1.4.

BEDLOAD SEDIMENT TRANSPORT 7

1.4 Bedload sediment transport
The Shields number and the Einstein number
The physical quantities associated with bedload sediment transport are the bed shear stress
b
(N/m
2
),
the sediment diameter d (mm), the submerged sediment density R (kg/m
3
), the gravity acceleration of
sediment in water Rg (m/s
2
), and the bedload sediment transport rate per unit width q (m
2
/s). These ve
physical quantities are composed of three fundamental quantities (length m, mass kg, time s). According
to Buckinghams theorem, the bedload sediment transport can be described by the relation between
two non-dimensional parameters.
The non-dimensional parameters are the Shields number and the Einstein number .
=

b
Rgd
=
q
B

Rgdd
The bedload sediment transport can be expressed by the relation between these two non-dimensional
parameters, such that
= f ()
Meyer-Peter & M uller formula (1947)
Meyer-Peter & M uller formula is an empirical formula proposed by Meyer-Peter & M uller in 1947.
= 8 (
c
)
3/2

c
= 0.047
This is called Swiss formula as well.
Einstein formula (1950)
Einstein assumed that the sediment transport is caused mainly by the lift force, and sand particles start
saltation when the lift force exceeds the gravity force. Based on the idea that the lift force is generated
by a stochastic process, Einstein derived the following formula:
1
1

(0.143/)2
(0.143/)2
e
t
2
dt =
43.5
1 + 43.5
As seen in the above equation, is not an explicit function of , so that it is necessary to integrate the left
hand side for a given , and solve for . It should be noted that the Einstein formula does not introduce
the concept of the threshold shear stress, which is commonly used in other formulas.
Bagnold formula (1957)
This is a theoretical formula derived from the hypothesis that there is a bedload layer on the bed, the
volume of bedload sediment is proportional to
c
, and the velocity of bedload sediment is proportional
to u

(
1/2
). The Bagnold formula is written in the form
=
f
p
(R
p
, )

1/2
(
c
)
A concrete form of f
p
need to be determined experimentally.
8
Sato, Kikkawa and Ashida formula (1957)
This is a formula proposed based on the idea that the momentum exerted by the lift force on sediment on
the bed is balanced with the momentum of sediment in the bedload layer. The formula is written in the
form
=
3/2
F
(

c
)
f (n)
n 0.025 f = 0.623
n 0.025 f = 0.623(40n)
3.5
where n is Mannings roughness coecient, and F is a function illustrated in the gure right above. This
is called Doken (Public Work Research Institute, PWRI) formula as well.
Yalin formula (1963)
This is derived from the time average of unsteady motion of sediment particles. The lift and drag forces
are both taken into consideration. The Yalin formula reads
= 0.635s
1/2
[
1
ln(1 + a
2
s)
a
2
s
]
a
2
= 2.45 (R + 1)
0.4

1/2
c
; s =

c

c
where
c
is obtained by the Shields curve.
Ashida-Michiue formula (1972)
This is a theoretical formula developed further based on the Bagnold formula. The Ashida-Michiue
formula reads
= 17
(

1/2

1/2
c
)
(
c
)
where

c
= 0.05
Engelund-Fredse formula (1976)
This is a theoretical formula based on Bagnolds theory and following almost the same idea as the Asida-
Michiue formula. The Engelund-Fredse formula reads
= 18.74 (
c
)
(

1/2
0.7
1/2
c
)
where

c
= 0.05
This is very similar to the Ashida-Michiue formula.
1.4. BEDLOAD SEDIMENT TRANSPORT 9
Fernandez Luque and van Beek formula (1976)
This is an empirical formula based on experimental data similarly to the Meyer-Peter & M uller formula.
The formula can be written in the form
= 5.7 (
c
)
3/2
,
c
= 0.05 (0.9mm) 0.058 (3.3mm)
Comparison between the Ashida-Michiue formula and experimental data.
Comparison among a variety of formulas.
10
Assignment 2
There is a 50 m wide channel with the bed slope of 0.001, and the diameter of bed material of 10 mm.
When the ow depth is 2 m, how much is the total bedload sediment discharge in the channel?
The channel width is doubled with the discharge kept constant. Find the ow depth, and the total
bedload sediment transport rate in the channel. Discuss how the bedload sediment discharge changes
when the channel width is increased.
Use the Ashida-Michiue formula to evaluate the bedload sediment discharge.
2 m
Bank Bank
50 m
Bedload sediment discharge?
100 m
?