Mathematical modeling of flow over granular beds to study landscape erosion

Understanding the motion of fluid flowing over particles and the transport of sedimentation is important in many environmental settings. In particular, the suspension, segregation, and transportation of particles in a shear flow are relevant to the study of landslides, oil spills, and wastewater treatment. We develop a mathematical model to investigate flow over granular beds with accompanying experiments and numerical simulations. Although particle-laden flows have been well-studied in the past, the majority of recent landscape erosion literature describe the need for more accurate modeling of this ecological problem. Our work uses a lubrication model that describes a gravity-driven thin-film flow of viscous fluid and suspended particles. We present comparisons between experimental data and theory.