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Title: Soil erodibility: A comparison between the Jet Erosion Test and the Hole Erosion Test

Author
item REGAZZONI, PIERRE-LOUIS - UNIV OF NANTES, FRANCE
item MAROT, DIDIER - UNIV OF NANTES, FRANCE
item COURIVAUD, JEAN-ROBERT - ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
item Hanson, Gregory
item WAHL, TONY - USBR

Submitted to: Workshop Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/15/2008
Publication Date: 5/19/2008
Citation: Regazzoni, P., Marot, D., Courivaud, J., Hanson, G.J., Wahl, T.L. 2008. Soil erodibility: A comparison between the Jet Erosion Test and the Hole Erosion Test. Proceedings of the Inaugural International Conference of the Engineering Mechanics Institute, May 18-21, 2008, Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. 1-7.

Interpretive Summary: In order to predict the behavior of earthen spillways, river channels, and dams and levees it is important to understand how they erode and fail in flood conditions. Two erosion measurement devices, the Hole Erosion Test (HET) and the Jet Erosion Test (JET), are compared in this study. The purpose is to compare test methods and to determine appropriate application of each device. The tests were compared by conducting a series of tests in the laboratory using samples prepared from four naturally occurring soil materials. Interpretation of test results is based on the same erosion law. Preliminary results indicate that the two methods provide similar relative erodibility rankings but very different quantitative results. In order to improve soil erodibility classification, a more detailed HET and JET comparison has to be carried out.

Technical Abstract: The erosion behavior of clay soils is important for many applications within water resources (i.e. earthen spillway erosion, river channel erosion, bank stability, and dam, and levee failures). The objective of this study was to compare soil erodibility results of two different erosion testing devices: the Hole Erosion Test (HET) and the Jet Erosion Test (JET). Four different naturally occurring fine grained soil materials were used for the comparison tests. Soil samples were prepared in the laboratory, and tested with the 2 devices under similar conditions. The interpretation of the test results was based on a linear excess stress erosion law relating the erosion rate and hydraulic stress. The results from the study indicate that generally the two test methods qualitatively provide similar relative erodibilities for the four soils but quantitatively the HET provides lower values of erodibility than the JET. In order to improve soil erodibility classification, a more detailed HET and JET comparison has to be carried out.