A DEVICE TO EXAMINE THE IN-SITU RESPONSE OF INTERTIDAL COHESIVE SEDIMENT DEPOSITS TO FLUID SHEAR

Authors
BLACK K CRAMP A
Citation
K. Black et A. Cramp, A DEVICE TO EXAMINE THE IN-SITU RESPONSE OF INTERTIDAL COHESIVE SEDIMENT DEPOSITS TO FLUID SHEAR, Continental shelf research, 15(15), 1995, pp. 1945-1954
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Oceanografhy
Journal title
Continental shelf research → ACNP
ISSN journal
02784343
Volume
15
Issue
15
Year of publication
1995
Pages
1945 - 1954
Database
ISI
SICI code
0278-4343(1995)15:15<1945:ADTETI>2.0.ZU;2-L
Abstract
A self-contained, field-portable recirculating seawater flume was desi gned and constructed in order to measure in situ the erodibility of co hesive estuarine muds. The flume can be easily deployed by one person and is designed for subaerial use only. Bed shear stresses up to 0.6 N m(-2) can be generated by the flume. Rates of sediment erosion are ass essed in terms of the mass of particulate material eroded with time. F low calibrations yield a drag coefficient (C-D) of 4.5 x 10(-3) which enables single mid-depth velocity measurements to be related directly to the imposed bed stress. Water motions within the flume are complex, but secondary (radial) circulations are not considered sufficiently c ompetent to dominate sediment erosion. Stratification effects due to h igh levels of suspended sediment (similar to 1.5 gl(-1)) are negligibl e. However, the drag-reducing properties of the sediment suspension ar e uncertain.