A two-phase numerical model for suspended-sediment transport in estuaries

Abstract : This paper presents a full 2-D X/Z numerical model for sediment transport in open channels and estuaries using a two-phase (fluid–solid particle) approach. The physical concept and the mathematical background of the model are given and test-cases have been carried out to validate the proposed model. In order to illustrate its feasibility for a real estuary, the model has been applied to simulate the suspended-sediment transport and the formation of turbidity maximum in the Seine estuary. The numerical results show that the main characteristics of estuarine hydro-sediment dynamics in the Seine estuary are in fact reproduced by the proposed model. A qualitative agreement between the numerical results and the actual observations has been obtained and is presented in this paper.