ARS | Publication request: Water resource structures and the importance of erodibility

Submitted to: ASABE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: June 1, 2009
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Mirtskhoulava said, "Erosion is one of the least reliably defined elements of many hydraulic projects. Therefore, description and prediction of non-scouring velocities is one of the most important problems of hydraulics and river morphology." This quote and the recent experiences related to the erosion of earthen spillways, dam embankment and levee failures, degrading streams, and eroding landscapes supports the importance of characterizing the erodibility of earthen materials. Prediction of erosion in these environments is dependent on understanding the processes, developing appropriate predictive equations, and the fundamental measurement of material erodibility. This presentation covers the relevance of understanding erodibility in predicting water resource structures and their performance under extreme conditions. This paper also covers research that has been and is being conducted by USDA, ARS Hydraulic Engineering Unit Engineers in Stillwater, OK, to improving methods for predicting earthen spillway and embankment erosion and failure.