Fine Suspended Sediment Transport Rates

Abstract

A simple analytic expression for calculating fine suspended-sediment transport rates is derived by assuming a parabolic distribution of eddy viscosity, which results in a von Kármán–Prandtl–type velocity profile, and Rouse's sediment-concentration profile. The resulting equation for sediment transport rate requires a set of hydraulic conditions and a reference sediment concentration. This expression is easy to use in practical applications, and predicted transport rates compare favorably with rates calculated from field measurements.