Modeling the Temporal Evolution of Dredging-Induced Turbidity in the Far Field
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 141, Issue 5
Abstract
A mathematical model of the transport of dredging-induced turbidity in the far field was developed in this study. Unlike the majority of the existing models, which assume a steady state, the present model retains the transient term, , to predict the temporal evolution of the spatial extent and concentration of the sediment plume. The unknown source strength is calibrated using field data. The appropriate turbulent diffusion coefficient in the longitudinal direction, , is set to comply with the real situation with negligible longitudinal diffusion. The complete transient model formulation was then used to analyze the effects of key modeling parameters, such as the water depth, , mean tidal current velocity, , turbulent diffusion coefficients in the longitudinal and transverse directions, and , as well as the sediment-settling velocity, , on the model prediction, in particular the approach to the steady state and the ultimate suspended sediment concentration level at the steady state. The semianalytical model thus developed with improved functionality can be used for worst-case assessments of the steady-state flow conditions in the far-field transport of the sediment plume generated by dredging operations.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (Grant No. 2013CB430402). Sponsorship from the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry, for the first author is also gratefully acknowledged. The authors appreciate the constructive comments and suggestions from the three anonymous reviewers on an earlier version of the manuscript.
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Published In
Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 141 • Issue 5 • September 2015
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 8, 2013
Accepted: Nov 24, 2014
Published online: Apr 7, 2015
Published in print: Sep 1, 2015
Discussion open until: Sep 7, 2015
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