Publication

Scour evaluation in space and time – the challenge of dam designers

Anton Schleiss
2026

Abstract

The main questions arising during a dam project in view of safety against scour formation downstream of spillways and bottom outlets are discussed. First the physical proc-esses involved in scour formation are analyzed based on the state-of-the-art of the knowledge and understanding. Then the different scour evaluation methods from simple empirical formula to complex scour models are briefly presented. The main difficulties encountered when estimat-ing scour depth are discussed, such as the choice of the appropriate theory, interpretation of hy-draulic model tests and prototype observations, scour rate and prevailing discharge. Further-more the selection of the return period of the flood event is discussed, for which the scour formation and the control measures have to be evaluated. Finally the options of measures for scour control are presented and discussed.

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/3b5069eb-6eed-43c8-a16b-50922a38b52a

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

Anton Schleiss
2026

Abstract

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/3b5069eb-6eed-43c8-a16b-50922a38b52a

About this result

Related concepts (21)

Levee

Flood wall A levee (ˈlɛvi), dike (American English), dyke (Commonwealth English), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is a structure that is usually earthen and that often runs parallel to the course of a river in its floodplain or along low-lying coastlines. The purpose of a levee is to keep the course of rivers from changing and to protect against flooding of the area adjoining the river or coast. Levees can be naturally occurring ridge structures that form next to the bank of a river or be an artificially constructed fill or wall that regulates water levels.

Flood

A flood is an overflow of water (or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrology and are of significant concern in agriculture, civil engineering and public health. Human changes to the environment often increase the intensity and frequency of flooding, for example land use changes such as deforestation and removal of wetlands, changes in waterway course or flood controls such as with levees, and larger environmental issues such as climate change and sea level rise.

Flood control

Flood control (or flood mitigation or flood protection or flood alleviation) methods are used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters. Flood relief methods are used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high water levels. Flooding can be caused by a mix of both natural processes, such as extreme weather upstream, and human changes to waterbodies and runoff. A distinction is made between structural and non-structural flood control measures.

Related publications (1)

Scour evaluation in space and time – the challenge of dam designers

Chat with Graph Search

Wall roughness effects on flow and scouring in curved channels with gravel bed