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Selected Publication:

Habersack, H.M., Laronne, J.B..
(2001): Bedload texture in an Alpine gravel bed river.
Water Resources Research, 37, 12, 3359-3370

Abstract:
The spatial and temporal variations in bed load texture measured in a gravel bed river with a Helley-Smith sampler are compared with its bed material texture. Most measurements were undertaken at low excess shear stress, with low bed load discharge over an armored bed. Cross-sectionally averaged fractional bed load discharge increases with water discharge, but the explanation of the variance in fractional discharge is low (20-40%). Cross-sectional distribution of shear velocity explains in part the spatial variation in bed load texture. Because local hydraulic parameters are weak predictors of fractional bed load discharge for the granule-pebble range at nonequilibrium conditions, it reinforces the hypothesis that this size range, which comprises the bulk of bed load, derives from upstream sources. Temporal variations in the cross-sectional distribution of bed load texture are shown to depend on variations in bed topography and local shear stress. We demonstrate that the dominance of granule-pebble fractions is in part related to the hiding behavior of smaller fractions.
Authors BOKU Wien:
Habersack Helmut



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