Multilayer Saint-Venant equations over movable beds (Q550322)

This paper introduces a multilayer model to solve three-dimensional sediment transport by wind-driven shallow water flows. The model consists of coupling the multilayer Saint-Venant equations for the hydrodynamics with the Exner equation for the morphodynamics. The proposed multilayer model avoids the expensive Navier-Stokes equations and captures stratified horizontal flow velocities. Forcing terms are included in the system to model momentum exchanges between the considered layers. The topography frictions are included in the bottom layer and the wind shear stresses are acting on the top layer. An Exner equation for morphological evolution accounting for the velocity field on the bottom layer are used to model the bedload transport. The coupled equations form a system of conservation laws with source terms. The authors apply a kinetic scheme using the finite volume discretization as a numerical solver. Preliminary numerical results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed multilayer model and to confirm its capability to provide efficient simulations for sediment transport by wind-driven shallow water flows. Comparison between results obtained using the multilayer model and those obtained using the single-layer model are also presented. The obtained results exhibit completely different flow and sediment features. This work may serve as evidence on the limitation of the single-layer approach in resolving recirculation flows over movable beds.