Transport modelling of sediment re-suspended during submarine cable laying operation

Abstract

Abstract A two-dimensional depth-averaged hydrodynamics and suspended sediment transport numerical model is presented, which is discretized with finite volume method based on a triangular mesh. It is applied to investigate the diffusion and transport characteristics of sediment re-suspended during a demonstration staged submarine cable laying across the Jintang Channel, Zhejiang Province, China. The model is validated primarily against the observed data during the spring, middle and neap tidal cycles in July 2015. The model results show well agreements between the predicted and observed processes of tidal level, velocity and suspended sediment concentration (SSC). The validated model is then applied to simulate the distribution of the tidal velocity and additional SSC during the cable laying. The results show a close relationship between the additional SSC distribution and tidal hydrodynamics.