RIVER ENGINEERING

Module: 5

ORIGIN AND FORMATION OF SEDIMENTS

Dr. Bharati Medhi Das

Civil Engg.Dept
Assam Engineering College,
Jalukbari, Guwahati-13
 Contents
 Nature of Sediment problems

 Stream Erosion and Deposition

 Wind Erosion and Deposition

 Glacial Erosion and Deposition

 Sediment:

• Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is formed by certain

natural processes.
• This sediment is often formed when weathering and erosion break
down a rock into loose material.

• Sediments are transported by various actions like:

i) wind
ii) water
iii) Ice/ glaciers
iv) force of gravity

• Sand and slit can be carried in suspension in river water and on

reaching the sea bed deposited by sedimentation if buried, they may
eventually become sandstone and siltstone.
• Sediments are most often transported by water (fluvial processes), but also
wind (Aeolian processes) and glaciers.

• Beach sands and river channel deposits are examples of fluvial transport and
deposition, though sediment also often settles out of slow-moving or standing
water in lakes and oceans.

• Desert sand dunes and loess are examples of Aeolian transport and deposition.

• Glacial moraine deposits and till are ice-transported sediments.

Examples of Sediment:

Slit Stone dust

Pebbles

Boulder
 Sources of Sediments:
• Soil erosion

• Weathering action on natural rocks.

• Decomposition of plants and animals.

• Erosion and weathering include the effects of wind and rain, which slowly
break down large rocks into smaller ones.

• Erosion and weathering transform boulders and even mountains into

sediments.

• Wind, water and ice help carry the sediment particles to rivers, lakes and
streams.

• Mass movement and runoff are two sources of sediment carried by rivers.
 Formation of Sediments:

Sediments are mainly formed by disintegration of rocks.

• Weathering action Is responsible for disintegration of rocks.

• Weathering can be three types:

1.ChemIcal weathering
The agents of chemlcal weathering are:
Oxygen
Carbondioxide
water vapour
2. Mechanical weathering
The agents of mechanical weathering are:
Freezing action,
Expansion caused by chemical changes,
Exfoliation resulting from sudden changes in temperature
3. Organic weathering
The agents of organic weathering are
Burrowing animals,
Roots and trunks of trees etc.
 Types of Sediments:
A. Based on origin

Sediments are classified by origin.

There are four types:
1.Lithogenous sediment
2.Hydrogenous sediment
3.Biogenous sediment
4.Cosmogenous sediment

1.Lithogenous sediments are derived from weathering of rocks. They come

from land via rivers, ice, wind and other processes. These sediments are
characterized by ferromagnesian or non-ferromagnesian compositions.
2.Hydrogenous sediment are formed as a result of chemical reaction in
water.

3. Bio-genous sediment come from organisms (algae and protozoans)

4. Cosmogenous sediments composed of materials from outer space.

B. Based on size of particles:
 C. Other classifications:

•Suspended materials - Amount of tiny soil particles that remain suspended in water
and act as a colloid.

•Bed material- The layer of sedimentary rocks that area distinctly different from
overlying and underlying subsequent beds of different sedimentary
rocks.
Problems associated with Sediments:

• Sediments on water affects on lives of aquatic plants and animals. Sediment

in stream beds disrupts the natural food chain by destroying the habitat
where the smallest stream organisms live and causing massive declines in
fish populations.

•Sediment can filI streams, lakes and ponds. Thus water carrying capacity of
water bodies get reduced.

•Due to raising of the river bed and formation of sand bars, water carrying
capacity of river reduces, and this results in flood to the country side.

• Sediments can obstruct waterways and clog drains, storm sewers and
ditches.

• Sediments in suspension can have a significant impact on the water quality

of a waterway. Turbid water is not suitable for drinking and aquatic sports.
• Sediment transport is applied to solve many environmental, geotechnical, and
geological problems. Measuring or quantifying sediment transport or erosion is an
important aspect for coastal engineering.

• Sediment can result in odor and taste problems, thus increases the cost of treating
drinking water.

•Sediment is considered as one of the most common pollutant in rivers, streams,

lakes and reservoirs.

•Sedimentation in reservoir need special attention. Water storage capacity of

reservoir decreases due to sedimentation. This may impact on the utilities of
the reservoir such as hydropower production, agriculture, navigation etc.

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Transportation of Sediments:

Once the rocks are disintegrated, sediments are formed. The se sediments
are then eroded and transported from one place, and deposited at another
place. This erosion and deposition process may be due to

(i) Stream, (ii) Wind (iii) Glacier.

The process of Erosion and deposition are:

•Stream erosion and deposition

•Wind erosion and deposition

•Glacial erosion and deposition.

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