Wave-Related Suspended Sand Transport in the Ripple Regime

This paper presents results of an experimental and theoretical study on wave-related suspended sand transport under irregular waves in the ripple regime. Experimental data were analysed to determine the mean and oscillating suspended transport components. The analysis results clearly show the influence of the particle diameter on the wave-related transport. The second part of the study is related to a 1DV model, which simulates the instantaneous velocity and sand concentrations from close to the bed up to higher in the water column. The model is based on the classical diffusion approach taking both the turbulence-related and the effective wave-related diffusion into account. It shows that the time-averaged sand concentrations can be simulated reasonably well in the ripple regime using the calibrated equations.