Blood, lead and spheres: A hindered settling equation for sedimentologists based on metadata analysis

A revision of the popular equation of Richardson and Zaki (1954a, Transactions of the Institute of Chemical Engineering, 32, 35–53) for the hindered settling of suspensions of non-cohesive particles in fluids is proposed, based on 548 data sets from a broad range of scientific disciplines. The new hindered settling equation enables...

The hyperturbid state of the water column in estuaries and rivers: The importance of hindered settling

Over the last few decades, some estuaries have undergone a transition to a hyperturbid state, characterised by suspended sediment concentrations of several grammes per litre averaged over the water column. To improve our understanding of this transition and of naturally hyperturbid estuaries, we systematically identify the processes allowing...

Sedimentation and erosion of sediement at high solids concetration

On the hindered settling of suspensions of mud and mud-sand mixtures

Highly concentrated suspensions are present in many natural environments. When the concentration becomes large enough, particles start to interfere with each other and their settling velocity reduces. This is called hindered settling. As a result of the reduced settling velocity, particles remain in the water column for a longer time and the...

Entraining Flow of a Concentrated Benthic Suspension: Computations with the Prandtl Mixing-Length Model

The Prandtl mixing-length model of turbulent exchange of mass and momentum is applied to calculate the entrainment of overlying water into a layer of suspended fine sediment at a horizontal bed. In the field the flow and turbulence in such a concentrated benthic suspension (CBS) are driven by a streamwise pressure gradient resulting from the...

Hindered settling and consolidation of mud - analytical results

The theory of hindered settling from a suspension developed by Kynch (1952) is known to satisfactorily describe the settling and primary consolidation of mud. This theory, in which effective stresses are disregarded, is reviewed for this purpose, and some analytical results for interface formation and consolidation are obtained. In particular it...