Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Notation
- 1 Introduction to erosion and sedimentation
- 2 Physical properties and dimensional analysis
- 3 Mechanics of sediment-laden flows
- 4 Particle motion in inviscid fluids
- 5 Particle motion in Newtonian fluids
- 6 Turbulent velocity profiles
- 7 Incipient motion
- 8 Bedforms
- 9 Bedload
- 10 Suspended load
- 11 Total load
- 12 Reservoir sedimentation
- Appendix: Einstein's sediment transport method
- Bibliography
- Index
2 - Physical properties and dimensional analysis
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Notation
- 1 Introduction to erosion and sedimentation
- 2 Physical properties and dimensional analysis
- 3 Mechanics of sediment-laden flows
- 4 Particle motion in inviscid fluids
- 5 Particle motion in Newtonian fluids
- 6 Turbulent velocity profiles
- 7 Incipient motion
- 8 Bedforms
- 9 Bedload
- 10 Suspended load
- 11 Total load
- 12 Reservoir sedimentation
- Appendix: Einstein's sediment transport method
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The processes of erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment particles introduced in Chapter 1 are related to the interaction between solid particles and the surrounding fluid. This chapter describes the physical properties of water and solid particles in terms of dimensions and units (Section 2.1), as well as the fundamental properties of water (Section 2.2) and of sediments (Section 2.3). The method of dimensional analysis is then applied to representative erosion and sedimentation problems (Section 2.4).
Dimensions and units
The physical properties of fluids and solids are usually expressed in terms of the following fundamental dimensions: mass (M), length (L), time (T), and temperature (T°). Some systems of units have replaced the unit of mass by a corresponding unit of force. The fundamental dimensions are measurable parameters that can be quantified in fundamental units.
In the Systeme International (SI), the basic units of mass, length, time, and temperature are the kilogram (kg), meter (m), second (s), and kelvin (K). Alternatively, the Celsius scale (°C) is commonly preferred. Accordingly, the freezing point of water is 0°C, and the boiling point is 100°C.
A newton (N) is denned as the force required to accelerate 1 kilogram at 1 meter per second squared. Given that the acceleration due to gravity at the earth's surface g is 9.81 m/s2, the weight of a kilogram is obtained from Newton's second law: F = mass × g = 1 kg × 9.81 m/s2 = 9.81 N.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Erosion and Sedimentation , pp. 4 - 23Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1995