The hydrodynamics across the sediment-water interface

The hydrodynamic interaction between the sediment-water interface and the overlying turbulent flow dictates the transport of mass and momentum between the interstitial water in the sediment bed and the water column. In this thesis, a framework is presented that characterises the hydrodynamic processes across the SWI. To do so, an experimental methodology was employed that combined refractive-index matching with particle-tracking velocimetry, allowing for simultaneous flow observations in the overlying flow, and into the interstitial fluid of the sediment bed. It is observed that the interfacial flow properties and transport processes are dominated by a single parameter: the relative permeability.