Effect of Grain Size on Sediment Transport Calculations

by Daniel Gessler, Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, United States,
Chester C. Watson, Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, United States,
Nolan Raphelt, Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Hydraulic Engineering

Abstract:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently developing a `Hydraulic Design Package for Flood Control Channels' (SAM). SAM is capable of computing sediment rating curves and stable channel dimensions. The program requires input regarding channel geometry, discharge, and grain size distribution. The analysis of sediment samples collected in mixed bed streams indicated that the median grain size, D₅₀, varied up to 1.5 orders of magnitude for different samples collected in the same channel. This high degree of variability resulted in the need to ascertain the sensitivity of the SAM program to variations in the input grain size distribution. The analysis was performed on a representative trapezoidal channel, with typical unit discharge for nine different grain size distributions.

Subject Headings: Grain (material) | Sediment transport | Channels (waterway) | Hydraulic design | Sensitivity analysis | Floods | Water discharge

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