Monitoring the motion of a particle at the bed in an oscillatory flow environment

With the increasing levels of environmental pollution, research focusing on understanding the movement of plastic debris in aquatic environments has become increasingly significant in the fields of environmental and water engineering. Investigating the behavior of plastic particles of different sizes under flow conditions is critical for determining the dispersion mechanisms of these materials. In this context, monitoring particle motion under oscillatory flow conditions is regarded as a fundamental topic that can support many applied and theoretical studies. In this thesis, the behavior of a plastic particle settled on the bed under the influence of oscillatory flow was investigated and analyzed using experimental methods. Images were captured using a dual-camera system under ultraviolet lighting conditions, and image processing techniques were employed to obtain the particle's positional data along the x, y, and z axes. Furthermore, the application of reflective paint on the particle surface allowed for more accurate image segmentation, improving data precision. The experimental setup consisted of a system in which artificial oscillatory flow conditions were generated by means of a shaking table. Within this system, acceleration measurements were carried out, time-dependent data were graphically analyzed, and the flow conditions and the particle's motion were assessed simultaneously. This setup enabled the concurrent examination of both the flow environment and particle-specific behaviors. The novelty of this study lies in the integration of experimental measurements with image processing techniques to achieve a highly accurate analysis of particle behavior under oscillatory flow conditions. The data obtained are expected to contribute to modeling studies on plastic pollution in aquatic environments and to support the development of engineering solutions to address this issue.