The paper presents validation of a mathematical model describing the friction factor by comparing the predicted and measured results in a broad range of solid concentrations and mean particle diameters. Three different types of solids, surrounded by water as a carrier liquid, namely Canasphere, PVC, and Sand were used with solids density from 1045 to 2650 kg/m3, and in the range of solid concentrations by volume from 0.10 to 0.45. All solid particles were narrowly sized with mean particle diameters between 1.5 and 3.4 mm. It is presented that the model predicts the friction factor fairly well. The paper demonstrates that solid particle diameter plays a crucial role for the friction factor in a vertical slurry flow with coarse solid particles. The mathematical model is discussed in reference to damping of turbulence in such flows. As the friction factor is below the friction for water it is concluded that it is possible that the effect of damping of turbulence is included in the KB function, which depends on the Reynolds number.
The paper describes results of validation of authors' recently proposed formulae for sediment transport and bed friction in the upper plane bed regime using laboratory experiments in a pressurized pipe. Flows of mixture of water and fine to medium ballotini (d50 = 0.18 mm) were observed in a rectangular pipe (51 x 51 mm) with a deposit at the bottom of the pipe. A comparison of test results with transport-formula predictions shows a satisfactory match confirming a good prediction ability of the proposed transport formula at high bed shear. A prediction ability of the friction formulae appears to be less convincing but still reasonable. A joint use of the formulae for transport and friction predicts the delivered concentration of transported sediment within the accuracy range of ± 40 per cent for flows in which transported sediments strongly affect the bed friction, i.e. for flows with delivered concentration of sediment higher than say 3 per cent.