Application of Image Processing in Unsteady Flows to Investigate Bed Load Transport

Image processing is a promising technique to investigate bed load characteristics and its movement which has been applied in steady flow conditions for the last few decades. In this study, it is aimed to perform experiments in unsteady flows through generating a hydrograph to apply this technique and calculate the bed load transport. The sediment motion is recorded by a video recorder. The video records are analyzed by image processing techniques to determine the number and area of active grains moving at any instant as well as the average velocity of the grains. A bed load transport formula is introduced particularly used by the digital video analysis in which the time variation of the bed load due to the hydrograph could be precisely determined. It is revealed that the bed load determined at two sections of the flume is in accord and the bed load – time curve has a fluctuating character.