A field‐based estimation of the variability of particle entrainment in coarse‐bed rivers

The determination of critical shear stresses is fundamental to bedload sediment transport prediction in gravel-bed rivers. Due to the heterogeneous shape and arrangement of the individual clasts in a riverbed, critical shear stresses typically show a large spatial variability, which is not adequatel...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Vázquez-Tarrío, Daniel, Carrero‐Carralero, Estrella, López Alonso, Raúl, Ville, Fanny, Vericat Querol, Damià, Batalla, Ramon J.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10459.1/466634
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JF007695
https://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/466634
Access Level:acceso embargado
Palabra clave:Gravel-bed river
Mountain rivers
Fluvial geomorphology
Geomorfología fluvial
Descripción
Sumario:The determination of critical shear stresses is fundamental to bedload sediment transport prediction in gravel-bed rivers. Due to the heterogeneous shape and arrangement of the individual clasts in a riverbed, critical shear stresses typically show a large spatial variability, which is not adequately captured by the reach-averaged description followed in common studies. In this regard, there is a general paucity of field data on this spatial variability of the critical shear stress, largely due to the lack of a standardized measurement method. In an attempt to fill this gap, we propose a field-based workflow to estimate the frequency distribution of dimensionless critical shear stress (also named critical Shields number), which is based on the measurement of a series of variables related to the position, orientation and resistance to motion of individual clasts in a gravel-bed river, combined with a probabilistic approximation to drag and lift coefficients. Following this workflow, the patch-scale variability of particle incipient-motion conditions was determined in a gravel bar of the Upper Cinca River, Spain. The results are consistent with what is known about sediment entrainment in gravel-bed rivers. We consider this method to have great potential to advance our understanding of particle initiation of motion in gravel-bed rivers as it provides valuable systematic field information.