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Meanders caused by hyperconcentrated water flow: An example from the loess plateau, China
Author(s) -
Jiongxin Xu
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
earth surface processes and landforms
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.294
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9837
pISSN - 0197-9337
DOI - 10.1002/esp.3290180804
Subject(s) - hyperconcentrated flow , loess plateau , sediment , geology , channel (broadcasting) , hydrology (agriculture) , loess , sediment transport , meander (mathematics) , deposition (geology) , bed load , alluvium , plateau (mathematics) , geomorphology , china , alluvial fan , flow (mathematics) , chine , soil science , geotechnical engineering , geography , mathematical analysis , geometry , mathematics , engineering , structural basin , electrical engineering , archaeology
This paper describes meandering alluvial rivers with mean annual suspended‐sediment concentrations of more than 100 kgm −3 on the Loess Plateau, China, and explains their formation as caused by the effect of hyperconcentrated water flow. When the river is dominated by hyperconcentrated flow, the rate of energy expenditure required for sediment transport declines significantly. Accordingly, the river channel adjusts itself to a lower channel gradient by increasing the river length, resulting in a meandering channel. Since the stable transportation of sediment by hyperconcentrated flow is dependent on river channel boundary conditions, the latter play an important role in the formation of meanders of this kind. The paper also discusses the conditions for the discrimination of meandering and braided rivers in this area.