Earthen levee slide detection via automated analysis of synthetic aperture radar imagery

The main focus of this research is to detect vulnerabilities on the Mississippi river levees using remotely sensed Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery. Unstable slope conditions can lead to slump slides, which weaken the levees and increase the likelihood of failure during floods. On-site inspection of levees is expensive and time-consuming, so there is a need to develop efficient automated techniques based on remote sensing technologies to identify levees that are more vulnerable to failure under flood loading. Synthetic Aperture Radar technology, due to its high spatial resolution and potential soil penetration capability, is a good choice to identify problem areas along the levee so that they can be treated to avoid possible catastrophic failure. This research analyzes the ability of detecting the slump slides on the levee with NASA JPL’s Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) data. The main contribution of this research is the development of a machine learning framework to (1) provide improved knowledge on the status of the levees, (2) detect anomalies on the levee sections, (3) provide early warning of impending levee failures, and (4) develop efficient tools for levee health assessment. Textural features have been computed and utilized in the classification tasks to achieve efficient levee characterization. The RX anomaly detector, a training-free unsupervised classification algorithm, detected the active slides on the levee at the time of image acquisition and also flagged some areas as “anomalous,” where new slides appeared at a later date.     

Review of River Bank Erosion Research

Riverbank erosion is a critical style of lateral channel change. It threatens the arable land, ecological environment, as well as the people’s lives and properties along the river. Through review on the research process of riverbank erosion globally, four aspects were classified and described: ①Riverbank erosion processes and mechanisms. The occurence and development of riverbank erosion is quite complicated, composed by multiple processes, which are hard to separate with each other. Therefore, the scholars have proposed a lot of theories to describe the processes. Among the theories, “Riverbank Stability Theory” has been widely recognized and developed. ②Factors of riverbank erosion. The key factors that affect riverbank erosion include hydrology conditions of the river, soil properties, geomorphology, vegetation of the river bank and meteorology. However, it should be noted that the importance of different factors in the collapse process is not equivalent and effects of the same factor on different rivers are various. ③Riverbank erosion estimation. With the tremendous improvement of quantification recently, time interval of erosion measurement is shortening continuously, while spatial scale is larger and larger. At the same time, resolution is becoming increasingly high. Erosion pin was commonly used in early studies because of its easy use and low cost, whereas remote sensing and digital photogrammetry have more advantages in modern measurement. ④Modeling of riverbank erosion. At present, the models are mainly based on the fundamental theories of hydraulics and soil mechanics, to study river bank stability. According to the review of the four aspects above, problems of recent researches and prospects of possible development in the future were discussed. The researchers should pay much attention to temporal spatial distribution of riverbank erosion first before further research. The study would be greatly helpful to the researchers for the specific river reach when choosing the proper theories as well as technologies for measurement and quantification, study the riverbank erosion through both macroscopic and microscopic views, and predict the erosion for management purpose.     

中国北方季节性冰冻河流岸滩崩塌数值模拟——以松花江为例

季节性冰冻河流（季冻区河流）受水动力-冻胀/冻融耦合作用,岸滩崩塌机理复杂,且对河道演变具有重要影响。通过建立水动力-冻胀/冻融耦合作用岸滩崩塌力学模式,以中国东北地区松花江干流大顶子山航电枢纽下游近坝段为例,开展季冻区河流岸滩崩塌及河道演变的三维数值模拟分析。研究结果表明:岸滩坡脚侧蚀主要由水力冲刷所控制,冻胀作用使岸滩开裂深度增加,冻融过程则会使岸坡土体力学强度降低,影响岸滩稳定;岸滩崩塌对季冻区天然河流演变具有显著影响,考虑岸滩崩塌的模拟结果与天然实测结果基本吻合,可较好地模拟河床冲淤、岸滩崩塌所引起的河道演变过程。研究成果可为季冻区河流岸滩崩塌及河道演变的深入研究提供技术支撑。     

An Assessment of Structural Measures for Flood-prone Lowlands with High Population Density along the Keelung River in Taiwan

Midstream of the Keelung River Basin in Northern Taiwan has become highly urbanized and densely populated area. Flood inundation along riversides frequently occurred during typhoons or rainstorms. Three protection measures, including constructions of high-level protection levees, a diversion channel, and a detention reservoir, were proposed for flood mitigation. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the flood mitigation performance of the three proposed structural measures by using combined hydrologic analyses and hydraulic routings. A semi-distributed parallel-type linear reservoirs rainfall-runoff model was used for estimating the surface runoff. Furthermore, a 1-D dynamic channel routing model was coupled with a two-dimensional inundation model to simulate the hydraulic characteristics of river flooding and overland flow. Simulation results of flood stages, runoff peak discharges, and inundation extent under design rainfall scenarios were chosen as the criteria for evaluation. The results showed a diversion channel is superior to the other two measures for flood mitigation of the study area. After the process of environmental impact assessment, a revised diversion channel approach has been approved for construction as the major structural measure.     

九龙江北溪流域河流特征及其构造指示意义

本文利用DEM数据,运用基岩河道侵蚀模型提取九龙江北溪流域的河流下凹程度、陡峭指数和蜿蜒度等地貌指数研究北溪流域地质构造活动特点。通过对流域地貌参数的分析发现九龙江北溪流域陡峭指数存在自NW向SE递减的规律,陡峭指数和蜿蜒度有很好的对应关系.排除气候因素和基岩性质等影响因子,认为河道陡峭指数的分布特征揭示了九龙江北溪流域的地壳抬升速率自西北向东南递减的分布特征,此认识与前人采用精密水准资料计算地壳垂直运动速率结果相一致。     

流滑型崩岸河岸侧蚀模式初探

流滑型崩岸是冲积河流河岸常见的一种崩塌形式,其发展速度快、破坏力强;该类崩岸主要取决于水流的直接冲刷,河岸崩退过程中水面与岸顶高差较小.依据此类崩岸的特征,基于水流冲刷分析,在基础层面上初步探讨并建立了流滑型崩岸的河岸侧蚀模式.结合水槽试验与土工离心模拟试验,对该模式进行了分析研究,初步率定了模式中的河岸侧蚀系数,计算...     

Analysis of fundamental physical factors influencing channel bank erosion: results for contrasting catchments in England and Wales

Channel bank erosion processes are controlled by numerous factors and as such are both temporally and spatially variable. The significance of channel bank erosion to the sediment budget is difficult to quantify without extensive fieldwork/data analysis. In this study, the importance of key physical factors controlling channel bank erosion, including channel slope, upstream catchment area, channel confinement, and sinuosity, was explored using regression analysis. The resulting analysis can be used in practical studies to provide a first approximation of bank erosion rates (in catchments similar to those investigated). A data set of channel bank erosion rates covering eight contrasting river catchments across England and Wales, over a time period of up to 150 years, was created using a modified GIS methodology. The best predictors were found to be upstream area, channel confinement, and sinuosity with respect to dimensionless width-averaged retreat rates (m m^?1 yr^?1). Notwithstanding these relationships, the results highlight the variability of the magnitude of sediment production by channel bank erosion both within and between catchments.     

Characteristics and remediation of a landslide complex triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan, China earthquake-case from Yingxiu near the earthquake epicenter

During the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the river valley from Yingxiu to Wenchuan experienced numerous landslides and became a prominent area of landslide complexes. The present large landslide complex near the earthquake epicenter consisted of Laohuzui slide 1, Laohuzui slide 2 and Douyaping slide. The scale, geology, morphology, sliding process, and failure mechanism of the landslide complex are analyzed by means of field investigation, aerial photograph and stereographic projection technique. Characteristics of these three slides including seismic response of slope, landslide debris, damage and potential failure are discussed: the convex slope and the upslope of fractured granitic rock at high altitude are highly prone to landsliding under earthquake; the high source altitude and long travel path determine grain sizes and the deposit angle of the slide debris; the landslide complex completely buries the G213 roadway and dams up the Minjiang River in these sections; after the earthquake, rainfall, aftershocks and river erosion may retrigger new failures, such as retrogressive slide of weathered fractured rock, colluvial landslide, debris flow, embankment failure and rockfall. The following are presented as suggested remedial measures to protect the roadway and stabilize the slope: the removing and trenching, protective concrete/rock blocks against erosion, retaining structure, rockfall stopping wall, rockfall restraining net, rock bolt, and the planting of vegetation.     

中国现代网状河流沉积特征和沉积模式

中国境内的许多河流发育有网状河段,从长江、黑龙江、珠江等这样的大型河流到嫩江、赣江等中小型河流都有。依据这些网状河的地理和构造背景的不同,可以把它们划分为:平原网状河流、山谷网状河流、入湖三角洲平原网状河流和入海三角洲平原网状河流四大类型。作者通过实地挖掘探槽、密集采样,对嫩江齐齐哈尔平原网状河段、赣江入湖三角洲平原网状河段、珠江入海三角洲平原网状河段沉积特征进行了详细描述和研究,并建立了网状河的沉积模式,探讨了网状河的成因。认为网状河流体系的发育不受气候和地理位置的限制,低坡降是形成网状河的必要条件,相对稳定的网状河道不同于曲流河和辫状河,湿地环境是网状河流体系中最发育的地貌单元,堤岸植被繁茂、粘结性高是河道稳定的重要因素,与曲流河和辫状河相比,网状河出现的几率较低。     

Flume tank study of surface morphology and stratigraphy of a fan delta

The morphodynamics of a river flood on a fan delta and its resultant stratigraphic and sedimentary signatures have been studied by means of a flume experiment under controlled boundary conditions. The experiment revealed that deposition was dominant in flood periods when the channels were highly loaded with sediments. In contrast, erosion was dominant in periods of low flow. Mouth bars were formed when a subaqueous channel began to backfill. The development of a mouth bar began with progradation in the down‐dip direction and proceeded by aggradation, then retrogradation and finally transverse growth. A channel bifurcated in multiple stages by sequentially forming mouth bars or by simultaneously forming arrays of mouth bars. During the bifurcation, the diffluent point moved upstream, which resulted in channel migration and the development of a delta lobe. Flood events triggered fan‐delta front slide‐slump deposits.     

岸滩侧蚀对航道条件影响的三维数值模拟——以长江中游太平口水道为例

长江中游河道岸滩侧蚀现象普遍,易对航道稳定形成不利影响,深入研究岸滩侧蚀冲刷机理及其航道响应过程具有重要意义。建立了考虑相邻土体影响的黏性岸滩侧蚀坍塌力学模式,以长江中游太平口水道为例,基于局部网格可动技术,构建了岸滩侧蚀及其河床冲淤变化的三维水沙动力学模型;在模型验证相似的基础上,分析了清水冲刷条件下腊林洲边滩侧蚀对太平口水道航道格局的影响。研究结果表明:模型可较好地模拟由岸滩侧蚀所引发的河势演变过程;上游来沙减少后,太平口水道河床以及未守护低滩部位将进一步产生冲刷;腊林洲边滩稳定与否,对太平口水道“南槽-北汊”航道格局的稳定具有重要作用。     

岸滩侧蚀崩塌速率的试验量测方法

岸滩侧蚀崩塌现象普遍存在于冲积河流演变过程中,是河道治理需重点关注的问题之一,岸滩侧蚀崩塌速率的准确量测则是崩岸机理及其治理措施研究的关键基础。基于图像处理技术,建立了河岸侧蚀崩塌速率试验量测系统,通过图像追踪河岸模型上边缘示踪网格位置变迁,提出了一种河岸侧蚀崩塌速率测量方法。以试验水槽为例,对河岸侧蚀崩塌速率进行了量测,并与经验公式计算值进行了比对,两者基本吻合,可较好地反映流速、土体级配等岸滩侧蚀崩塌速率的影响因素及其变化规律。研究成果可为江河崩岸机理的深入研究提供技术支撑。     

水流冲刷过程中的边坡临界滑动场及河岸崩塌问题研究

针对河岸崩塌问题分析和研究,在考虑江河水位升降引起坡外水压力变化及坡内非稳定渗流基础上,同时考虑水流冲刷引起的河床冲深及河岸后退,提出了水流冲刷过程中的边坡临界滑动场和适用于天然江河崩岸的数值模拟,并对水流冲刷过程中的崩岸问题进行了分析。通过对两类不同土质岸坡的崩岸数值模拟,分析了水流冲刷引起的河床冲深及河岸后退过程中坡体的稳定性变化,探讨了不同土质岸坡的崩岸类型及崩塌模式。结果表明,坡度较陡的黏性岸坡崩塌时趋近于平面破坏且通过坡脚;坡度较缓的粉土岸坡崩塌时沿曲面破坏,且在水位骤降过程中易发生局部崩塌。     

Meandering and bank erosion of the River Nile and its environmental impact on the area between Sohag and El-Minia, Egypt

The present work deals with meandering and bank erosion of the River Nile of Egypt and its environmental impact between Sohag and El-Minia, Egypt. The study depends on using Landsat imagery acquired on 1987–2000 and field observations. Field observations, remote sensing, and GIS analysis and sinuosity index were used in this study to investigate river meandering and the associated processes of erosion of river bank and islands, deposition of sediments and formation of new islands. The analysis of Landsat imagery revealed the migration of river course with time and space. Some islands disappear completely in the study area whereas new islands appear in other places. The lateral erosion on the river banks led to a decrease in agricultural lands bordering the river banks and decrease in the areas of the river islands which in turn reduces the agricultural production. Depositional processes create new floodplains on the convex sides of the river course and new islands and sand bars. Protection methods are recommended to protect the river bank from further movement and erosion. The present conditions of river meandering and the associated processes of erosion and deposition accelerated with human activities have its impact on the environment. The most prominent hazard problem is reduction of agricultural lands and loss of property as well as navigation problems. River control is recommended to weaken the secondary currents created by the river bends. It is recommended to regularly monitor the river banks and islands and measure the rates of erosion and deposition. Sand bars and subsurface islands should be monitored and identified with flash lights to mitigate navigation problems.     

Assessing hydro-morphological changes in Mediterranean stream using curvilinear grid modeling approach - climate change impacts

The objective of this work was the estimation of time-space hydraulic (water depth, flow velocity) and morphological (sediment transport and bank erosion) characteristics in the downstream part of a Mediterranean stream under current and future climatic conditions. The two-dimensional hydraulic model MIKE 21C was used, which has been developed specifically to simulate 2D flow and morphological changes in rivers. The model is based on an orthogonal curvilinear grid and comprises two parts: (a) the hydrodynamic part and (b) the morphological changes part. The curvilinear grid and the bathymetry file were generated using a very high-resolution DEM (1 m × 1 m). Time series discharge data from a hydrometric station introduced in the hydrodynamic part of the model. Regarding the morphological part of the model, field measurements of suspended sediment concentration and of bank erosion were used. The model was calibrated and verified using field data that were collected during high and low flow discharges. Model simulation was in good agreement with field observations as indicated by a variety of statistical measures. Next, for predicting the riverbank change, future meteorological data and river flow data for the next 10 years (2017–2027) were employed. These data series were created according to a lower and a higher emission climate change scenario. Based on the results, an increase in rainfall intensity may cause significant changes in river banks after 10 years (more than 5 m of soil loss in river meanders). Using the obtained simulation results, extreme hydrological events such as floods transporting large sediment loads and changes in river morphology can be monitored. The proposed methodology was applied to the downstream part of the Koiliaris River Basin in Crete, Greece.     

Analysing the influence of Farakka Barrage Project on channel dynamics and meander geometry of Bhagirathi river of West Bengal,India

Farakka Barrage Project (FBP) constructed in 1975 on the river Ganga in West Bengal, India has largely altered hydro-geomorphic processes inducing a different kind of impetus in channel dynamics especially channel oscillation of the Bhagirathi river. Controlled hydro-geomorphological regime drastically altering natural regime has significantly influenced channel process with resultant change in channel geometry. Geospatial analysis using topographical maps of 1927, 1954 and 1974 along with satellite images of 1990, 2004, and 2014 clearly portrays rapidity in channel evolution in the post-Farakka period which is explicitly proved from four meander cut-offs after 1975. The meander geometry analysis of 66 loops of lower Bhagirathi river during 1927–2014 in terms of four basic parameters (radius of curvature, wavelength, amplitude, and channel length) and four indices (sinuosity index, radius–wavelength ratio, meander shape index and meander form index) depicts telltale pattern of channel straightening with increased number of wide and open loops after the construction of barrage. The average sinuosity of the loops has increased from 2.27 in 1927 to 2.35 in 1974 and dwindles to 1.80 in 2014. This distinct outcome induced by FBP is also found for other indices explained with special reference new hydraulic regime in post-Farakka period.     

深水水道坡度与曲率的定量关系及控制作用——以西非Rio Muni盆地为例

选取受构造活动影响较弱的Rio Muni盆地近现代深水水道为研究样本,分段测量各水道的底床坡度和曲率,并进行相关性分析。研究认为:深水水道底床坡度与曲率呈幂函数关系,水道曲率随着坡度的增大而减小;但不同坡度条件下曲率变化速率表现出明显的差异——一般随坡度的减小,单位坡度变化范围内,曲率的增幅加大。坡度对水道曲率的控制作用主要体现在水道切谷底形和内部充填结构2个方面,其中对后者的影响作用最为显著。但实质上,坡度是通过对水道内部沉积物能量的控制,进而影响了其侵蚀及充填能力,最终使水道平面形态和内部充填结构发生变化。     

Effects of the morphology of sediment-transporting channels on the erosion and deposition of debris flows

A series experiments are conducted to investigate the effects of streambed profile on the erosion and deposition of debris flows. It is found that straight channel can increase the run out of debris flows by 10–25%, compared to that of surfaces without channels, and that travel distance was positively correlated with the hydraulic radius of the channel. In addition, the presence of straight channels caused the volume of debris flow deposition to become normally distributed with respect to travel distance. In the case of curved channels, increases in the sinuosity index resulted in significant blockage and obstruction. In the deposition zone, the maximum deposition volume for a channel with a comparatively low sinuosity index (1.05) was <?50% of the minimum deposition volume for a straight channel. Furthermore, the channel curvature affected not only the positions of deposition peaks along the travel distance but also the debris flow magnitudes in each unit interval (0.5 m). This study demonstrates the effects of differences in channel morphology on the erosional and depositional processes of gully debris flows. These findings are of significant importance for guiding debris flow risk assessment and for the restoration and reconstruction of downstream regions.     

River sinuosity in a humid tropical river basin,south west coast of India

The variability in ground water potential at different regions of the Meenachil River basin and the remarkable distribution of palaeodeposit of sand at its middle to lower reaches have led to interpret the sinuosity indexes of the main channel as well as the tributaries of the River for elucidating the relationship between mathematical expressions and filed observations. The measurement of digital elevation model-derived river sinuosity was carried out for 846 km² of the basin area of Meenachil River. The drainage networks of 10 major sub-watersheds and four mini-watersheds were delineated using remote sensing data—geocoded false colour composite of Indian Remote Sensing satellite (IRS)-1D (LISS III) data with a spatial resolution of 23.5 m—coupled with the Survey of India toposheets (1:50,000). The calculation of the sinuosity indexes were carried out using Arc GIS (8.3 version) software. Hydraulic sinuosity indexes, topographic sinuosity index and standard sinuosity index were calculated. The study depicts the remarkable correlation between theoretical data sets with field observations and the influence of tectonic control on river planforms. Three structurally controlled regions of Meenachil River basin were established using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System.     

Crevassing and capture by floodplain drains as a cause of partial avulsion and anastomosis (lower Rio Pastaza,Peru)

Avulsion is the main process at the origin of anastomosing rivers. This study illustrates 3 examples of avulsions resulting from crevasse splays evolving in anastomosed channels along the Rio Pastaza, a tropical humid river sourced in the Ecuadorian Andean Cordillera and flowing into the Amazonian foreland. The Lower Pastaza flows in an alluvial plain, with no tectonic influence and an average monthly rainfall equally distributed throughout the year.Based on the analysis of satellite image recorded over the period 1977–2008, three cases have been studied. The first one began in 1990 with crevassing of natural levees of the right bank of the Pastaza main channel and the formation of a small channel linking up with a pre-existing tributary to this main channel. A splay formed at the confluence beheaded the tributary which became an anabranch of the main river. Downstream, two other avulsions developed from crevasse splays on a low gradient floodplain. In both cases, capture of one of the distributary channels flowing on the splay by a pre-existing drain of the floodplain and consecutive headward erosion arrives to disconnect the other drains and capture their flow into a single-thread channel. As this channel rejoins the Pastaza main channel downstream, this process gives rise to the larger-scale anastomosing system which characterizes the lower reach of the Rio Pastaza.