Abstract: | During bedload movement by saltation, streamwise momentum is transferred from the ?ow to the saltating grains. When the grains collide with other grains on the bed or in the ?ow, streamwise momentum is reduced, and there is a decrease in streamwise ?ow velocity and an increase in ?ow resistance, herein termed bedload transport resistance fbt. Based on experiments in two ?umes with ?xed and mobile plane beds and previously published data, an equation is developed that may be used to predict fbt for both capacity and non‐capacity ?ows. The variables in this equation are identi?ed by dimensional analysis and the coef?cients are determined by non‐linear regression. This equation applies to rough turbulent open‐channel ?ows, where the relative submergence is between 1 and 20 and the entire sediment load moves by saltation. An investigation of the relative magnitudes of fbt and grain resistance fc suggests that where dimensionless shear stress θ is less than 1 and saltation is the dominant mode of bedload transport, fbt/fc increases with θ but never exceeds 1. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |