Assessing scour and erosion resistance in fine-grained soils

建议的研究重点是开发评估细粒土壤抗冲刷和侵蚀能力的方法。冲刷评估是许多重大基础设施工程设计的重要内容。如果桥墩周围的冲刷破坏了桥墩的基础，桥梁可能会倒塌。灌溉渠道中的水坝、涵洞、堰和落差结构可能会因下游河床的冲刷而不稳定。这些结构的失效会造成巨大的经济损失，而且往往会对公共安全构成威胁。

The proposed research focuses on the development of methods to assess scour and erosion resistance in fine-grained soils. Assessment of scour is important to the design many major infrastructure works. Bridges can fail if scour around bridge piers undermines the foundations of piers. Dams, culverts, weirs, and drop structures in irrigation canals can be destabilized by scour of the downstream riverbed. Failure of these structures represent significant economic loss and often a threat to public safety.