Author(s): B. Zhao; A. W. K. Law; E. E. Adams; D. D. Shao; Z. H. Huang
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Sediment cloud; Release height; Virtual origin
Abstract: The behaviour of underwater sediment clouds, formed by releasing a cluster of sediment in air at various heights, has been investigated experimentally. The measurements showed that the growth rate of the sediment cloud is independent of the air release height in the thermal phase. Based on measurements results, an integral model was developed to simulate the characteristics of the sediment cloud in this thermal phase. The concepts of virtual distance and time origins were introduced to account for the effect of the release height. Both virtual origins were found to be proportional to the square of a Densimetric Froude number that is formulated in consideration of the impact momentum of the sediment cluster at the water surface and the impulse generated by buoyancy.
Year: 2011