Effects of Wave-Induced Friction on a Muddy Seabed Modelled as a Bingham-Plastic Fluid

Abstract

Fluid mud found at the bottom of some estuaries and coastlines contains a high concentration of clay particles. The rheological properties of this cohesive material is very complex and there have been vastly different models for predicting the mutual effects of mud and waves. In this paper we focus on the Bingham-plastic behavior known to exist in estuary and river mud with high concentration. By including interfacial friction, motion in a thin mud layer Induced by a solitary wave propagating in a much thicker layer of overlaying water is analyzed. Effects of the mud motion on wave damping is then calculated for both horizontal and sloping sea beds.