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Numerical modelling of suspended sediment transport in the Loire estuary

In order to evaluate silt displacements and deposits in the outer part of the Loire Estuary over one year, a two-dimensional depth-integrated model of suspended sediment transport has been carried out. It takes into account transport and dispersion of suspended sediment by tidal currents, and processes of erosion, deposition and bed consolidation. Erosion laws and consolidation laws are specific of the Loire Estuary and come from laboratory experiments.
Representative tidal conditions and river Loire flowrates have been identified : results of the model for these typical cases will be tentatively extrapolated to a one year evolution.
1. Introduction
2. Sediment model
2.1. The depth-averaged equation and its hypothesis
2.2. Mud processes
2.3. Numerical solution
3. Application to the Loire estuary
3.1. Results of the hydrodynamic model
3.2. Input data for the sediment model
3.3. Results of the sediment model
3.4. Modelling of a typical year evolution
Conclusion
References