Transverse Bed Slopes in Curved Alluvial Streams

Forty-nine experiments were conducted in three different constant radius, erodible bed, curved flumes using two different sediments to investigate the relationship between channel geometry, flow and sediment properties, and bed topography. An analytical model based on moment equilibrium of the flow and force equilibrium of the bed particles is used to develop an equation for the mean radial bed slope in terms of the friction factor, flow depth and velocity, channel radius, and particle densimetric Froude number. The relation is found to be in good agreement with reported experimental data and with bed topography measured by Hooke in a sinuous channel.