DEVELOPMENT OF A FUNDAMENTALLY BASED DETACHMENT MODEL

This is the first of two articles that develops and evaluates a fundam entally based detachment model. The proposed detachment model provides a framework for isolating flow from soil characteristics using a rela tively simple mathematical structure. Flow characteristics are estimat ed using turbulent detachment forces at the boundary. The normal, extr eme value type I and log normal probability density functions are eval uated to represent turbulent characteristics. The extreme value type I distribution is shown to be simpler and to adequately approximate the log normal distribution. The usefulness of the model was examined by considering the impact of sediment-laden flows on soil detachment. The suppression of turbulence by suspended sediment is shown to decrease the detachment rate if the resistance forces are greater than the mean drag or to increase the detachment rate if the resistance forces are less than the mean drag.