The effect of bedload transport on mean and turbulent flow properties

This paper reports the results of a flume experiment that was designed to investigate the effect of bedload transport on mean and turbulent properties of the flow. The experiment consisted of varying the bedload transport rate for a given hydraulic condition, and of measuring the flow velocity profiles using an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) for each transport rate in order to allow for comparison. Bedload transport was produced by injecting gravel-size particles (D50=7.4 mm) with a conveyer belt mounted at the upstream end of the flume. The results indicate that the effect of bedload on flow characteristics is complex. It is shown that bedload transport causes opposite effects on flow velocity depending on the roughness of the bed and the relative magnitude of flow and sediment transport variables. A better understanding of these conflicting results is obtained from the application of an energy budget approach to the analysis of velocity data. This approach demonstrates that bedload affects flow velocity by modifying the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy. However, the mechanisms responsible for the modification of turbulent dissipation are still unknown.