Title: Seepage erosion of a flat granular layer. Influence of rainfall

Author (Poster): Michael BERHANU, Clark University

Abstract:

Seepage erosion occurs when water flows inside an erodible and permeable layer of sediment covering an impermeable layer. Flow inside this porous media can be fed by an underground upstream flow, by infiltration of rain falls or combination of both. When the flow of water emerges from the soil, a spring is created which can dig a channel by water erosion. At geologic time scale, networks of rivers are so created. Seepage erosion is experimentally studied, by mimicking the field situation at laboratory scale, to understand physical mechanisms involved. In particular what is the influence of flow parameters on the shape and growth of erosion pattern.