Speaker: Stéphane BONELLI (Research Director at INRAE, laboratory RECOVER)

Title: Physics of erosion processes that cause flood risk

Abstract: Soil erosion is the primary mechanism behind the failure of dams, canals, and river dikes. Observation and theoretical analysis show that several erosion processes and regimes exist. Knowledge of this physics is necessary to understand the associated flood risk, both in terms of causes (the origin of the failure) and consequences (damage to assets). The modeling is based on the jump equations associated with the mobile interface separating a two-phase flow (grains in water) and a saturated porous medium (water between grains). The erosion law depends on the soil type and the flow type. Dimensional analysis allows different regimes to be defined and models to be simplified using asymptotic developments. Several illustrative examples, including laboratory and field observations, are presented.

Time: 09:15 to 10:15am

Place: Amphithéâtre Jaune - UNIMECA