Modelling estuarine sand waves
We aim to unravel the inherent dynamics of estuarine sand waves. Being free instabilities of the coupled hydro-sediment system , they are a major source of vertical mixing in estuaries . Yet, they are poorly understood, due to the complexities of hydrodynamics (oscillatory with strong asymmetries, flow separation, stratified flows), bed composition (sand, mud) and role of biota and estuarine geometry. Specific questions:
- In the sand-only case, what are the mechanisms behind estuarine sandwave dynamics, both in the stage of formation and subsequent finite-amplitude regime?
- How does the presence of mud alter these dynamics?
- What are the effects of anthropogenic interventions (e.g., dredging operations), at the scale of the individual bed forms or the estuary’s geometry and vice versa?
Last modified: 17/06/2022
Contributing researchers
W.M. van der Sande
University of Twente
Project outputs
Nonlinear modeling of river dunes: Insights in long-term evolution of dune dimensions and form roughness
18/02/2025 by W.M. van der Sande et al.
Bevat: flow roughness flow separation morphodynamic modeling nonlinear river dunes
Sand Dunes as a Nature-Based Solution to Mitigate Salt Intrusion in Stratified Estuaries
23/01/2025 by Sem Geerts et al.
Bevat: estuarine sand dunes mixing nature based solutions process-based modeling salt intrusion stratified flow
Shorter estuarine dunes and upstream migration due to intratidal variations in stratification
01/02/2023 by W.M. van der Sande et al.
Bevat: estuarine dunes morphodynamic modeling Strain-Induced Periodic Stratification (SIPS)