Open AccessTURBIDITY - SEDIMENTATION IN CLOSED-END CHANNELS
Author(s) -
ChungPo Lin,
Jonathon W. Lott,
Ashish J. Mehta
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
proceedings of conference on coastal engineering/proceedings of ... conference on coastal engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2156-1028
pISSN - 0589-087X
DOI - 10.9753/icce.v20.98
Subject(s) - settling , turbidity current , flume , sedimentation , turbidity , sediment , channel (broadcasting) , suspension (topology) , turbidite , sediment transport , geotechnical engineering , deposition (geology) , flow (mathematics) , current (fluid) , hydrology (agriculture) , geology , soil science , environmental science , geomorphology , mechanics , environmental engineering , engineering , mathematics , sedimentary depositional environment , physics , oceanography , structural basin , homotopy , pure mathematics , electrical engineering
In order to investigate the mechanism by which turbidity currents cause sedimentation in closed-end channels such as pier slips or residential canals, a laboratory investigation using fine-grained sediments was carried out. Two similar flume systems were used, each consisting of a main channel carrying sediment-laden flow and an orthogonally placed closed-end channel with a gate at the entrance. Characteristics of the turbidity current and sediment deposition in the closed-end channel were investigated following gate opening. Behavioral similarities between turbidity current and non-settling gravity currents were observed. Several properties, e.g. suspension concentration, showed exponential-type decay with distance. The ratio of sediment settling velocity to the densimetric velocity was found to be a useful parameter for comparing different test results. A relationship for estimating the sediment influx through the entrance is presented.