Riverbank Protection

CIVE 717
Assignment 4 Problem 2
Nathan Holste, Jon Renholds & Mick Ursic
REF: http://project.jica.go.jp/laos/0245124E0/pdf/seminar_program_200603.pdf

Riverbank Protection
™Purpose - Usually defined as measures to
strengthen the banks other than using riprap
™Objective - Show examples of many different
types of riverbank protection
™Types
™Vegetation
™Windrows and Trenches
™Sacks and Blocks
™Gabions and Mattresses
™Articulated concrete mattresses
™Soil-Cement
™Retaining Walls
™Many others possible
Sketches of different types of riverbank protection

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 Vegetation -
™Trees
3 Main Types Application of
native
Mangrove
™Shrubs trees along
Hasting’s
River (near
Sydney,
Aust.)
Estuary along
with rock toe
protection
REF: http://www.hastings.nsw.gov.au/resources/images/McInherny-004.jpg

Application of small shrubs along with

terracing the slope in Wilmington,
North Carolina
REF: http://www.sotir.com/case_studies/study_wilmington_detail.html

™Grasses
Application of vetiver grass for bridge
protection in Queensland, Aust.

REF:www.vetiver.org/TVN_past_pict_gallery_htm

Vegetation Structure- Fascines

™ Bundles of cuttings tied together
™ Placed in shallow trenches parallel
to the bank
™ Partially buried and staked in place

™ Creates log-like structure

that will quickly root, grow
and provide plant cover
™ Holds soil in place to protect
streambank from erosion

REF: Streambank Revegetation and Protection: A Guide for Alaska

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 Vegetation Planting Methods
Live Staking/Brush Mattress
™ Provides slope with
protective vegetative
covering
™ Provides erosion control
with fish and wildlife
habitat
™ Creates good plant
coverage and soil stability
™ Labor intensive

REF: Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices

10/98 by FISRWG

Vegetation - Advantages

™Least expensive of
Riverbank
Protection
measures
™Improves habitat
™Aesthetically
pleasing

Before & After planting grass on eroded

slope on Ottawa River, Ottawa Canada

REF: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/detroitriver/report_chapter2.html

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 Vegetation - Disadvantages
™On high banks tree roots may be
not able to stabilize toe and weight
of tree will cause bank failure when
undercut
™May be hard to grow in some areas
™May suffer wildlife or livestock
damage
™Only certain plants can withstand
conditions (wetting/drying,
freeze/thaw, etc.)
™Shrubs can result in significant
hydraulic resistance during flooding

Sketch of bank failure due to undercutting

and the weight of large vegetation

Windrows
and Trenches
™ Windrows involve piling sufficient
supply of erosion-resistant material
on bank
™ Trenches are similar except they are
buried to be less unsitely
Conventional Windrow placement
™ When bank erodes further, erosion- REF: Top figure from WES Streambank Handbook CIVE717 website
resistant material slides down and
protects bank as the figure
indicates.
™ Advantages
™ Very little design work needed
Trench
™ Easier to install on high banks
™ Disadvantages
™ Will lose more bank material until
intersects erosion-resistant material
™ Inconsistent results and steep side
slopes result in high velocity rivers
Trench exposed and protecting bank
REF: Bottom two figures from Figure 8.8 in River Mechanics

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 Sacks
™ Filled with soil or sand-cement mixture
™ Primarily used for emergency work
during floods
™ Protects streambanks when proper
riprap isn’t available
™ Advantages compared to stone riprap
™ Allow placement on steep slopes
™ Use locally available materials
™ Creates smooth boundary
™ Cobblestone effect may be more
aesthetic
™ Disadvantages
™ Highly labor intensive (more costly)
™ Susceptible to excess hydrostatic
pressure
™ Uniformly sized – may require a filter
REF: Figure 8.9 in River Mechanics material
™ Vulnerable to environmental hazards

Blocks

REF: www.wateronline.com/Content/ProductShowcase REF: http://www.incacape.co.za/landscaping.erosion.control.htm

™ Manufactured with local materials or obtained commercially

™ Cast with openings to provide for drainage
™ Openings also allow vegetation to grow so that the root structure can
strengthen the bank
™ Can be used with a filter if erosion is a concern
™ Advantages
™ Durable, less susceptible to freeze/thaw
™ Easy pedestrian access to river
™ Low channel boundary roughness
™ Sufficient flexibility to conform to minor changes in bank shape

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 Gabions
™ Rectangular wire boxes (baskets)
filled with small-sized stones
™ Used where flow velocities are too
high for riprap of small stones
™ Made of heavy galvanized steel
with PVC coating for corrosive REF: www.ieca.org/photogallery/GabionIllustrations1.asp
environments
™ Stacked on relatively steep slopes
to resist river flows and unstable
banks
™ Need to be periodically inspected
and maintained from damage
™ Advantages
™ Record of satisfactory performance
™ Disadvantages
™ Labor intensive
™ Expensive REF: Ohio Stream Management Guide

Mattress Gabions
™ Shaped into shallow, broad baskets
™ Tied together side by side to form continuous
blanket of protection
™ Placed on a smoothly graded riverbank slope
™ May still allow some natural vegetation
growth

Site under construction 6 months later

REF: www.ieca.org/photogallery/GabionIllustrations1.asp REF: www.ieca.org/photogallery/GabionIllustrations1.asp

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 Articulated Concrete Mattresses
™ Used in large rivers (Mississippi)
™ Precast concrete blocks held together
by steel rods or cables
™ Advantages
™ Flexible, strong, and durable
™ Completely covers riverbank when
properly placed
REF: Figure 8.11 in River Mechanics
™ Can be placed quickly
™ Excellent service record
™ Disadvantages
™ ~8% of surface area is open, allows
fines to pass through
™ Open spacing between blocks permits
removal of bank material
™ Difficult to fit sharp curves
™ Yearly inspection/maintenance
REF: www.greenvillebridge.com/1a1_jan_02.htm ™ Expensive plant required for placement

Soil Cement
™ Good for arid
environments
where freeze/thaw
cycles are not likely
to occur.
™Works well with
sandy soils where
vegetation growth
is difficult.
™Has very little
strength and is
impermeable, both
weaknesses may
induce failure.
http://planning.co.la.ca.us/doc/case/TR53108_Vol5ApxB26
_FinalTechMemoBuriedSoilCementEval.pdf

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 Retaining Walls

Three distinct types:

1) Gravity Walls 2) Cantilever Walls 3) Sheet-Piling Walls

http://www.stormcon.com/ecm_0401_retaining.html
http://www.menlopark.org/creek/MPSection4.pdf
Das, Baja M. 2004. Foundation Engineering, Fifth Edition
Thomson Brooks Cole.

Gravity Walls

Crib Structure on South Platte

Gravity walls
resist active and
passive forces by
the mass of the
structure.

Gabions - Waterton Glacier International Peace Park 2007

Figure 8.13 – River Mechanics

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 Cantilever Walls

Cantilever walls are

used when there is a
large amount of soil
to be retained. The
counterfort wall is an
application that
increases stability.
These walls are
typically made out of
reinforced concrete.
An anchor may also
be used to increase
stability.

Das, Baja M. 2004. Foundation Engineering: Fifth Edition

Thomson Brooks Cole.

http://www.humes.com.au/ctryimages/storage%20walls%20main.jpg

Sheet-Piling Walls

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Sheet_pile_New_Orle
http://www.cmisheetpiling.com/img/bigwall.jpg ans-09-04-05.JPG/800px-Sheet_pile_New_Orleans-09-04-05.JPG

™ Advantages: ™ Disadvantages:
1) Easily installed 1) Limited height due to flexibility
2) Highly effective

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 Retaining Wall Stability
Design concerns for all vertical structures include:
1) Earth Pressure
2) Hydrostatic Pressure (Groundwater)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commo
3) Soil Type (Erosive Capability and Strength) ns/b/bd/Retaining_Walll_Type_Function.jpg

4 typical modes of failure (Cantilever):

a) Overturning
b) Sliding
c) Bearing Capacity Failure
d) Deep-seated shear failure
Das, Baja M. 2004. Foundation Engineering: Fifth Edition Thomson Brooks Cole.

Conclusions
™ Many other types of riverbank protection
™ Other river stabilization measures
include riprap and river control structures
™ Many times these are used together,
however riverbank protection is a very
important part of overall river stabilization
to protect life and property
One of many tools for Riverbank Protection -
EPA guidebook for Riverbank Protection

REF: http://www.mtwatercourse.org

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