FORMATION CONDITIONS OF BRICK-PATTERN RIPPLES IN OSCILLATORY WATER FLOW

Abstract

 A regular and periodic three-dimensional bedform, called brick-pattern ripples, consisting of crests perpendicular to the flow direction and longitudinal bridges between their crests, appears under an oscillatory water flow in a certain condition. We made the characterization of brick-pattern ripples formed in an oscillatory water flow through systematic experimental results using a U-shaped oscillatory flow water tank. In addition, geometric properties and formation conditions of such ripples were examined on the basis of several dimensionless parameters. The formation diagram of brick-pattern ripples was experimentally found by using the parameters in comparisons with previous experimental and theoretical results.