scholarly journals The Influence of Grain Size Distribution on the Hydraulic Gradient for Initiating Backward Erosion

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willem-Jan Dirkx ◽  
Rens Beek ◽  
Marc Bierkens
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Grain Size Distribution ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Hydraulic Gradient ◽  
Concentrated Flow ◽  
Pipe Formation ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
The Stability

Backward erosion by piping is one of the processes that threaten the stability of river embankments in the Netherlands. During high river stages, groundwater flow velocities underneath the embankment increase as a result of the steepened hydraulic gradient. If a single outflow point exists or forms, the concentrated flow can entrain soil particles, leading to the formation of a subsurface pipe. The processes controlling this phenomenon are still relatively unknown due to their limited occurrence and because piping is a subsurface phenomenon. To study the initiation of piping, we performed laboratory experiments in which we induced water flow through a porous medium with a vertically orientated outflow point. In these experiments, we explicitly considered grain size variations, thus adding to the existing database of experiments. Our experiments showed that the vertical velocity needed for the initiation of particle transport can be described well by Stokes’ law using the median grain size. We combine this with a novel method to relate bulk hydraulic conductivity to the grain size distribution. This shows that knowledge of the grain size distribution and the location of the outflow point are sufficient to estimate the hydraulic gradient needed to initiate pipe formation in the experiment box.

Grain sorting effects on the formation of tidal sand waves

2009 ◽  
Vol 629 ◽  
pp. 311-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
TOMAS VAN OYEN ◽  
PAOLO BLONDEAUX
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Grain Size Distribution ◽  
Fine Fraction ◽  
Sand Wave ◽  
Flat Bottom ◽  
Sand Waves ◽  
Sand Mixture ◽  
Sea Bed ◽  
The Stability

A model is developed to investigate the process which leads to the formation of sand waves in shallow tidal seas characterized by a heterogeneous sea bed composition. The main goal of the analysis is the evaluation of the effects that a graded sediment has on the formation of the bottom forms and the investigation of the sorting process induced by the growth of the bottom forms. The analysis is based on the study of the stability of the flat bed configuration, i.e. small amplitude perturbations are added to the flat bottom and a linear analysis of their time development is made. For an oscillatory tidal current dominated by one tidal constituent, the results show that the graded sediment can stabilize or destabilize the flat bottom configuration with respect to the uniform sediment case, depending on the standard deviation σ* of the grain size distribution and on the ratio between the horizontal tidal excursion and the water depth. For moderate values of , i.e. values just larger than the critical value for which the sediment is moved and sand waves appear, the presence of a sand mixture stabilizes the flat bed. On the other hand, for large values of , the mixture has a destabilizing effect. In both cases the effect that a sand mixture has on the stability of the flat bed configuration is relatively small. Moreover, for moderate values of , the fine fraction of the mixture tends to pile up at the crests of the bottom forms while the coarse fraction moves towards the troughs. For large values of , the grain size distribution depends on the value of σ*. The results are physically interpreted and provide a possible explanation of the apparently conflicting field observations of the grain size distribution along the sand wave profile, carried out in the North Sea.

scholarly journals Image analysis for measuring the size stratification in sand–gravel laboratory experiments

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Orrú ◽  
V. Chavarrías ◽  
W. S. J. Uijttewaal ◽  
A. Blom
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Image Analysis ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Grain Size Distribution ◽  
Measurement Method ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Size Fraction ◽  
Sediment Layer ◽  
Areal Fraction ◽  
Sediment Layers

Abstract. Measurements of spatial and temporal changes in the grain-size distribution of the bed surface and substrate are crucial to improving the modelling of sediment transport and associated grain-size selective processes. We present three complementary techniques to determine such variations in the grain-size distribution of the bed surface in sand–gravel laboratory experiments, as well as the resulting size stratification: (1) particle colouring, (2) removal of sediment layers, and (3) image analysis. The resulting stratification measurement method was evaluated in two sets of experiments. In both sets three grain-size fractions within the range of coarse sand to fine gravel were painted in different colours. Sediment layers are removed using a wet vacuum cleaner. Subsequently areal images are taken of the surface of each layer. The areal fraction content, that is, the relative presence of each size fraction over the bed surface, is determined using a colour segmentation algorithm which provides the areal fraction content of a specific colour (i.e. grain size) covering the bed surface. Particle colouring is not only beneficial to this type of image analysis but also to the observation and understanding of grain-size selective processes. The size stratification based on areal fractions is measured with sufficient accuracy. Other advantages of the proposed size stratification measurement method are (a) rapid collection and processing of a large amount of data, (b) a very high spatial density of information on the grain-size distribution, (c) the lack of disturbances to the bed surface, (d) only minor disturbances to the substrate due to the removal of sediment layers, and (e) the possibility to return a sediment layer to its original elevation and continue the flume experiment. The areal fractions are converted into volumetric fractions using an existing conversion model.

The Role of the Nd/Zn Ratio on the Stability of Mg-Zn-Nd Clusters and the Evolution of Texture in Two Mg-Zn-Nd Alloys during Annealing

2016 ◽  
Vol 879 ◽  
pp. 542-547
Author(s):  
Mehdi Sanjari ◽  
Amir Rezaei Farkoosh ◽  
Abu S.H. Kabir ◽  
Jing Su ◽  
In Ho Jung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Grain Size Distribution ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Texture Evolution ◽  
Reduction Rate ◽  
Grain Coarsening ◽  
Weight Percentage ◽  
Basal Pole ◽  
The Stability

Texture evolution in two magnesium alloys, Mg-4%Zn-1%Nd and Mg-1%Zn-1%Nd (weight percentage), was studied after rolling and the subsequent isothermal annealing. The finish rolling was completed in a single pass with a thickness reduction rate of ~30% at 100 °C and a rolling speed of 1000 m/min. After cooling to room temperature, the rolled samples were annealed at 350 °C for different annealing times. Upon annealing, the maximum intensity of the basal pole texture decreases as recrystallization progresses. In the Mg-1Zn-1Nd alloy (with a high Nd/Zn ratio), texture weakening is maintained even after complete recrystallization and grain coarsening, while in the Mg-4Zn-1Nd alloy, texture strengthening occurs after grain coarsening, and a single peak replaces the double split basal peaks. In the Mg-1Zn-1Nd alloy, grain coarsening is accompanied by a bimodal grain size distribution, whereas in the Mg-4Zn-1Nd alloy, the grain coarsening leads to a uniform grain size distribution. TEM investigations show the formation of the Zn and Nd rich clusters at early stage of annealing in both alloys. During recrystallization, these clusters were dissolved in the Mg-4Zn-1Nd alloy, but they are more stable in the Mg-1Zn-1Nd alloy. In our opinion, the formation of these stable clusters is one of the main factors for texture weakening of the Mg-Zn-RE alloys.

scholarly journals Image analysis for measuring stratigraphy in sand-gravel laboratory experiments

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 973-1018
Author(s):  
C. Orrú ◽  
V. Chavarrías ◽  
W. S. J. Uijttewaal ◽  
A. Blom
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Image Analysis ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Grain Size Distribution ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Sieve Analysis ◽  
Sediment Layer ◽  
Conversion Model ◽  
Areal Fraction ◽  
Sediment Layers

Abstract. Measurements of spatial and temporal changes in the grain size distribution are crucial to improving the modelling of sediment transport and associated grain size-selective processes. We present three complementary techniques to determine such variations in the grain size distribution in sand-gravel laboratory experiments, as well as the resulting stratigraphy: (1) particle colouring, (2) removal of sediment layers, and (3) image analysis. The resulting stratigraphy measurement method has been evaluated in two sets of experiments. In both sets three grain size fractions within the range of coarse sand to fine gravel were painted in different colours. Sediment layers are removed using a wet vacuum cleaner. Subsequently areal images are taken of the surface of each layer. The areal fraction content, i.e. the relative presence of each size fraction over the bed surface, is determined using a colour segmentation algorithm which provides the areal fraction content of a specific colour (i.e., grain size) covering the bed surface. Particle colouring is not only beneficial to this type of image analysis but also observing and understanding grain size-selective processes. The stratigraphy based on areal fractions is measured with sufficient accuracy. Other advantages of the proposed stratigraphy measurement technique are: (a) rapid collection and processing of a large amount of data, (b) very high spatial density of information on the grain size distribution (so far unequalled in other methods), (c) the lack of disturbances to the bed surface, (d) only minor disturbances to the substrate due to the removal of sediment layers, and (e) the possibility to return a sediment layer at its original elevation and continue the flume experiment. The areal fractions can be converted into volumetric fractions using a conversion model. The proposed empirical conversion model is based on a comparison between the photogrammetry results and dry sieve analysis.

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