Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Critical Shear Stress of Bedload Transport in Gravel‐Bed Rivers Under Variable Sediment Supply Conditions
- 1River Research Department Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute Wuhan China
- 2State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering Sichuan University Chengdu China
Abstract
Understanding the temporal and spatial dynamics of critical shear stress τc* is essential for predicting bedload transport rate in gravel‐bed rivers, especially under changing sediment supply conditions. This study conducted eight experimental runs using four sediment supply regimes and two feed textures to investigate how sediment supply history, including supply rate, magnitude, and texture, influences τc* under non‐equilibrium conditions. The bedload transport rate, bed elevation, and sediment storage were measured with high temporal resolution, and τc* was estimated using three classical bedload transport models and a slope‐dependent equation. The results show that τc* is not constant, but varies dynamically with sediment input and bed adjustment. The higher the sediment supply rate and magnitude, the greater τc*. Different variable sediment supply regimes would produce different τc* trajectories, which are related to the specific experimental sequence of pre‐supply adjustment, variable sediment input, and post‐supply reorganization. Longitudinal differences also developed: localized deposition and bed slope steepening in the upstream reach caused τc* values to be about 43% higher than those in the downstream reach. Grain selective transport further shaped system behavior: coarse gravels (D50‐D84) are preferentially stored while intermediate fractions (D16‐D50) are efficiently transported, generating counterclockwise hysteresis loops between sediment transport and storage. Overall, these findings demonstrate that τc* should be treated as a dynamic parameter controlled by bed slope, sediment supply history, and bed surface adjustment. It also provides new insights for sediment transport modeling and river management under variable sediment regimes.
Related
- Long-Term Population Dynamics of the Spotted Stem Borer (Chilo partellus) in Contrasting Maize Farming Systems Under Variable Climatic Conditions in East Africa.
- Stony coral symbioses show variable responses to future ocean conditions
- Optimizing broiler transport under hot-climate conditions: interventions across pre-transport, in-transit, and post-transport stages.
- Knowledge coordination in a semi-closed IM network under time-critical conditions: Making distributed expertise actionable
- Flexible modulation of neuronal population dynamics drives variable decision-making in C. elegans
BibTeX
@article{zhou2026temporal,
title = {{Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Critical Shear Stress of Bedload Transport in Gravel‐Bed Rivers Under Variable Sediment Supply Conditions}},
author = {Qihang Zhou and Ruihua Nie and Yinjun Zhou and Zhongwu Jin and Tonghuan Liu and Zhijing Li and Ming Luo and Wenqi Li},
journal = {Water Resources Research},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1029/2025wr043250},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025wr043250},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Critical Shear Stress of Bedload Transport in Gravel‐Bed Rivers Under Variable Sediment Supply Conditions
AU - Qihang Zhou
AU - Ruihua Nie
AU - Yinjun Zhou
AU - Zhongwu Jin
AU - Tonghuan Liu
AU - Zhijing Li
AU - Ming Luo
AU - Wenqi Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/28
JO - Water Resources Research
DO - 10.1029/2025wr043250
UR - https://doi.org/10.1029/2025wr043250
AB - Understanding the temporal and spatial dynamics of critical shear stress τc* is essential for predicting bedload transport rate in gravel‐bed rivers, especially under changing sediment supply conditions. This study conducted eight experimental runs using four sediment supply regimes and two feed textures to investigate how sediment supply history, including supply rate, magnitude, and texture, influences τc* under non‐equilibrium conditions. The bedload transport rate, bed elevation, and sediment storage were measured with high temporal resolution, and τc* was estimated using three classical bedload transport models and a slope‐dependent equation. The results show that τc* is not constant, but varies dynamically with sediment input and bed adjustment. The higher the sediment supply rate and magnitude, the greater τc*. Different variable sediment supply regimes would produce different τc* trajectories, which are related to the specific experimental sequence of pre‐supply adjustment, variable sediment input, and post‐supply reorganization. Longitudinal differences also developed: localized deposition and bed slope steepening in the upstream reach caused τc* values to be about 43% higher than those in the downstream reach. Grain selective transport further shaped system behavior: coarse gravels (D50‐D84) are preferentially stored while intermediate fractions (D16‐D50) are efficiently transported, generating counterclockwise hysteresis loops between sediment transport and storage. Overall, these findings demonstrate that τc* should be treated as a dynamic parameter controlled by bed slope, sediment supply history, and bed surface adjustment. It also provides new insights for sediment transport modeling and river management under variable sediment regimes.
SN - 1944-7973
SN - 0043-1397
ER -