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Erosion Rate Prediction Model for Levee-Floodwall Overtopping Applications in Fine-Grained Soils

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Abstract

Characterizing soil erosion and predicting levee erosion rates for various levee soils and storm conditions during floodwall overtopping events is necessary in designing levee-floodwall systems. In this study, a series of laboratory scaled levee-floodwall erosion tests were conducted to determine erosion characteristics of fine grained soils subject to overtopping from different floodwall heights with variable flow-rates. A decreasing rate of erosion was observed as a pool of water was generated in the created scour hole at the crest of the levee model. The erosion rates were also assessed using jet erosion test (JET) and erosion function apparatus (EFA) tests. The results of levee-floodwall overtopping along with soil geotechnical characteristics such as plasticity index, compaction level, and saturation level of the levee soils as well as hydraulic parameters such as water overtopping velocity were used to develop a levee-floodwall erosion rate prediction model. Then, the results of JET and EFA were integrated to develop another prediction model for levee-floodwall erosion rate estimation. Consequently, the prediction models were evaluated by conducting additional tests and comparing the prediction results with the actual measured erosion rates.

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Modified after Briaud et al. (2001)

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Mr. Brent M. Vaughn, laboratory specialist in Engineering department of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, for assisting with the tests, and providing material and equipment to advance this study. The authors would like to thank Mr. David Molohon, Emaline Stendback, Sina Nassiri, Mazdak Karimpour, and Julian Chastain for their contribution in progress of this paper.

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  1. Civil Engineering Department, Southern Illinois University, 61 Circle Dr., Edwardsville, IL, 62026-1800, USA

    Abdolreza Osouli & Parham Safarian Bahri

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  1. Abdolreza Osouli
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  2. Parham Safarian Bahri
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Correspondence to Abdolreza Osouli.

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Osouli, A., Bahri, P.S. Erosion Rate Prediction Model for Levee-Floodwall Overtopping Applications in Fine-Grained Soils. Geotech Geol Eng 36, 2823–2838 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-018-0505-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-018-0505-z

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