Field Measurements of Estuarial Cohesive Sediment Transport
Abstract
Predictive modeling of estuarial fine sediment transport requirement a description of the erosional properties of cohesive sediment beds. Descriptions are commonly based upon flume experiments run on remolded beds. Field data pertaining to the laboratory erosion process are scarce, so it is unknown how well these estimates relate to the actual erosion process. A field experiment was conducted in a muddy estuary, Mare Island Strait, California. Using a bottom-mounted frame and a moveable instrument sled, suspended sediment concentration and current velocity data were collected in the bottom boundary layer. The critical shear stress of erosion initiation and the erosion rate coefficient were determined from the data. It was found that flume experiments using naturally deposited sediment beds do a reasonable job in predicting both of these parameters, but that experiments using remolded sediments do not approximate the conditions encountered in the field. (MM)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA229359
Entities
People
- Jack W. Devries
Organizations
- Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center