Formula for predicting bedload transport rate in oscillatory sheet flows

Abstract: At high bed shear stress sheet flows often occur in coastal waters in which high-concentration bedload sediments are transported in a thin layer near the bed. This paper firstly constructs a theoretical model (partial differential equations, PDEs) for the intense transport of non-cohesive bedload sediments by unidirectional currents and then seeks a special solution to the PDEs to determine the thickness of the bedload particle–water mixture, which could serve as the “reference height” that is often invoked in numerical computation and simulation of suspended sediment transport in turbulent flows. Moreover, a modified formula is presented to determine the “reference concentration”. Using a “uch” approach the present study derives a 1D formula for predicting bedload transport rate in sheet flows driven by asymmetric waves, with the help of a novel formula for evaluating wave friction factor. The new bedload formula can generically take into account slope angle (positive and negative), wash load concentration in the driving water flow and other factors that affect bedload transport rate. It compares well with measured data in a large-scale wave flume [Dohmen-Janssen, C.M., Hanes, D.M., 2002. Sheet flow dynamics under monochromatic non-breaking waves. Journal of Geophysical Research, 107(C10), 1301–1321], a large-scale oscillatory water tunnel [ Hassan, W.N., Ribberink, J.S., 2005. Transport processes of uniform and mixed sands in oscillatory sheet flow. Coastal Engineering, 52, 745–770] and in a swash zone of natural beach [Masselink, G., Hughes, M.G., 1998. Field investigation of sediment transport in the swash zone. Continental Shelf Research, 18, 1179–1199]. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]