Erosion processes in Soils: Onset and propagation

This study aims to evaluate the microstructural changes that drive the erosion processes of an erodible soil during a pinhole test to develop new understanding of the role of compaction state and hydraulic history and efficiency of lime treatment method. It will enable assessment of the vulnerability of earthwork assets subjected to frequent flooding prone to progressive erosion (e.g. washout) as well as internal erosion processes of water retaining geostructures (e.g., river levees). While the macroscopic assessment of erodible soils under saturated conditions is relatively well established, the behaviour when the soil state departs partially saturated condition is neither well understood nor reported, but yet accounts for a large number of washout failures associated with extreme climate patterns.