Sediment transport mechanics upstream of an orifice

Abstract  

Mechanics of sediment transport, maximum scour depth, and scoured volume upstream of a circular orifice was explored under constant head condition. A high-speed camera was used to investigate the sediment transport mechanism. It was found that sediment transport had two distinct phases. In the first phase, the sediment transport was due to excess bed shear stress and occurred within an area that was elliptical in shape, and the mobilized sediment was transported out of the orifice. In the second stage, vortices appear in the area that was scoured during the first phase. The sediment particles were lifted up into the main flow by these vortices, which were then transported out of the orifice by the main flow. The scour depth and scoured volume were found to be dependent on sediment size and head over the orifice.