor of Norton Sound, Bering Sea. These large erosional bedforms and associated current ripples are found in areas where sediment grain size is 0.063–0.044 mm (4–4.5 φ), speeds of bottom currents are greatest (20–30 cm/s mean speeds under nonstorm conditions, 70 cm/s during typical storms), circulation of water is constricted by major topographic shoals (kilometers in scale), and small-scale topographic disruptions, such as ice gouges, occur locally on slopes of shoals. These local obstructions on shoals appear to disrupt currents, causing separation of flow and generating eddies that produce large-scale scour. Offshore artificial structures also may disrupt bottom currents in these same areas and have the potential to generate turbulence and induce extensive scour in the area of disrupted flow. The size and character of natural scour depressions in areas of ice gouging suggest that large-scale regions of scour may develop from enlargement of local scour sites around pilings, platforms, or pipelines. Consequently, loss of substrate support for pipelines and gravity structures is possible during frequent autumn storms.     

Ripple marks in intertidal Lower Bhander Sandstone (late Proterozoic), Central India: A morphological analysis

The late Proterozoic, intertidal Lower Bhander Sandstone (Bhander Group, Vindhyan Supergroup) developed around Maihar, central India, is characterized by alternations of sandstone and shale in different scales and shows profuse ripple marks of widely varying morphology. Visual examination of their external morphology led to the identification of wave ripple, current ripple and others of intermediate character.Standard deviation and average of ripple spacing and height of symmetrical and assymmetrical ripples show genetically significant differences analogous to those obtained by Harms (1969) for wave- and current-generated ripples. Different dimensionless parameters, e.g., R.I., R.S.I., S.I., etc., processed separately for the two types of ripples, show a wide variation in their range which encompasses the total spectrum of values stipulated for wave and current ripples. However, the frequency of any particular genetic type of ripple differs widely when analysed in terms of different dimensionless parameters. Several scatter plots, prepared after Tanner (1967) also indicate the presence of various genetic types of ripples, but there are ripples for which results remain inconclusive. Furthermore, scatter plots involving the vertical form index (ripple length/ripple height) and median grain size of a few asymmetrical ripples, following Reineck and Wunderlich (1968a), led to the discrimination between current ripple and wave ripple and the distinction is grossly consistent with the results obtained by other means.Ripple spacing, ripple index and grain-size data of a few representative samples of ripples of possible wave origin, analysed after Tanner (1971) and Allen (1979) indicate that they were generated in a shallow basin with restricted fetch.Internally, the ripples, irrespective of their symmetry, are often characterized by unidirectional bundles of foresets consisting of rhythmically alternating sand and mud laminae. The sets of cross-laminae may be complexly organized with planar or curved erosional boundaries separating them. In many instances internal structures typical of wave ripples are also noted.Inconsistencies, however, exist between the results obtained by application of different criteria in interpretation of these ripple marks. The limitations in applicability of     

西湖凹陷古近系花港组风暴沉积研究

通过岩心观察,发现花港组典型的风暴沉积构造主要包括风暴侵蚀形成的渠模、冲刷沟槽、冲刷面,风暴涡流形成的撕扯构造、菊花状构造,风暴重力流形成的粒序层理,风暴浪形成的丘状交错层理、浪成沙纹层理、平行层理,同生变形构造及生物逃逸构造.运用岩石相组合分析的方法,发现花港组风暴垂向沉积序列发育不完整.其理想的序列由A~G共7段构成。根据花港组垂向沉积序列类型、沉积构造特点总结出了A+B+G、A+B+C、A+B+D、B+C+D、C+E+G、E+F+G等6种风暴沉积序列和原地风暴岩、近源风暴岩和远源风暴岩3种风暴岩类型.     

A small cliff-bound estuarine environment: Sandyhaven Pill in South Wales

Sandyhaven Pill is a ‘drowned valley’ type of estuary. Thus the deposits differ from most other described estuarine deposits which are of ‘tidally influenced river’ type. The surface sediments may be divided broadly into wave-dominated deposits (22% of area), tide-dominated deposits (65%), deposits related to marginal cliff collapse (12%) and river-dominated deposits (1%). Further subdivision shows that the subenvironments are nested in a progression up the estuary with trends to finer sediment size, reduced sorting and increased biogenic activity. The latter relates to a marine to estuarine faunal change and a strong relationship between the distributions of biota and depositional subenvironments. Over a 29 day period, reduction in wave height was reflected in wave-dominated areas by shoreward movement of some subenvironment boundaries and by improved definition of symmetrical ripples. The tidal cycle had only a limited effect on the tide-dominated sediments. The most reliable indicators of estuary trend are channels and asymmetrical ripples; but coring shows that ripples and other minor structures are rarely preserved. Heavy mineral analysis indicates that most of the estuarine sand came from offshore. Gradual sediment build-up will result in a regressive sequence. If this were preserved under a later transgression, the resultant deposit would be an elongate sediment body bounded laterally by a coarse marginal facies. The sediment sequence would be inward and upward fining with diachronous facies boundaries sloping upwards towards the offshore end and towards the axis of the body.     

A wave‐dominated,tide‐modulated model for the Lower Ordovician of the Anti‐Atlas,Morocco

Hybrid depositional systems are created by the interaction of two or more hydrodynamic processes that control facies distribution and their characteristics in terms of sedimentary structures and depositional geometry. The interaction of wave and tide both in the geological sedimentary record and modern environments has been rarely described in the literature. Mixed coastal environments are identified by the evidence of wave and tidal structures and are well identified in nearshore environments, while their recognition in lower shoreface–offshore environments lacks direct information from modern settings. Detailed field analyses of 10 stratigraphic sections of the Lower Ordovician succession (Fezouata and Zini formations; Anti‐Atlas, Morocco) have allowed the definition of 14 facies, all grouped in four facies zones belonging to a storm‐dominated, wave‐dominated sedimentary siliciclastic system characterized by symmetrical ripples of various scales. Peculiar sedimentary organization and sedimentary structures are observed: (i) cyclical changes in size of sedimentary structures under fair‐weather or storm‐weather conditions; (ii) decimetre‐deep erosional surfaces in swaley cross‐stratifications; (iii) deep internal erosion within storm deposits; (iv) discontinuous sandstone layers in most depositional environments, and common deposition of sandstones with a limited lateral extension, interpreted to indicate that deposition at all scales (metric to kilometric) is discontinuous; (v) combined flow–oscillation ripples showing aggrading–prograding internal structures alternating with purely aggrading wave ripples; and (vi) foreshore environments characterized by alternating phases of deposition of parallel stratifications, small‐scale and large‐scale ripples and tens of metres‐wide reactivation surfaces. These characteristics of deposition suggest that wave intensity during storm‐weather or fair‐weather conditions was continuously modulated by another controlling factor of the sedimentation: the tide. However, tidal structures are not recognized, because they were probably not preserved due to dominant action of storms and waves. A model of deposition is provided for this wave‐dominated, tide‐modulated sedimentary system recording proximal offshore to intertidal–foreshore environments, but lacking diagnostic tidal structures.     

浙江桐庐晚奥陶世晚期沉积层序和沉积环境分析

文昌组上段顶部是一套潮汐层理非常发育的泥质砂岩或砂质泥岩,存在双向交错层理,层面有雨痕,应为潮坪沉积。潮坪沉积由小型层序构成,小型层序又是由砂、泥质单层组成。砂质单层底部通常为岩性突变面或侵蚀面,砂质纹层较厚,其中可见对称波痕或泥砾;向上砂质纹层变薄,过渡到泥质单层。砂质单层形成于暴风浪时期,泥质单层是风浪衰减后恢复正常的潮汐沉积。因此,小型层序从成因上说是一风暴层序。碎屑成份、砾石成份分析表明沉积物均来自华夏古陆的沉积岩和变质岩基底。物源一致,岩层产状变化不大,反映文昌组沉积环境稳定。岩性、粒度分析表明文昌组是一向上变细、由浅海高能环境向近岸低能环境过渡的沉积层序。文昌组下段为浅海砂岩沉积,上段顶部为潮坪沉积。二者之间是一套夹砾岩透镜体的泥质粉细砂岩,其沉积环境应介于浅海和滨岸之间,为水下岸坡沉积。砾岩层只是大的沉积旋回中出现的事件性水下冲积物。     

Size—frequency distribution of longitudinal dune rippled flank sands compared to that of slipface sands of various dune types

Rippled flanks of longitudinal dunes and the slip faces of various dune types can be distinguished granulometrically by comparing the top to bottom trend of changes of sorting in the sand population of each individual slope. Flank sands, which are prone to sorting processes through migration of ripples alongslope, are always better sorted upslope whereas slipface sands, which are controlled by avalanche and grainfall of sands, become better sorted downslope. Considering the absolute values of the bottom samples, the sands of the slip faces are both better sorted and the size distribution more symmetrical than those of the rippled flanks. Applying this approach in investigating ancient sediments could improve palaeogeographical interpretations.     

堆石矮堰清水冲刷历时发展特性

堆石矮堰是常用的"生态友好型"河道整治建筑物。水流经过堆石矮堰会在其周围产生冲刷, 威胁其结构安全。为了提高堆石矮堰清水冲刷尺度的预测精度, 基于室内水槽试验研究了堆石矮堰清水冲刷的历时发展特性, 分析了水流强度、矮堰淹没度和矮堰透水性对冲刷尺度发展过程的影响。结果表明: 清水冲刷条件下, 堆石矮堰下游冲刷坑在试验初期发展迅速, 随后逐渐变缓; 在冲刷发展的任一时刻, 冲刷深度和冲刷长度随水流强度的增大而增加, 随矮堰淹没度的增大而减少, 矮堰透水性的增大使冲刷长度增加, 使冲刷深度减少; 随着冲刷的发展, 冲刷坑纵剖面形态逐渐收敛, 其面积与冲刷深度和冲刷长度的乘积线性正相关。基于理论分析和试验数据, 提出了堆石矮堰历时清水冲刷深度、长度、体积的计算公式, 可用于指导堆石矮堰冲刷设计。     

A flume study on the development and equilibrium morphology of current ripples in very fine sand

An empirical model is constructed for the development and equilibrium dimensions of small scale, unidirectional bedforms in sand with a median grain size of 0·095 mm, based on a series of steady flow experiments in a flume. Current ripples always attain a linguoid plan morphology with constant average height (13·1 mm) and wavelength (115·7 mm), provided that sufficient time is allowed for their formation. The development pattern of these ripples on a flat bed is independent of flow velocity, and involves four stages: (1) incipient ripples; (2) straight and sinuous ripples; (3) non-equilibrium linguoid ripples, and (4) equilibrium linguoid ripples. Straight and sinuous ripples are non-equilibrium bedforms at all flow velocities. The time needed to reach equilibrium dimensions is related to the inverse power of flow velocity and ranges from several minutes to more than hundreds of hours. At flow velocities where washed ripples are stable, the equilibrium wavelength is similar to that of equilibrium linguoid ripples, but the equilibrium height rapidly decreases from 13·1 mm to zero towards upper stage plane bed conditions. The results of the flume experiments correspond reasonably well with those of previous studies, provided that various complicating factors, such as different experimental methods, different sediment characteristics, shallow flow depths and non-equilibrium runs, are accounted for.     

Modern observations of floccule ripples: Petitcodiac River estuary,New Brunswick,Canada

Mud floccule ripples, small mud rip‐up clasts, erosional scars and tool marks are reported for the first time from the macrotidal Petitcodiac River estuary, New Brunswick, Canada. The ripples occur on the intertidal flats and are ebb‐oriented. Observations have been conducted during the spring low tide at high‐river and low‐river discharge. Floccule ripples forming during the high‐river flow are characterized by increased silt fraction, low relief and sinuous to lunate form. The ripples forming during the low flow are clay‐dominated, have very low relief and are characterized by narrow straight ridges and patchy distribution. The preserved mud floccule ripples manifest in interbedded silt‐rich and clay‐rich deposits with parallel, wavy, lenticular and current‐ripple lamination. Presented floccule ripples are current‐generated, non‐episodic in nature and are sedimentologically characterized. The ripple origin is constrained by morphometric and grain‐size analyses, and observed hydraulic processes. It is confirmed that mud floccule ripples originate under a similar range of hydraulic parameters as documented in previous flume studies. This study confirms application of work conducted in recent decades on mud‐dominated marginal‐marine environments and helps with understanding of properties and distribution of fine‐grained sediments in tidally influenced settings.     

局部冲刷对风机支撑系统承载性能的影响

海上风力发电作为一种绿色能源越来越受到重视,单桩基础局部冲刷的研究受到广泛关注。建立了不同冲刷深度的海上风机系统模型,对各模型进行静力、动力分析。结果与前人冲刷模型试验吻合,随着桩基冲刷深度的增大,支撑系统的最大水平位移、最大水平应力和最大弯矩值逐渐增加。冲刷深度为两倍桩径时,最大水平位移、应力及弯矩分别比无冲刷条件下增加了3.61%、12.7%、10.3%。风机系统的自振频率随冲刷深度的增加而降低,高阶频率更易受影响。桩基冲刷对风机系统的动力特性有显著影响,塔顶水平位移时程曲线随冲刷深度不断上移。海上风机设计时必须考虑冲刷对支撑系统承载性能的影响。     

山东惠民凹陷古近系风暴岩沉积特征及沉积模式

利用钻井取心、薄片鉴定、粒度分析及测井解释等资料和手段,对惠民凹陷古近系风暴岩进行研究。结果表明,该凹陷风暴岩岩石类型丰富,包括各类碎屑岩、生物灰岩和火山碎屑岩。粒度分布具有“高斜多跳一悬式”、多段式和高斜一段式等多种样式。沉积构造也反映出重力流和牵引流兼有的水动力机制,发育渠模、冲刷面和截切构造等底层面侵蚀构造,递变层理、块状层理、丘状层理、洼状层理、平行层理等层理构造,波痕和各种同生变形构造、生物逃逸构造等。研究区风暴岩理想的垂向层序从下至上可抽象为“似鲍玛序列”:Sa递变层理段,Sb较大型浪成交错层理段,Sc平行层理段和丘状交错层理粉砂—细砂岩段,Sd波状纹层段,Se泥岩段和Sf正常半深湖泥页岩段。主要根据风暴岩的垂向序列类型、沉积构造特点和原地沉积物特征等总结出九种风暴岩序列和原地风暴岩、A型近源风暴岩、B型近源风暴岩和远源风暴岩等四种风暴岩沉积模式。     

复合筒型风电基础单向流局部冲刷试验研究

复合筒型基础是一种新型的宽浅式海上风电基础,相对于桩基础等深基础,复合筒型基础周围地基的冲刷破坏对风机结构体系安全性的影响更加明显,因此,研究海流作用下复合筒型基础的冲刷特性很有必要。针对某工程实例,建设了冲刷试验场地,布置了典型测点,为复合筒型基础冲刷试验奠定了基础;采用系列比尺模型的方法,分别选取1:20、1:40、1:70三种比尺的模型,对海上风电复合筒型基础样机周围粉砂质海床的冲刷情况进行了试验研究;分析了各组试验冲刷平衡时间、模型周围冲刷坑的范围、最大冲刷深度,并且依据系列比尺模型试验原理计算出了实际工程中的冲刷深度。通过试验研究给出了实际工程复合筒型基础的最大冲刷深度,明确了单向流作用下复合筒型基础周围地基局部冲刷特性,填补了复合筒型基础冲刷试验研究的空白,为复合筒型基础的工程应用提供了指导。     

北祁连志留系复理石的再探讨

本文通过对北祁连冰沟和肃南两地下志留统复理石的研究．认为它们都是深海系的浊流沉积，包括了盆地平原、外扇、中扇和内扇等不同环境。其中夹有多层砾岩，但它们不代表海水变浅或滨海环境，而是深海扇中的海底峡谷沉积。最后，本文进而讨论了有关的古地理面貌和古构造格局。     

Probability of scour depth exceedance owing to hydrologic uncertainty

The average risk of a bridge over water in the USA collapsing from scour during its 75 years design life is estimated at 3.7×10^?3. This risk makes scour of foundations the number one cause of bridge collapse and 3 times larger than the next cause of bridge collapse, which is collisions. The current paper presents a site specific method to estimate the probability that a certain scour depth will be exceeded during the life of a bridge. The methodology is limited to some uncertainties associated with the randomness of hydrologic conditions. It does not include uncertainties associated with other input parameters, such as geometry and soil erodibility or uncertainties associated with the scour prediction model. The SRICOS–EFA method is used as the reference method to predict the scour depth. This method requires three inputs: the hydraulic parameters (e.g. velocity hydrograph), the geometry parameters (e.g. pier size) and the soil erodibility parameters (e.g. erosion function). The input is used together with the program to generate the scour depth versus time over the period of interest. The final scour depth is that reached at the end of the specified period. This paper proposes a probabilistic framework to present the final scour depth as a cumulative density function. The cumulative density function of the flow is sampled randomly to give a future hydrograph, which has the same mean and standard deviation as the original hydrograph. For this synthetic hydrograph a final scour depth is obtained by using SRICOS–EFA. Thousands of equally likely hydrographs are generated and the corresponding final scour depths are organized in a distribution. That final scour depth distribution gives the probability that a chosen scour depth will be exceeded.     

Response of sand ripples to change in oscillatory flow

Ripples take time to evolve to a new equilibrium state in response to a change in wave-generated oscillatory flow. The paper presents results from flow tunnel experiments designed to examine oscillatory flow transient ripple processes under controlled, full-scale laboratory conditions. The experiments include study of the growth of ripples from flat bed and the evolution of existing ripples to new equilibrium ripples in response to a step change in the flow. In general, ripples evolve through a combination of two main processes: (i) from a flat bed or from a bed consisting of ripples that are smaller than the equilibrium ripples through a combination of 'slide' and 'merge'; (ii) from a bed consisting of ripples that are larger than the equilibrium ripples through a combination of 'split' and 'merge'. The experimental results show that equilibrium ripple geometry is independent of initial bed morphology while the time to reach equilibrium is largely independent of the initial bed and the equilibrium ripple size. The time to reach equilibrium depends strongly on the mobility number, and a new empirical equation relating mobility number and the number of flow cycles to equilibrium is proposed. This equation is combined with a simple exponential function for ripple height growth or decay to produce a new empirical model for ripple height evolution, which gives a reasonably good overall agreement with the measurements. The model is based on experiments involving one sediment size only and further work is needed to develop the model for other sand sizes.