Modeling Interactions between Riverbank Hydrology and Mass Failures

Abstract

AbstractRiverbank retreat derives from a complex combination of various processes where a key role is played by the interactions of groundwater and surface water. Recent progress has been made in two main research areas, i.e., the effects of hydrological factors on mass failures, and the role of subsurface flow in seepage erosion and bank stability. This paper aims to review recent progress and identify the main knowledge gaps in modeling riverbank failures, with a particular focus on the interactions between mass failures, bank hydrology and other hydrological factors related to the river hydrograph. Changes in pore water pressures related to transient variations of surface water and groundwater are widely recognized as one of the most important factors controlling the onset and timing of bank instability. Inclusion of negative pore water pressures and groundwater flow modeling has greatly improved the capability to predict mass failures. Fluvial erosion has a fundamental role in deforming the bank profi...