Assessment of Streambank Stability-A Case Study


TitleAssessment of Streambank Stability-A Case Study
Publication TypeConference Paper and Presentation
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsBorg, JL, Dewoolkar, MM, Bierman, PR
EditorAbu-Farsakh, M, Hoyos, LR
Conference NameGeo-Congress 2014Geo-Congress 2014 Technical Papers
Date Published2014/02
PublisherAmerican Society of Civil Engineers
Conference LocationAtlanta, GeorgiaReston, VA
ISBN Number978-0-7844-1327-2
Abstract

Streambank erosion is considered to be a significant nonpoint source of sediment loading into lakes and waterways. Therefore, an understanding of streambank stability is a prerequisite to reliably predict sediment loading caused by geomorphic evolution in a watershed. Streambanks along the Winooski River in the Lake Champlain basin, Vermont, were studied. The objective was to understand what geotechnical and environmental conditions prompt streambank failures in Vermont. This paper presents a case study where a streambank site on Winooski River was instrumented with pressure transducers and tilt switches. Spatial and temporal data on bank cross-sections, properties of streambank soils (saturated and unsaturated shear strength, root strength), and groundwater and stream levels were collected and are analyzed and presented here for the instrumented site. A loss of matric suction paired with relatively low stream water level yielded the lowest computed factor of safety. This scenario compared reasonably well with streambank failure event recorded by the tilt switches that occurred during a period of mid-winter snowmelt.

DOI10.1061/9780784413272.098
Status: 
Published
Attributable Grant: 
RACC
Grant Year: 
Year3