Stream Bank Erosion: In Situ Flume Tests
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 3
Abstract
A new technique for testing the erodibility of cohesive stream banks using an in situ flume is presented. The erosion rate is estimated from direct measurements of bed surface elevations by acoustic sensors. The sediment resuspension rate is obtained using data on sediment concentrations measured by optical backscatter sensors and from water samples. The bed-load contribution to the total erosion rate is evaluated from the conservation equation for sediments. Temporal patterns of erosion and resuspension rates are studied employing stepwise increments of bed-shear stress. The data show that bed load plays a significant role in cohesive bank erosion. The data analysis suggests that erosion and resuspension thresholds observed in experiments were very low or equal to zero. The data support the power type equation for the erosion and resuspension rates with bed-shear stress as the key factor. The data also highlights the potential importance of mud content and water content on erosion.
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Acknowledgments
The research was partly funded by Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (Contract No. C01X0307), New Zealand, and by the Auckland Regional Council. B. J. F. Biggs provided support and encouragement to this study, which is appreciated. The writers are particularly thankful to C. Grace and S. De Lima for helping with fieldwork and getting instruments ready for this study. A. Sutherland, M. Hicks, G. Smart, G. Macky, and A. McKerchar provided helpful comments and suggestions, which were gratefully incorporated into the final manuscript.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 3 • June 2007
Pages: 256 - 264
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Dec 23, 2005
Accepted: Dec 29, 2006
Published online: Jun 1, 2007
Published in print: Jun 2007
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