Loading Criteria and Deposit Layer Characteristics as Causes of Sediment Settlement in an Estuary

Abstract

Sediment compaction due to the extraction of groundwater and self-weight consolidation, and monitoring land settlement of the river delta using geodetic measurement has been executed in several studies, while sediment settlement in the estuary is hypothesized due to dynamic loads. The present study aimed to observe clues for the occurrence of sediment settlement due to loading variation and deposit layer characteristics in the estuary. This research was based on four loading data for examination, i.e., hydraulic head pressure, sediment transport rate, sediment deposition, and water density. Two years of previous research simulations, including the rainy and dry seasons, were recalculated to gain the load pressure and were considered to assess the maximum load prediction. This review found evidence that dynamic loads predominated in maximum pressure changes in boreholes (BH2) and (BH3), and were due to river discharge and tidal occurrence, respectively. The dynamic load of sediment in BH2 contributed more than in BH3, where it was almost nonexistent. Observing the sediment layer characteristics, both settled for almost a month and two weeks, respectively, showed sediment settlement of more or less than 2 and 8 mm. Despite insignificant loading changes, these findings can further our understanding of loading criteria and settlement in different geometric locations.