FLOW-FREE SEDIMENT HYSTERESIS IN SEDIMENT-STRATIFIED COASTAL WATERS

Rui G. Costa, Ashish J. Mehta

Abstract


Hysteresis in the relationship between suspended sediment concentration and the flow velocity is shown to be influenced by sediment-induced flow stratification in high energy coastal environment. A 1-D numerical approach combined with field observation from Hangzhou Bay, China is used to highlight the effects of concentration dependent settling velocity, buoyancy stabilized mass diffusion and bottom sediment fluxes on hysteresis. Typical formulations for the bottom fluxes are believed to have limited utility in high concentration environments.

Keywords


sediment stratified water; stratified water; flow-fine sediment hysteresis

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