Experimental Study on Sediment Suspension over the Liquefied Sand-Clay Seabed under Waves

In this study, the mechanism of erosion and sediment suspension over the wave-induced liquefied seabed is investigated by the wave flume experiment on homogeneous sand-clay mixed beds. The mixed beds with various Clay Content (CC) range from 0 to 9.9% were tested under a specific wave condition. The erosion depth of beds, Excess Pore water Pressure (EPP) and Suspended Sediment Concentration (SSC) are measured and analyzed, and their relationships with CC are emphatically discussed. The experimental results indicate that the liquefied sand-clay bed becomes easier to be eroded, and the erosion depth and SSC of the mixed beds decrease with the increase of CC due to the cohesion. The erosion depth and SSC of the mixed beds with 0.5% and 1% CC are much larger than those of other cases. Besides, the erosion and sediment suspension process of the liquefied mixed bed is related to the wave-induced seabed response.