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An application of two-phase 1DV model in studying sedimentary processes on an erosional mudflat at Yangtze River Delta, China

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Abstract

A two-phase flow model for predicting sedimentation processes under wave and current conditions is presented. The model is based on solving the one-dimensional continuity and momentum equations for both fluid and solid phases through water column (1DV). The standard mixing length model is modified to take into account the buoyancy effect due to the gradient of suspended sediments near the seabed. The model is applied to study sedimentation processes on an erosional mudflat in the Yangtze River Delta, China, and intra-tide variations of flow properties and mud concentration are predicted and compared with field measurements. It was found that it is necessary to include the wave-induced shear stress in determining sediment erosion and the existence of a fluid mud layer can significantly influence both the flow structure and the distribution of sediment concentration in the water column. The turbulence dissipation induced by the fluid mud layer has the effect of increasing the duration of re-suspension during the early stage of the ebb. The overall good agreement between measured data and model results demonstrates the capability of the model.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported jointly by the University of Dundee and the Chinese Scholarship Council through a PhD scholarship to CYX. We are also indebted to Prof Shilun Yang of East China Normal University for kindly making available the field data used in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Harbor, Coastal, and Offshore Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China

    Chunyang Xu

  2. School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN, UK

    Chunyang Xu & Ping Dong

  3. College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Ping Dong

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  1. Chunyang Xu
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  2. Ping Dong
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Correspondence to Ping Dong.

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Xu, C., Dong, P. An application of two-phase 1DV model in studying sedimentary processes on an erosional mudflat at Yangtze River Delta, China. Front. Earth Sci. 11, 715–728 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-016-0604-1

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