Observations of Bedform Migration and Bedload Sediment Transport in Combined Wave-Current Flows

Journal article (2019)

Authors

M. E. Wengrove Oregon State University
D. L. Foster University of New Hampshire Durham
T. C. Lippmann University of New Hampshire Durham
M.A. de Schipper Coastal Engineering - CEG
J. Calantoni Naval Research Laboratory
Research Group
Coastal Engineering (CEG) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2019 M. E. Wengrove, D. L. Foster, T. C. Lippmann, M.A. de Schipper, J. Calantoni
DOI
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https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JC014555
Sediment transport Energetics Bedforms Surf zone Bedload transport Combined waves and currents
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Published Date

2019

Language

English

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Faculty

Civil Engineering & Geosciences

Department

Hydraulic Engineering

Research Group

Coastal Engineering

Abstract

Bedload transport is an important mechanism for sediment flux in the nearshore. Yet few studies examine the relationship between bedform evolution and net sediment transport. Our work contributes concurrent observations of bedform mobility and bedload transport in response to wave dominant, current dominant, and combined wave-current flows in the nearshore. Bedload sediment flux from migrating bedforms during combined wave-current conditions accounted for at least 20% more bedload transport when compared with wave dominant flows and at least 80% more than current-dominant flows. Bedforms were observed to transport the most sediment during periods with strong currents, with high-energy skewed waves, and while bedform orientation and transport direction were aligned. Regardless of flow type, bedform migration rates were directly proportional to the total kinetic energy contained in the flow field. Eleven bedload transport models formulated to be used in combined flows (both shear and energetics based) were compared with sediment flux estimated from measured bedform migration. An energetics based sediment transport model was most representative for our data.