Non-capacity transport of non-uniform bed load sediment in alluvial rivers

Rivers often witness non-uniform bed load sedim ent transport. For a long tim e, non-uniform bed load transport has been assum ed to be at capacity regime determined exclusively by local flow. Yet whether the capacity assumption for non-uniform bed load transport is justified remains poorly understood. Here, the relative time scale of non-uniform bed load transport is evaluated and non-capacity and capacity models are compared for both aggradation and degradation cases with observed data. As characterized by its relative time scale, the adaptation of non-uniform bed load to capacity regime should be fulfilled quickly. However, changes in the flow and sedim ent inputs from upstream or tributaries hinder the adaptation. Also, the adaptation to capacity regime is size dependent, the finer the sediment size the slower the adaptation is, and vice versa. It is shown that the capacity model may entail considerable errors compared to the non-capacity model. For modelling of non-uniform bed load, non-capacity modelling is recommended, in which the temporal and spatial scales required for adaptation are explicitly appreciated.

Development of All-Weather and Real-Time Bottom-Mounted Monitor of Bed Load Quantity

Quantity of bed load is an important physical parameter in sediment transport research. Aiming at the difficulties in the bed load measurement, this paper develops a bottom-mounted monitor to measure the bed load transport rate by adopting the sedimentation pit method and resolving such key problems as weighing and desilting, which can achieve long-time, all-weather and real-time telemeasurement of the bed load transport rate of plain rivers, estuaries and coasts. Both laboratory and field tests show that this monitor is reasonable in design, stable in properties and convenient in measurement, and it can be used to monitor the bed load transport rate in practical projects.