Assessing scour and erosion resistance in fine-grained soils

提出的研究重点是开发方法来评估细粒土壤的冲刷和侵蚀阻力。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，桥梁就会倒塌。灌溉渠中的水坝、涵洞、堰和滴水结构可能因下游河床的冲刷而破坏稳定。这些结构的损坏会造成重大的经济损失，并经常威胁到公共安全。

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.