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Biofilm Growth and the Impacts on Hydrodynamics

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Mechanics of Bio-Sediment Transport

Abstract

The hydrodynamic conditions determine the transport characteristics of sediment. Conversely, the bed morphology induced by sediment transport and the resistance characteristics also affects the hydrodynamic conditions. Biofilms can permeate void spaces and promote inter-particle linkages, and the resultant increased level of attachment within sediment deposits can significantly enhance biostabilization, leading to different bedforms from that of original sediment (sediment without a biofilm) under the same hydrodynamic condition. Thus, the influences of biofilm growth on hydrodynamics are mainly manifested in the influences on the bedform and the resistance to flow, which will further influence the turbulence characteristics and exert effects on sediment transport. In this chapter, the models of biofilm growth are first described to explore the biomass evolution, and then, the effects of biofilm on the bedform and resistance are discussed as well as the resultant effects on turbulence characteristics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Prof. Dr. Hongwei Fang & Dr. Lei Huang

  2. China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, China

    Dr. Huiming Zhao

  3. Beijing Engineering Corporation Ltd., PowerChina, Beijing, China

    Wei Cheng

  4. College of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhejiang, China

    Dr. Yishan Chen

  5. Department of Civil Engineering, Yasouj University, Yasuj, Iran

    Dr. Mehdi Fazeli

  6. River and Harbor Engineering Department, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, China

    Prof. Dr. Qianqian Shang

Authors
  1. Prof. Dr. Hongwei Fang
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  2. Dr. Lei Huang
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  3. Dr. Huiming Zhao
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  4. Wei Cheng
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Correspondence to Hongwei Fang .

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Fang, H. et al. (2020). Biofilm Growth and the Impacts on Hydrodynamics. In: Mechanics of Bio-Sediment Transport. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-61158-6_3

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