A novel experimental technique and its application to study the effects of particle density and flow submergence on bed particle saltation

This research was sponsored by EPSRC grant EP/G056404/1 which is greatly appreciated.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The fluctuation energy balance in non-suspended fluid-mediated particle transport

Here we compare two extreme regimes of non-suspended fluid-mediated particle transport, transport in light and heavy fluids ("saltation" and "bedload", respectively), regarding their particle fluctuation energy balance. From direct numerical simulations, we surprisingly find that the ratio between collisional and fluid drag dissipation of fluctuation energy is significantly larger in saltation than in bedload, even though the contribution of interparticle collisions to transport of momentum and energy is much smaller in saltation due to the low concentration of particles in the transport layer. We conclude that the much higher frequency of high-energy particle-bed impacts ("splash") in saltation is the cause for this counter-intuitive behavior. Moreover, from a comparison of these simulations to Particle Tracking Velocimetry measurements which we performed in a wind tunnel under steady transport of fine and coarse sand, we find that turbulent fluctuations of the flow produce particle fluctuation energy at an unexpectedly high rate in saltation even under conditions for which the effects of turbulence are usually believed to be small

Analytical and discrete solutions for the incipient motion of ellipsoidal sediment particles

[EN] This work introduces analytical and numerical approaches to compute the incipient motion of ellipsoidal sediment particles. Initiation of motion of spherical particles is dominated by rolling mode. However, solutions for initiation of motion for non-spherical grains have to incorporate rolling, sliding, and mixed modes. The proposed approaches include a wide variety of shapes and inclinations that represent realistic configurations of sediment bed layers. The numerical procedure is based on the discrete element method, simulating the micro-mechanics of the sediment as an aggregate of rigid ellipsoids interacting by contact. The numerical solution covers a range of incipient movements that cannot be covered by the analytical approach. Hence, some trapped modes observed in analytical calculations are complemented by the numerical computation of threshold stresses. The main results are organized as novel extended Shields diagrams for non-spherical grains, where non-dimensional critical shear stress is represented in terms of friction Reynolds number.This work was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación Grant [#BIA-2012-32918 and #BIA-2015-64994-P (MINECO/FEDER)].Bravo, R.; Ortiz, P.; Pérez-Aparicio, JL. (2018). Analytical and discrete solutions for the incipient motion of ellipsoidal sediment particles. Journal of Hydraulic Research. 56(1):29-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221686.2017.1289263S2943561Belytschko, T., & Neal, M. O. (1991). Contact-impact by the pinball algorithm with penalty and Lagrangian methods. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, 31(3), 547-572. doi:10.1002/nme.1620310309Bravo, R., Ortiz, P., & Pérez-Aparicio, J. L. (2014). Incipient sediment transport for non-cohesive landforms by the discrete element method (DEM). Applied Mathematical Modelling, 38(4), 1326-1337. doi:10.1016/j.apm.2013.08.010Bravo, R., Pérez-Aparicio, J. L., & Gómez-Hernández, J. J. (2015). Numerical sedimentation particle-size analysis using the Discrete Element Method. Advances in Water Resources, 86, 58-72. doi:10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.09.024Bravo, R., Pérez-Aparicio, J. L., & Laursen, T. A. (2012). An energy consistent frictional dissipating algorithm for particle contact problems. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, 92(9), 753-781. doi:10.1002/nme.4346Buffington, J. M., & Montgomery, D. R. (1997). A systematic analysis of eight decades of incipient motion studies, with special reference to gravel-bedded rivers. Water Resources Research, 33(8), 1993-2029. doi:10.1029/96wr03190Cheng, N.-S., & Chiew, Y.-M. (1999). Incipient sediment motion with upward seepage. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 37(5), 665-681. doi:10.1080/00221689909498522Chiew, Y.-M., & Parker, G. (1994). Incipient sediment motion on non-horizontal slopes. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 32(5), 649-660. doi:10.1080/00221689409498706Derksen, J. J. (2015). Simulations of granular bed erosion due to a mildly turbulent shear flow. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 53(5), 622-632. doi:10.1080/00221686.2015.1077354Dey, S. (1999). Sediment threshold. Applied Mathematical Modelling, 23(5), 399-417. doi:10.1016/s0307-904x(98)10081-1Dey, S. (2003). Threshold of sediment motion on combined transverse and longitudinal sloping beds. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 41(4), 405-415. doi:10.1080/00221680309499985Dey, S., Sarker, H. K. D., & Debnath, K. (1999). Sediment Threshold under Stream Flow on Horizontal and Sloping Beds. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 125(5), 545-553. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9399(1999)125:5(545)Hölzer, A., & Sommerfeld, M. (2008). New simple correlation formula for the drag coefficient of non-spherical particles. Powder Technology, 184(3), 361-365. doi:10.1016/j.powtec.2007.08.021James, C. S. (1990). Prediction of entrainment conditions for nonuniform, noncohesive sediments. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 28(1), 25-41. doi:10.1080/00221689009499145Ji, C., Munjiza, A., Avital, E., Ma, J., & Williams, J. J. R. (2013). Direct numerical simulation of sediment entrainment in turbulent channel flow. Physics of Fluids, 25(5), 056601. doi:10.1063/1.4807075Klamkin, M. S. (1971). Elementary Approximations to the Area of N-Dimensional Ellipsoids. The American Mathematical Monthly, 78(3), 280. doi:10.2307/2317530Mandø, M., & Rosendahl, L. (2010). On the motion of non-spherical particles at high Reynolds number. Powder Technology, 202(1-3), 1-13. doi:10.1016/j.powtec.2010.05.001MILLER, M. C., McCAVE, I. N., & KOMAR, P. D. (1977). Threshold of sediment motion under unidirectional currents. Sedimentology, 24(4), 507-527. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3091.1977.tb00136.xWan Mohtar, W. H. M., & Munro, R. J. (2013). Threshold criteria for incipient sediment motion on an inclined bedform in the presence of oscillating-grid turbulence. Physics of Fluids, 25(1), 015103. doi:10.1063/1.4774341Ortiz, P., & Smolarkiewicz, P. K. (2006). Numerical simulation of sand dune evolution in severe winds. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids, 50(10), 1229-1246. doi:10.1002/fld.1138Ortiz, P., & Smolarkiewicz, P. K. (2009). Coupling the dynamics of boundary layers and evolutionary dunes. Physical Review E, 79(4). doi:10.1103/physreve.79.041307Van Rijn, L. C. (1984). Sediment Transport, Part I: Bed Load Transport. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 110(10), 1431-1456. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9429(1984)110:10(1431)Shi, G.-H., & Goodman, R. E. (1985). Two dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 9(6), 541-556. doi:10.1002/nag.1610090604Shields, A. (1936). Application of similarity principles and turbulence research to bed-load movement (Tech. Rep.). Lab. for Hydraulic Water Resources.Wellmann, C., Lillie, C., & Wriggers, P. (2008). A contact detection algorithm for superellipsoids based on the common‐normal concept. Engineering Computations, 25(5), 432-442. doi:10.1108/02644400810881374Wiberg, P. L., & Smith, J. D. (1985). A theoretical model for saltating grains in water. Journal of Geophysical Research, 90(C4), 7341. doi:10.1029/jc090ic04p0734

Numerical simulation of turbulent sediment transport, from bed load to saltation

Sediment transport is studied as a function of the grain to fluid density ratio using two phase numerical sim- ulations based on a discrete element method (DEM) for particles coupled to a continuum Reynolds averaged description of hydrodynamics. At a density ratio close to unity (typically under water), vertical velocities are so small that sediment transport occurs in a thin layer at the surface of the static bed, and is called bed load. Steady, or 'saturated' transport is reached when the fluid borne shear stress at the interface between the mobile grains and the static grains is reduced to its threshold value. The number of grains transported per unit surface is therefore limited by the flux of horizontal momentum towards the surface. However, the fluid velocity in the transport layer remains almost undisturbed so that the mean grain velocity scales with the shear velocity u\ast. At large density ratio (typically in air), the vertical velocities are large enough to make the transport layer wide and dilute. Sediment transport is then called saltation. In this case, particles are able to eject others when they collide with the granular bed, a process called splash. The number of grains transported per unit surface is selected by the balance between erosion and deposition and saturation is reached when one grain is statistically replaced by exactly one grain after a collision, which has the consequence that the mean grain velocity remains independent of u\ast. The influence of the density ratio is systematically studied to reveal the transition between these two transport regimes. Based on the mechanisms identified in the steady case, we discuss the transient of saturation of sediment transport and in particular the saturation time and length. Finally, we investigate the exchange of particles between the mobile and static phases and we determine the exchange time of particles.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, submitted to Physics of Fluid

Derived coisotropic structures I: affine case

We define and study coisotropic structures on morphisms of commutative dg algebras in the context of shifted Poisson geometry, i.e. $P_n$-algebras. Roughly speaking, a coisotropic morphism is given by a $P_{n+1}$-algebra acting on a $P_n$-algebra. One of our main results is an identification of the space of such coisotropic structures with the space of Maurer--Cartan elements in a certain dg Lie algebra of relative polyvector fields. To achieve this goal, we construct a cofibrant replacement of the operad controlling coisotropic morphisms by analogy with the Swiss-cheese operad which can be of independent interest. Finally, we show that morphisms of shifted Poisson algebras are identified with coisotropic structures on their graph.Comment: 49 pages. v2: many proofs rewritten and the paper is split into two part

Long-Term Evolution of Sand Transport Through a River Network: Relative Influences of a Dam Versus Natural Changes in Grain Size From Sand Waves

Temporal and spatial nonuniformity in supplies of water and sand in a river network leads to sand transport that is in local disequilibrium with the upstream sand supply. In such river networks, sand is transported downstream as elongating waves in which coupled changes in grain size and transport occur. Depending on the magnitude of each sand-supplying event and the interval between such events, changes in bed-sand grain size associated with sand-wave passage may more strongly regulate sand transport than do changes in water discharge. When sand transport is controlled more by episodic resupply of sand than by discharge, upstream dam construction may exacerbate or mitigate sand-transport disequilibria, thus leading to complicated and difficult-to-predict patterns of deposition and erosion. We analyzed all historical sediment-transport data and embarked on a 4-year program of continuous sediment-transport measurements to describe disequilibrium sand transport in a river network. Results indicate that sand transport in long river segments can evolve over ≥50-year timescales following rare large sand-supplying events. These natural changes in sand transport in distal downstream river segments can be larger than those caused by an upstream dam. Because there is no way to know a priori whether sand transport in a river has changed in response to changes in the upstream sand supply, contemporary continuous measurements of sand transport are required for accurate sand loads and budgeting. Analysis of only historical sediment-transport measurements, as is common in the literature, may lead to incorrect conclusions with respect to current or future sediment-transport conditions

Associations with photoreceptor thickness measures in the UK Biobank.

Spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT) provides high resolution images enabling identification of individual retinal layers. We included 32,923 participants aged 40-69 years old from UK Biobank. Questionnaires, physical examination, and eye examination including SD-OCT imaging were performed. SD OCT measured photoreceptor layer thickness includes photoreceptor layer thickness: inner nuclear layer-retinal pigment epithelium (INL-RPE) and the specific sublayers of the photoreceptor: inner nuclear layer-external limiting membrane (INL-ELM); external limiting membrane-inner segment outer segment (ELM-ISOS); and inner segment outer segment-retinal pigment epithelium (ISOS-RPE). In multivariate regression models, the total average INL-RPE was observed to be thinner in older aged, females, Black ethnicity, smokers, participants with higher systolic blood pressure, more negative refractive error, lower IOPcc and lower corneal hysteresis. The overall INL-ELM, ELM-ISOS and ISOS-RPE thickness was significantly associated with sex and race. Total average of INL-ELM thickness was additionally associated with age and refractive error, while ELM-ISOS was additionally associated with age, smoking status, SBP and refractive error; and ISOS-RPE was additionally associated with smoking status, IOPcc and corneal hysteresis. Hence, we found novel associations of ethnicity, smoking, systolic blood pressure, refraction, IOPcc and corneal hysteresis with photoreceptor thickness

Bone-Induced Expression of Integrin β3 Enables Targeted Nanotherapy of Breast Cancer Metastases

Bone metastases occur in approximately 70% of metastatic breast cancer patients, often leading to skeletal injuries. Current treatments are mainly palliative and underscore the unmet clinical need for improved therapies. In this study, we provide preclinical evidence for an antimetastatic therapy based on targeting integrin β3 (β3), which is selectively induced on breast cancer cells in bone by the local bone microenvironment. In a preclinical model of breast cancer, β3 was strongly expressed on bone metastatic cancer cells, but not primary mammary tumors or visceral metastases. In tumor tissue from breast cancer patients, β3 was significantly elevated on bone metastases relative to primary tumors from the same patient (n = 42). Mechanistic investigations revealed that TGFβ signaling through SMAD2/SMAD3 was necessary for breast cancer induction of β3 within the bone. Using a micelle-based nanoparticle therapy that recognizes integrin αvβ3 (αvβ3-MPs of ∼12.5 nm), we demonstrated specific localization to breast cancer bone metastases in mice. Using this system for targeted delivery of the chemotherapeutic docetaxel, we showed that bone tumor burden could be reduced significantly with less bone destruction and less hepatotoxicity compared with equimolar doses of free docetaxel. Furthermore, mice treated with αvβ3-MP-docetaxel exhibited a significant decrease in bone-residing tumor cell proliferation compared with free docetaxel. Taken together, our results offer preclinical proof of concept for a method to enhance delivery of chemotherapeutics to breast cancer cells within the bone by exploiting their selective expression of integrin αvβ3 at that metastatic site

Diffusive regimes of the motion of bed load particles in open channel flows at low transport stages

The stochasticity of fluid and sediment parameters has been identified as a source of diffusion, particularly anomalous diffusion at different temporal and spatial scales of bed load particle trajectories. Data from two sets of flume experiments are presented, one data set has gravel particle trajectories tracked over a limited area and was used in identifying the influence of different shear stress conditions on diffusive processes. A new experiment was performed using spherical particles moving as bed load in an annular flume in order to address concerns about censorship effects caused by the size of the detection window. An annular flume allowed collection of practically uncensored particle trajectories over longer time period than has been previously possible in the laboratory. Three diffusive regimes were observed at distinct stages of particle motion: (i) ballistic regime at the local range; (ii) Fickian diffusion at the intermediate range; (iii) subdiffusion at the global range. Characteristic time scales separate the regimes and correlate with the mean traveling and resting times of particles. Fickian diffusion in the intermediate range is first recognized as a result of the balance between intermittent weak transport and near-bed turbulence, as first predicted by Nikora et al. (2002, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001WR000513). In the global range, extreme values were observed in the distribution of particle resting times, suggesting that two types of distributions (related to surface motion and vertical mixing) were responsible for the subdiffusion at longer time scales. Diffusion was found to be anisotropic at all stages of particle motion