Erosion and sedimentation processes have fascinated generations of researchers, and yet significant contributions to this rapidly evolving scientific field are still to be made. The state of the art in erosion and sedimentation can be assessed only through a careful examination of both theoretical developments and practical engineering technology. This book has been prepared for graduate students and visiting scholars actively pursuing scientific research and for practitioners keeping up with recent technological developments. The prerequisites simply include a basic knowledge of undergraduate fluid mechanics and a fundamental understanding of partial differential equations.

As a physical science, the topic is deeply rooted in the realm of fluid mechanics, on the basis of which the mechanics of hydrodynamic forces applied on single particles, suspensions, and hyperconcentrations can best be understood. This text is not a voluminous encyclopedia; rather, it scrutinizes carefully selected methods that meet pedagogical objectives underlining theory and applications. The material can be covered within a regular forty-five-hour course at most academic institutions.

The chapters of this book contain a variety of exercises, general problems, computer problems, examples, and case studies. Each illustrates a specific aspect of the profession, from theoretical derivations through exercises, to practical solutions to real problems through the analysis of case studies. Most problems can be solved with a few algebraic equations; others require the use of a computer. Problems marked with a double asterisk are considered very important; those with a single asterisk or no asterisk are less important.