Effect of Riverbed Roughness Spectrum on Energy Required for Erosion of Cohesive Riverbeds

Key Points

• The study aims to establish a predictive method for estimating erosion depth based on energy exerted on cohesive riverbeds and their roughness.
• Utilized data from cohesive soil erosion experiments.
• Quantified riverbed roughness using a spectral approach.
• Investigated the correlation between erosion depth per unit energy and roughness spectrum.
• Found a strong correlation between erosion depth and riverbed roughness with wavelengths 3 to 4 times the water depth.
• Increased roughness leads to greater erosion depth per unit energy applied to the riverbed.