Intercomparison of sediment transport formulas in current and combined wave-current conditions

Abstract

The 2D horizontal morphodynamic modeling system MORSYS2D simulates bottom topography evolution in coastal zones. Sand fluxes are computed with different practical formulas, either for current dominated (e.g, Ackers & White, van Rijn) or combined wave-current flows (e.g., Soulsby van Rijn). Although sensitivity analyses of bottom topography changes in terms of the transport formulas used have already been done, a comparison of the sediment fluxes computed with the different formulations, considering the same flow conditions and using the parameterizations considered in the model (e.g, bottom roughness, bottom stress) is lacking. With that purpose, we have conceptualized a suitable range of wave and current conditions above a sand bed composed of uniform sediment that is characteristic of the conditions encountered in estuaries, tidal inlets and continental shelves, and applied the several flux formulations. To assess the differences obtained, the average value and the standard deviation were computed for each flow condition. This exercise enabled us to identify, for different parameter ranges, the transport formulations which are consistent with one another and those that deviate the most from the mean. This information is useful in practical applications by defining conditions for optimal formula performance.