The dimensions of sand ripples in full-scale oscillatory flows

New large-scale experiments have been carried out in two oscillatory flow tunnels to study ripple regime sand suspension and net sand transport processes in full-scale oscillatory flows. The paper focuses on ripple dimensions and the new data are combined with existing data to make a large dataset of ripple heights and lengths for flows with field-scale amplitudes and periods. A feature of the new experiments is a focus on the effect of flow irregularity. The combined dataset is analysed to examine the range of hydraulic conditions under which oscillatory flow ripples occur, to examine the effects of flow irregularity and ripple three-dimensionality on ripple dimensions and to test and improve existing methods for predicting ripple dimensions.The following are the main conclusions. (1) The highest velocities in a flow time-series play an important role in determining the type of bedform occurring in oscillatory flow. Bedform regime is well characterised by mobility number based on maximum velocity in the case of regular flow and based on the mean of the highest one tenth peak velocities in the case of irregular flow. (2) For field-scale flows, sand size is the primary factor determining whether equilibrium ripples will be 2D or 3D. 2D ripples occur when the sand D₅₀ ≥ 0.30 mm and 3D ripples occur when D₅₀ ≤ 0.22 mm (except when the flow orbital diameter is low). (3) Ripple type (2D or 3D) is the same for regular and irregular flows and ripple dimensions produced by equivalent regular and irregular flows follow a similar functional dependence on mobility number, with mobility number based on maximum velocity in the case of regular flow and based on the mean of the highest one tenth velocities in the case of irregular flow. For much of the ripple regime, ripple dimensions have weak dependency on mobility number and ripple dimensions are similar for regular and irregular flows with the same flow orbital amplitude. However, differences in ripples produced by equivalent regular and irregular flows become significant at the high mobility end of the ripple regime. (4) Ripple dimensions predicted using the Wiberg and Harris formulae are in poor agreement with measured ripple dimensions from the large-scale experiments. Predictions based on the Mogridge et al. and the Nielsen formulae show better overall agreement with the data but also show systematic differences in cases of 3D ripples and ripples generated by irregular flows. (5) Based on the combined large-scale data, modifications to the Nielsen ripple dimension equations are proposed for the heights and lengths of 2D ripples. The same equations apply to regular and irregular flows, but with mobility number appropriately defined. 3D ripples are generally smaller than 2D ripples and estimates of 3D ripple height and length may be obtained by applying multipliers of 0.55 and 0.73 respectively to the 2D formulae. The proposed modified Nielsen formulae provide an improved fit to the large-scale data, accounting for flow irregularity and ripple three-dimensionality.     

Examination of empirical formulas for wave shoaling and breaking on steep slopes

Estimation of the wave height transformation of shoaling and breaking is essential for the nearshore hydrodynamics and the design of coastal structures. Many empirical formulas have been well recognized to the wave height transformation, but most of them were only applicable for gentle slopes. This paper reports the experimental results of wave shoaling and breaking over the steep slopes to examine the applicability of the previous empirical formulas. Two steep bottom slopes of 1/3 and 1/5, and one gentle slope of 1/10 were conducted in the present experiments. Experimental results show that the shoaling distance of steep slopes become short and the surface waves may be partially reflected from the steep bottom, thus the estimation of wave shoaling using the well-known previous formula did not conform completely to the experimental results. The previous empirical formulas for the wave breaking criteria were also examined, and the modified equations to the steep beaches were proposed in this work. A numerical model was finally adopted to calculate the wave height transformation in the surf zone by introducing the modified breaking index.     

The nonlinear hydrodynamic model for simulating a ship steering in waves with autopilot system

In the paper, a hydrodynamic numerical model including wave effect is developed to simulate ship autopilot systems by using the time domain analysis. The PD controller and the sliding mode controller are adopted as the autopilot systems. The differences of simulation results between two controllers are analyzed by cost function composed of heading angle error and rudder deflection, either in calm water or in waves. The results in calm water show that both controllers are tracking well for the desired route with the similar cost function value by tuning the key design parameters. However, the course tracking ability of the controller using sliding mode in waves is generally better even the cost function value is similar.     

Analysis of seabed instability using element free Galerkin method

Wave-induced seabed instability, either momentary liquefaction or shear failure, is an important topic in ocean and coastal engineering. Many factors, such as seabed properties and wave parameters, affect the seabed instability. A non-dimensional parameter is proposed in this paper to evaluate the occurrence of momentary liquefaction. This parameter includes the properties of the soil and the wave. The determination of the wave-induced liquefaction depth is also suggested based on this non-dimensional parameter. As an example, a two-dimensional seabed with finite thickness is numerically treated with the EFGM meshless method developed early for wave-induced seabed responses. Parametric study is carried out to investigate the effect of wavelength, compressibility of pore fluid, permeability and stiffness of porous media, and variable stiffness with depth on the seabed response with three criteria for liquefaction. It is found that this non-dimensional parameter is a good index for identifying the momentary liquefaction qualitatively, and the criterion of liquefaction with seepage force can be used to predict the deepest liquefaction depth.     

Microcoleus autumnalis and filamentous algae-dominated mats and chlorophyll-a increase with agricultural land use but respond differently to associated nutrient and sediment enrichment

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the impact of pastoral land use and nutrient and fine sediment inputs on Microcoleus autumnalis and filamentous algae-dominated mats, and benthic chlorophyll-a in streams (lower North Island, New Zealand). Surveying and sampling was undertaken monthly at 61 sites spanning a wide gradient in catchment cover and environmental conditions. Two boosted regression tree models were built. The first models included pastoral land cover and five environmental variables as predictors. In the second model pastoral land cover was replaced by nutrient/sediment data. The abundance of the two mat types and chlorophyll-a increased when pastoral land cover was between 20% and 70% (model 1). Replacement of pastoral land cover by nutrient/sediment data (model 2) slightly improved the model fit for all three periphyton variables. Microcoleus autumnalis-dominant mats increased with dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations up to ca. 0.6?mg?L^?1, and in streams with more frequent flushes. In contrast, filamentous algal-dominated mats increased with turbidity, and in streams with less frequent flushes. Chlorophyll-a generally followed the response of the dominant periphyton type. Increased knowledge on responses of specific periphyton types, rather than total biomass, to environmental variables is essential to guide effective management strategies.     

海浪周期关系的研究

本文利用现场观测数据、实验室风浪槽观测数据和由文氏谱及JONSWAP谱生成的模拟数据,研究了有效周期与谱平均周期、谱峰周期与谱平均周期以及有效周期与谱峰周期的关系,通过数据拟合给出了相应的关系式.研究发现,有效周期与由谱的负阶矩计算的平均周期之间的关系更加稳定,并且有效周期与负2阶矩计算的平均周期几乎相等,均代表了海浪主导波对海浪平均周期的贡献.     

Wave reflection from partially perforated-wall caisson breakwater

In 1995, Suh and Park developed a numerical model that computes the reflection of regular waves from a fully perforated-wall caisson breakwater. This paper describes how to apply this model to a partially perforated-wall caisson and irregular waves. To examine the performance of the model, existing experimental data are used for regular waves, while a laboratory experiment is conducted in this study for irregular waves. The numerical model based on a linear wave theory tends to over-predict the reflection coefficient of regular waves as the wave nonlinearity increases, but such an over-prediction is not observed in the case of irregular waves. For both regular and irregular waves, the numerical model slightly over- and under-predicts the reflection coefficients at larger and smaller values, respectively, because the model neglects the evanescent waves near the breakwater.     

The dynamic behaviour of a river-dominated tidal inlet, River Murray, Australia

Australia's largest river, the River Murray, discharges to the southern ocean through a coastal lagoon and river-dominated tidal inlet. Increased water extractions upstream for irrigation have led to significantly reduced flows at the mouth and, as a result, the area is undergoing rapid change, particularly with regard to the rate at which sediment is being transported into the lagoon. Based on detailed and accurate bathymetric surveys it has been possible to estimate that the rate of lagoon in-filling is of the order of 100,000 m³ per year for the period June 2000 to May 2003, although the actual rate shows significant year to year variability. Dredging of the lagoon commenced in 2000 in an attempt to reverse the trend.In an effort to understand the behaviour of the inlet a one-dimensional numerical model of the inlet has been developed. The model extends the original of van de Kreeke by including a dynamic inlet throat area based on predicted river flows and a sediment transport module to predict the resulting net sediment transport. Comparisons with water level data collected on both the ocean and lagoon sides of the mouth have shown that the model is able to predict the attenuation and lag of the tidal signal reasonably well. The sediment transport model was based on predicted sediment concentrations in the surf zone and was found to predict the rate of sediment in-filling to an acceptable level of accuracy. It is envisaged that the model will be a useful management tool, especially since it is possible to manipulate river discharges to the mouth.     

An unsteady wave driver for narrowbanded waves: modeling nearshore circulation driven by wave groups

In this paper, we derive an unsteady refraction–diffraction model for narrowbanded water waves for use in computing coupled wave–current motion in the nearshore. The end result is a variable coefficient, nonlinear Schrödinger-type wave driver (describing the envelope of narrow-banded incident waves) coupled to forced nonlinear shallow water equations (describing steady or unsteady mean flows driven by the short-wave field). Comparisons with experimental data show that good accuracy can be obtained for cases of nonbreaking wave transformation. Numerical simulations show that the interaction of wave groups with longshore topographic nonuniformities generates strong edge wave resonances, providing a generating mechanism for low-order edge waves.