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Title: IMPROVING SILT FENCE TECHNOLOGY: A MODEL FOR PREDICTING UNDERCUTTING FAILURE PROCESSES

Author
item CROSS, CHRISTOPHER - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIV
item BARFIELD, BILLY - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIV
item Hanson, Gregory

Submitted to: American Society of Agricultural Engineers Meetings Papers
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/6/2002
Publication Date: 9/1/2002
Citation: CROSS, C.B., BARFIELD, B.J., HANSON, G.J. IMPROVING SILT FENCE TECHNOLOGY: A MODEL FOR PREDICTING UNDERCUTTING FAILURE PROCESSES. 2002. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERS. PAPER NO. 02-2230.

Interpretive Summary: Large amounts of soil eroded and transported from construction sites can pose a heavy burden on municipal storm water treatment systems and adversely affect the environment. With more stringent environment regulations on storm water quality impending, there is an increased need for effective on-site sediment control practices. Plastic woven fence (i.e. Silt fence) is one of the most widely used practices for on-site sediment control, but its performance has proven inadequate. Therefore, there is a recognized need for research to develop methods for the design and evaluation of these fences. The first step in designing and evaluating these fences is to define why and how they fail. This paper presents (1) a process-based, deterministic computer model as a first step in defining silt fence performance and (2) a silt fence laboratory model to test and validate the computer model.

Technical Abstract: Massive amounts of soil eroded and transported from construction sites can pose a substantial burden to municipal storm water treatment systems and adversely affect aquatic habitat. With impending storm water quality regulations increasing the number of construction projects requiring storm water discharge permits, there is an increased demand for effective on-site sediment control practices. Silt fence is one of the most widely used on-site sediment control structures, but its performance has proven inadequate. Therefore, there is a recognized need for research to develop site-specific methods for the design and evaluation of silt fence performance. The first step in developing effective silt fence technology is to define why and how current silt fence products fail. A process-based, deterministic model is presented as a first step in defining undercutting failure of silt fence. A physical model that has been set-up to test and validate this model is also presented.