Non-uniform sediment transport estimation in non-equilibrium situations: case studies

Quantitative estimate of sediment transport in alluvial channels is one of the most important task in river engineering. Even today, numerical models of sediment transport processes are confronted with some difficulties, often of conceptual nature. One of these difficulties is the simulation of non-uniform sediment transport in non-equilibrium situations, which requires the characterization of the ability of the alluvial system to immediately overcome the variations of the sediment boundary conditions. In this work a 1-D numerical model, which includes a new expression of the so-called "adaptation coefficient", has been applied to test its capability to simulate the transient bed profiles. Specifically, the model has been applied to predict bed-level changes due to sediment overloading and sediment cut-off. The model's application to literature study cases (used by other researchers to assess coupled models) has shown that it gives reasonable results and, thus, it appears suitable for practical applications (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the CCWI2013 Committee