Development of a mud transport model for the Scheldt estuary

van Kessel, T.; Vanlede, J.; de Kok, J.

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Development of a mud transport model for the Scheldt estuary

van Kessel, T.; Vanlede, J.; de Kok, J. (2007). Development of a mud transport model for the Scheldt estuary, in: Le Hir, P. et al. (2011). Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Nearshore and Estuarine Cohesive Sediment Transport Processes (INTERCOH '07), Brest, France, September 25-28, 2007. Continental Shelf Research, 31(10, Suppl.): pp. [1-20]

In: Le Hir, P. et al. (Ed.) (2011). Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Nearshore and Estuarine Cohesive Sediment Transport Processes (INTERCOH '07), Brest, France, September 25-28, 2007. Continental Shelf Research, 31(10, Suppl.). Elsevier: Amsterdam. 210 pp.

In: Continental Shelf Research. Pergamon Press: Oxford; New York. ISSN 0278-4343; e-ISSN 1873-6955

Available in	Authors
VLIZ: Open access 303843 [ download pdf ] Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium: Open Repository 130796 [ OWA ]
Document type: Conference paper

Keywords

Suspended sediments
Marine/Coastal

Author keywords

Suspended sediment; 3D model; Seasonal dynamics; Scheldt estuary; 3D models; 3D modellen; Seasonal dynamics; Seizoensdynamiek

Authors		Top
van Kessel, T. Vanlede, J., more de Kok, J.

Abstract

A mud transport model for the Scheldt estuary is being developed. Its purpose is to support managers of the Scheldt estuary with the solution of a number of managerial issues. The model domain ranges from the tidal boundary at Gent down to the Belgian coastal cities of Nieuwpoort and Zeebrugge.

The hydrodynamic simulations on which the mud transport model is based show realistic values for water levels, salinities and residual currents in the major part of the model domain. However, the propagation of the tidal wave is modelled less accurately upstream of Antwerp.

Regarding the mud transport simulations, which are based on simple process formulations, it is shown that a satisfactory agreement is obtained between computed and observed concentration levels and their spatial and temporal variations. SPM levels in the Scheldt appear to be rather sensitive to the volume of harbour siltation and dumping, notably near Antwerp.

The sediment budget computed by the model includes an unrealistically high residual sediment flux towards the North Sea. By enhancing the estuarine mud circulation, the modelled residual flux becomes smaller and agrees better with observation-based estimates. A longer hydrodynamic simulation period (presently up to 3 months) would help to analyse the sediment budget and seasonal dynamics in more detail.

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