A study on mud particle velocities and mass transport in wave-current-mud interaction

The upper fluid mud layer in muddy environments absorbs wave energy and, in turn, moves due to the wave action. In addition to these two major phenomena of wave-mud interaction, introduction of current in the wave field also changes the wave characteristics as well as the rates of mud mass transport. The present study offers an experimental investigation of wave-current-mud interaction to address the wave transformation and mud mass transport on a horizontal bed. A number of laboratory tests were conducted to measure the mud particle velocities as well as wave attenuation rates under following, opposing, and no current conditions. Both the wave energy dissipation and mud mass transport increase with the presence of opposing currents and decrease when following currents are introduced. A semi-analytical model was also presented and the numerical results are compared with the laboratory experiments, showing acceptable agreements.