SEDITRANS

Sediment transport in the fluvial, estuarine and coastal environment causes significant morphological changes and results in the amplification of floods, storm surges and other inundation hazards. This increases considerably the risk of failure of structures, disruption of function of networks (water, energy), destruction of ecosystems and natural resources, as well as property and human loss. The impact of sediment transport is expected to be incremented due to climate change. Thus, it is very important to advance knowledge and train future engineers in this field. Herein we propose the formation of a Network for the training of young researchers in all application areas of sediment transport. The Network consists of six academic and four industrial partners and provides an elaborate and interdisciplinary training-through-research program to 12 early stage and 4 experienced researchers. It includes a comprehensive academic program, secondments at industrial partners, workshops, winter and summer schools, thematic conferences, production of guidelines and complementary activities. The proposed research focuses on: i) modeling and algorithm development for sediment transport in river and coastal flows and for inland and offshore turbidity currents or debris flows, and ii) experiments and simulations of sediment transport in river and coastal flows, and sediment-laden density underflows in reservoirs and submarine canyons. The experiments will allow for crucial phenomenological advances in the conceptual models upon which simulation tools are built. The latter, compatible with high performance computing, will be explored jointly by academic an industrial partners in real engineering applications during and after the duration of the project. This network is structured to help the coordination of research and educational activities in sediment transport in a European level and increase the European competitiveness in this important field of S&T.

The EU-funded project SEDITRANS (Sediment transport in fluvial, estuarine and coastal environment) formed a European network to coordinate research and training activities that addressed the challenges posed by sediment transport. The network comprised 6 academic and 4 industrial partners and provided a comprehensive interdisciplinary training-through-research programme to 12 early-stage and four experienced researchers. This included workshops, winter and summer schools, conferences, the drawing up of guidelines and secondments with industrial partners.

Researchers focused on coastal and river flows and reservoir sedimentation and interactions with man-made structures. ‘The goal was to deepen knowledge of sediment transport mechanisms and their relationship with flow hydrodynamics in order to better understand and predict the evolution of river, estuarine or coastal morphology,’ says project coordinator Professor Athanassios Dimas.

Better models developed through partnership

Project partners developed algorithms for modelling sediment transport in river and coastal flows and for inland and offshore turbidity currents or debris flows. Models were created along three paths, beginning with a two-phase continuum model and a resolved particle motion model for bed sediment transport. Suspended sediment transport was modelled using advanced coupled fluid-flow/sediment-transport models where the large-eddy simulation approach was applied for the closure of turbulence.

Lastly, two-layer modelling of open-channel flows or gravity currents was coupled with sediment transport and bed morphodynamics. ‘Modelling was based on advanced numerical methods, for example the immersed-boundary method for the imposition of boundary conditions on complex geometries and the use of parallel computations,’ explains Prof. Dimas.

Experiments were also conducted for sediment transport in rivers and coasts and for sediment-laden density undercurrents in reservoirs and submarine canyons. These, together with high performance computing, were explored jointly by academic and industrial partners in real engineering applications.

Accurate prediction tools benefit society

Results were integrated into morphology predicting tools for use in the engineering realm by well-trained practitioners. In addition, results from the field experiments enabled crucial advances to be made in the conceptual models upon which the simulation tools were built.

According to Prof. Dimas engineers will benefit directly from the new models and experimental data. ‘The frequency and magnitude of disasters associated with or caused by excessive morphological dynamism are likely to increase due to climate change,’ he comments. ‘Hence, the prediction tools developed by the project for planners will have profoundly positive societal impacts.’

SEDITRANS supported the coordination of research and educational activities in sediment transport at a European level, increasing Europe’s competitiveness in these important technical and scientific fields. Prof. Dimas concludes: ‘The emphasis on numerical models and experimental data will advance research and engineering in sediment transport, addressing large-scale problems concerning planning and protection against floods and erosion.’