Author(s)

J J Williams, P S Bell & K F E Betteridge

Abstract

Measurements of wave-induced flows, suspended sediments and bedforms have been obtained in random wave conditions in a large laboratory wave flume over beds of fine and medium sand. Selected results illustrating wave-induced flows and turbulence, bedform genesis and development, sediment resuspension and vertical suspended sediment concentration profiles are presented and are compared with existing empirical formulae and models. 1 Introduction Due to advances in acoustic technology over the past decade, it is now possible to obtain detailed, approximately co-located intra-wave measurements of wave- induced flows and turbulence, sediment resuspension and bedforms. The study described here follows on from investigations undertaken by the present research consortium in the Deltaflume to quantify local modification to processes by a large benthic tripod [1]. The objectives of the present study are to build upon the existing data base and to verify and quantify characteristics of oscillatory sediment transport processes at full-scale. The experiments reported here focus upon sediment resuspension processes by random waves and the dynamic interactions occurring between waves, bedforms and suspended sediments. 2 Measurements Measurements were made in the Delft Hydraulics Laboratory Deltaflume (230 m long, 5 m wide and 7 m deep). The facility has a capacity to generate regular and irregular waves with a height up to 2 m, thereby permitting the study of

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