Monitoring and numerical modelling of riverbank erosion processes : a case study along the Cecina River (central Italy)

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)



Description :
Riverbank retreat along a bend of the Cecina River, Tuscany, was monitored across a near annual cycle (autumn 2003 to summer 2004) with the aim of better understanding the factors influencing bank changes and processes at a seasonal scale. Seven flow events occurred during the period of investigation, with the largest having an estimated return period of about 1.5 years. Bank simulations were performed by linking hydrodynamic, fluvial erosion, groundwater flow and bank stability models, for the 7 flow events, which are representative of the typical range of hydrographs that normally occur during an annual cycle. As a result fluvial erosion is ineffective at higher peak discharges, and depends more on the duration of more moderate discharges. Slide failures appear to be closely related to the magnitude of peak river stages, typically occurring in close proximity to the peak phase (preferentially during the falling limb, but in some cases even before the peak), while cantilever failures more typically occur in the late phase of the flow hydrograph, when they may be induced by the cumulative effects of any fluvial erosion.


Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Earth surface processes and landforms, issn : 0197-9337, 2009, vol. 34, n°. 4, p. 530-546, nombre de pages : 17, Références bibliographiques : 1,5 p.

Date :
2009

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, Chichester, Wiley