A conceptual framework for shear flow–induced erosion of soft cohesive sediment beds

This paper proposes a conceptual framework for erosion of cohesive sediment beds. We focus on cohesive beds, distinguishing between floc erosion, surface erosion, and mass erosion. By (our) definition, surface erosion is a drained soil mechanical process, whereas mass erosion occurs under undrained conditions. The eroding shear stress is modeled...

Experimental investigation on breaching of embankments

Breaching of embankments has recently drawn more and more attention due to its importance in the development of early warning systems for embankment failures, in the evacuation plans of people at risk, in the design method of embankments based on a risk-approach, etc. The erosion process observed during embankment breaching tests in the...

Jet scour

This paper discusses scour without bed protection, such as propeller scour, two-dimensional horizontal, three-dimensional horizontal scour generated by free jets downstream of gates and outlets, two-dimensional vertical and three-dimensional vertical scour. The flow velocities in two- and three-dimensional propeller and free jets are briefly...

A stochastic formulation for erosion of cohesive sediments

The linear formulation for erosion E = M(?b??c), often applied in engineering applications, has two properties, which do not always comply with field and laboratory observations, they are as follows: (1) The erosion rate is zero below the critical bed shear stress ?c and increases linearly with bed shear stress ?b, when exceeding the critical...

Benthic community-mediated sediment dynamics

We assessed the influence of benthic communities on sediment properties in large defaunation experiments in replicated 16 m2 plots on a tidal flat in the Westerschelde estuary (SW Netherlands). We compared microphytobenthos and benthic macrofauna recovery and recolonisation between control and defaunated sediments during 8 mo following the...

Coastal Protection and Dune Management in the Netherlands

Because dunes protect a large part of The Netherlands against coastal flooding and inundation, it is vital to guarantee the strength of these natural sea defenses. Besides sea defense, dunes have other functions. Sandy shorelines and dunes are frequently eroded. A legal framework has been developed that guarantees the required safety-level of...