Development and application of 2-D mobile-bed model with bedrock river evolution mechanism

Abstract

Steep slope and severe bed change are the characteristics of mountain rivers. These characteristics often cause the bed armour layer flushed away, make the bedrock exposed, and then increase the channel incision. Most mobile-bed models of past few decades aimed at the sediment transport of alluvial channel. In this paper, a bedrock river evolution mechanism is proposed, and included in a 2-D mobile-bed model, called the explicit finite analytic model (EFA). The EFA model can consider both incision and deposition over the bedrock, by combining a new stream power type of bedrock erosion rate formula with the flow and sediment transport modules. An uplifted reach of Taan River, Taiwan, caused by the Chi-Chi earthquake occurred in 1999 is chosen as the study site. Rapid bedrock incision since the uplift provides a rare chance to explore its mechanism and evolution process. The field and numerical results show that the proposed model has the capability of simulating morphological changes for bedrock rivers. (C) 2013 International Association for Hydro-environment Engineering and Research, Asia Pacific Division. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.