Sediment Transport Formula for Steep Channels

Abstract

A description is given and results presented of experiments to investigate the sediment capacity of stream flows on flume slopes of up to 20%. A comparison of the results with values predicted by the Meyer‐Peter Mueller equation shows that the latter equation seriously underestimates sediment transport capacity on slopes steeper than 3%, mainly because of deficiencies in the form resistance factor. A new equation is proposed, giving the transport capacity for materials with grain sizes larger than 0.4 mm (0.016 in.). The equation is calibrated by both the original Meyer‐Peter data and new steep flume experiments and modified to incorporate the effect of nonuniform sediment grain size distributions. With flow depths calculated by the Manning‐Strickler equation the new equation still gives excellent estimates of sediment capacity.