Investigating the role of geo-fluvial parameters on model river banks: A flume study

Abstract

This experimental investigation aimed to analyze the failure profile of a model river bank composed of sand and silty clay. A model river bank with a length of 446 cm, a depth of 32 cm, and a slope of 1V:1.5H was prepared in a flume that was 550 cm long, 150 cm wide, and 60cm deep. Froude-number-based reduced-scale distorted river modeling was considered in this study. For modeling different parameters of flume, the linear scale 1:250 and depth scale 1:20 have been taken. The study was divided into two distinct series: Series-A and Series-B, each designed to explore specific soil types and moisture content variations. In Series-A, physical model tests were conducted using cohesionless soil (sand) with an initial moisture content set at 6% and 13%. Conversely, Series-B involved model banks constructed with silty clay soil, with initial moisture contents of 10% and 15%. Both series utilized a consistent model bank slope of 1V:1.5H. The drawdown conditions, set at 50% and 80% of the model riverbank’s height, were integral to the experiments in both Series-A and Series-B. The impact of moisture content, drawdown, and bank material was observed in the failure of the model bank.