Case Study in Cost-Based Risk Assessment for Selecting a Stream Restoration Design Method for a Channel Relocation Project
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 5
Abstract
A low-risk, stream restoration design includes methods that validate design assumptions, incorporate uncertainty in the decision-making process during the project design phase, and reduce uncertainty by checking the final design. A two-step method of incorporating uncertainty and risk in stream restoration design has been developed as a combination of design failure modes and effects analysis (DFMEA) and risk quantification. As a first step, DFMEA is applied to identify risk in terms of ratings with respect to consequence of failure, the likelihood of occurrence of a failure, and the ability to detect a failure. Due to its evolutionary nature, the DFMEA can be revised to account for design modifications and relative ratings are reevaluated to examine reductions in uncertainty, and thereby, risk. The second step of the method is quantifying risk using initial and expected failure costs. The two-step, risk-based method is illustrated through application to a stream relocation project in Pennsylvania. Both sediment transport capacity and supply analysis and alluvial channel modeling design methods were shown to reduce uncertainty and risk by detecting design deficiencies that the initial design using incipient motion tests overlooked. However, the alluvial channel model method was favored due to its ability to simulate the combined effects of flow hydraulics, sediment transport, and river channel adjustment.
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Acknowledgments
The writers gratefully acknowledge the financial support received from the College of Engineering and the Environmental Resources Research Institute at the Pennsylvania State University. They further extend their gratitude to Dr. Howard Chang, for all his support, guidance, and technical assistance with the modeling portion of this research investigation. Their gratitude is further extended to the editor and the two anonymous reviewers for providing thorough and insightful comments that led to the significant improvement of this paper.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 5 • May 2007
Pages: 468 - 481
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 17, 2005
Accepted: Apr 4, 2006
Published online: May 1, 2007
Published in print: May 2007
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