Shear settling in laminar open channel flow: analytical solution, measurements and numerical simulation

In beaching of tailings, sand and clays may segregate. In laminar flow this is due to shear settling. First implementations of shear settling in numerical flow models are seen, offering unprecedented potential to conduct tailings management studies. In order to validate numerical codes, reference materials are necessary. For laminar flow, there is a small set of flume tests available from an earlier study. An analytical solution for transient sand concentration profile development with distance in laminar open channel flow appeared recently. This analytical method is more complete than an analytical model developed earlier at the author’s institute. Data and analytical solutions are analysed and applied to serve for the validation of numerical flow simulation of beaching in tailings storage facilities. Fair agreement is observed between measurements and the analytical method. Moreover, fair agreement is obtained between an earlier produced computational outcome of the numerical model Delft3D-slurry and analytical solution. This contributes to building confidence in this model as an aid in supporting tailings deposition management.