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Modified Rubey's Law accurately predicts sediment settling velocities
Author(s) -
Watson Richard L.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr005i005p01147
Subject(s) - settling , drag , sediment , drag coefficient , particle (ecology) , mathematics , mechanics , geology , physics , classical mechanics , geotechnical engineering , mathematical analysis , thermodynamics , geomorphology , oceanography
Modification of viscous drag and the pressure drag terms in Rubey's theoretic equation for settling velocity of sand grains with two empirically determined constants results in the following formula V =9 Z 2 μ 2 + 4 3 W R 3 ( ρ particle ‐ ρ fluid) g ‐ 3 Z μ W R ρ fluidwhich predicts accurately the setting velocity of groups of sand grains measured with the Woods Hole rapid sediment analyzer. The following equation is a solution of Rubey's modified general equation that can be used to calculate the diameter of a particle or group of particles if the settling velocity for the particle is known: R =W 2 V 4 ρ fluid 2 + 32 Z ( ρ particle ‐ ρ fluid) μ V g + W V 2 ρ fluid8 3 ( ρ particle ‐ ρ fluid) g