Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Effects of wave shape on sheet flow sediment transport

January 1, 2004

A two-phase model is implemented to study the effects of wave shape on the transport of coarse-grained sediment in the sheet flow regime. The model is based on balance equations for the average mass, momentum, and fluctuation energy for both the fluid and sediment phases. Model simulations indicate that the responses of the sheet flow, such as the velocity profiles, the instantaneous bed shear stress, the sediment flux, and the total amount of the mobilized sediment, cannot be fully parameterized by quasi-steady free-stream velocity and may be correlated with the magnitude of local horizontal pressure gradient (or free-stream acceleration). A net sediment flux in the direction of wave advance is obtained for both skewed and saw-tooth wave shapes typical of shoaled and breaking waves. The model further suggests that at critical values of the horizontal pressure gradient, there is a failure event within the bed that mobilizes more sediment into the mobile sheet and enhances the sediment flux. Preliminary attempts to parameterize the total bed shear stress and the total sediment flux appear promising. Copyright 2004 by the American Geophysical Union.

Publication Year 2004
Title Effects of wave shape on sheet flow sediment transport
DOI 10.1029/2003JC002075
Authors T.-J. Hsu, D.M. Hanes
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Journal of Geophysical Research C: Oceans
Index ID 70027092
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse