Effect of Coarse Surface Layer on Bed-Load Transport
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 11
Abstract
Existing bed-load transport formulas may overestimate the transport rate in mountain rivers by two orders of magnitude or more. Recently published field data sets provide an opportunity to take a fresh look at the bed-load transport relationship and it is hypothesized that the overestimate is due to a failure to account for the effect of a coarse surface layer of bed material inhibiting the release of fine subsurface material. Bed-load transport is determined as where =water discharge per unit width; =critical value for initiation of bed material movement; =water density; and =coefficient. The relationship is typically piecewise linear, characterized by two transport phases with, respectively, low and high rates of change. Twenty-one flume and 25 field data sets were used to quantify the relationship for Phase 2. The flume data confirm the dependence of on , where =channel slope, in agreement with earlier studies. The field data additionally show that varies inversely with the degree of bed armoring, given by the ratio of surface to subsurface bed material size. The finding is consistent with the hypothesis and suggests the need to account for the bed material supply limitation in the bed-load transport formula. However, the available data are not entirely sufficient to rule out an alternative dependency, or codependency, on flow resistance. The critical conditions for initiation of Phase 2 transport are also quantified as a function of bed material size and channel slope. The resulting set of equations allows a more accurate estimation of Phase 2 bed-load transport rates. However, the equations are empirical and should be restricted for use within the range of conditions used in their development, to determine mean rather than instantaneous transport rates and to determine bulk transport rates, not transport by size fraction.
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Acknowledgments
The analysis in this paper would not have been possible without the data sets of Ryan and Emmett (2002), Ryan et al. (2002), and King et al. (2004). The writer therefore pays tribute to the policy of the United States Geological Survey and Forest Service of placing their data in the public domain. He particularly thanks Sandra Ryan (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service) for additional data concerning her sites, Ned Andrews (U.S. Geological Survey) for the Virgin River bed material data, Tim Ward (University of New Mexico) for the details of the Idaho data set of King et al. and Mike Church (University of British Columbia) for additional data and discussions. The paper has benefited considerably from the comments of associate editor Dennis Lyn and three anonymous reviewers.
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Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 11 • November 2007
Pages: 1192 - 1205
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© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 13, 2005
Accepted: Apr 3, 2007
Published online: Nov 1, 2007
Published in print: Nov 2007
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