Assessing scour and erosion resistance in fine-grained soils

拟议的研究重点是开发方法，以评估冲刷和侵蚀的细粒土壤的阻力。冲刷评价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。下游河床的冲刷会破坏灌溉渠中的水坝、涵洞、堰和跌水建筑物的稳定性。这些结构的失效意味着重大的经济损失，并且常常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.