Discontinuity in Equilibrium Wave-Current Ripple Size and Shape and Deep Cleaning Associated With Cohesive Sand-Clay Beds.

ABSTRACT: Mixtures of cohesive clay and noncohesive sand are widespread in many aquatic environments. Ripple dynamics in sand-clay mixtures have been studied under current-alone and wave-alone conditions but not combined wave-current conditions, despite their prevalence in estuaries and the coastal zone. The present flume experiments examine the effect of initial clay content, C ₀, on ripples by considering a single wave-current condition and, for the first time, quantify how changing clay content of substrate impacts ripple dimensions during development. The results show inverse relationships between C ₀ and ripple growth rates and clay winnowing transport rates out of the bed, which reduce as the ripples develop toward equilibrium. For C ₀ ≤ 10

SUBMITTER: Wu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9786932 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature