The Fluid & Sediment Dynamics research group conducts studies in the area of environmental hydraulics and sediment transport. It is led by Dr. Kyle Strom and is part of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech.
Research Theme
We study the movement of water, sediment, and other substances in a range of aquatic environments (e.g., rivers, lakes, estuaries, and the ocean). A broad topic of interest for us within this theme is how the interaction between the flow and sediment forms and sculpts our waterways and landscapes. We study such processes at small spatial and temporal scales where turbulent motion and the interaction of individual sediment particles in the bed or water column influence the dynamics at play. We also study these processes at larger scales where drivers such as climate, manmade alterations to rivers, or the installation of infrastructure influence rivers and deltas over time scales of years to centuries. In all of our work, we are interested in understanding basic processes, developing new experimental methods, and creating quantitative tools for forward and backward modeling. Improving our understanding and ability to model natural systems aids responsible management of river and coastal resources, and helps to give a more accurate understanding of earth’s history and its future trajectory.
News
Xingu River
We recently had the opportunity to join forces with the research groups of Jeff Nittrouer (Texas Tech University) and Nils Asp (Universidade Federal do Pará, UFPA, Brazil) on a field campaign to the Xingu River. The Xingu is a tributary…
New Project – Flocculation dynamics in estuarine boundary layers
A collaborative project with Tom Hsu and Kelsey Fall (University of Delaware) was funded by the Physical Oceanography program at NSF to investigate flocculation dynamics in estuarine boundary layers. The proposed work will transform our ability to understand and include…
Dip angle controls on block plucking and erosion at bedrock knickpoints
Findings from Kristin and Mikey’s experimental study investigating the effect of bedrock discontinuity orientation angle on the erosion at knickpoints was recently published in Geology. You can find the paper here: https://doi.org/10.1130/G53413.1 Below are three videos highlighting knickpoint erosion style…
Measuring floc sizes in a water treatment basin
In June we were invited by Invent to use the FlocARAZI to image suspended particles in drinking water flocculation basins. It was a great time using the camera in a new setting and meeting some fantastic people. Visually the suspended…
New ADV Despiking Method
Sam Kraus’s new ADV despiking paper was recently published in the Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. Kraus, S. A. and Strom, K. (2025). Simplified kernel density–based algorithm for despiking adv data. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 151(4):06025005. doi: 10.1061/JHEND8.HYENG-14226 The code and data…
Student Research Opportunities
We are always looking for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in environmental hydraulics and sediment transport. Please click here to find out more about opportunities that are currently available.