Impact of gabion sill on scouring depth downstream grade control structures

Grade control structures (GCS) stabilize riverbeds and reduce sediment movement, but downstream scour threatens their stability. This experimental research investigates the effects of gabion sills (GSs) on scour at three relative spacings (Lg/h = 1, 1.5, & 2) under five discharges and three...

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Main Authors: Mohammad Bagherzadeh, Mirali Mohammadi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Results in Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025017888
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author Mohammad Bagherzadeh
Mirali Mohammadi
author_facet Mohammad Bagherzadeh
Mirali Mohammadi
author_sort Mohammad Bagherzadeh
collection DOAJ
description Grade control structures (GCS) stabilize riverbeds and reduce sediment movement, but downstream scour threatens their stability. This experimental research investigates the effects of gabion sills (GSs) on scour at three relative spacings (Lg/h = 1, 1.5, & 2) under five discharges and three tailwater depths (TwDs) (freely=y′t, 1.5y′t, & 2y′t). A series of experiments conducted in an 18 m-long, 0.3 m-wide tilting flume with a discharge range of 7–13 L/s. The observations demonstrated that the placement of gabions significantly accelerated the bed stabilization process and effectively reduced both the depth and length of the scour hole. The results establish that positioning the GS at a relative spacing of Lg/h = 1 reduces the scouring length and depth by an average of 51% and 44%, respectively, compared to the GCS without a GS under free TwDs conditions. For a case of Lg/h = 1.5, those reductions were 44% and 49%, respectively, while for the case of Lg/h = 2, they were 36% and 7%, correspondingly. The Lg/h = 1 configuration is recommended for controlling scour length, while Lg/h = 1.5 has the most effective among cases in reducing scour depth at high discharge. The findings indicated that an increasing TwD contributes to reducing scouring dimensions. Specifically, in the absence of GS, increasing TwD to 2y′t led to an average reduction of 19% in scour length and 25% in scour depth. A comparison of TwD effects among different GCS models with GS showed that increasing TwD to 2y′t in the Lg/h = 2 GS configuration was the most effective, achieving a 30% reduction in scour depth.
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spelling doaj-art-8f98b50d917e4e5d87c617e4a057ec4b2025-08-20T03:27:02ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302025-09-012710571710.1016/j.rineng.2025.105717Impact of gabion sill on scouring depth downstream grade control structuresMohammad Bagherzadeh0Mirali Mohammadi1Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Urmia University, P O Box 165, Urmia 57561-51818, IranCorresponding author.; Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Urmia University, P O Box 165, Urmia 57561-51818, IranGrade control structures (GCS) stabilize riverbeds and reduce sediment movement, but downstream scour threatens their stability. This experimental research investigates the effects of gabion sills (GSs) on scour at three relative spacings (Lg/h = 1, 1.5, & 2) under five discharges and three tailwater depths (TwDs) (freely=y′t, 1.5y′t, & 2y′t). A series of experiments conducted in an 18 m-long, 0.3 m-wide tilting flume with a discharge range of 7–13 L/s. The observations demonstrated that the placement of gabions significantly accelerated the bed stabilization process and effectively reduced both the depth and length of the scour hole. The results establish that positioning the GS at a relative spacing of Lg/h = 1 reduces the scouring length and depth by an average of 51% and 44%, respectively, compared to the GCS without a GS under free TwDs conditions. For a case of Lg/h = 1.5, those reductions were 44% and 49%, respectively, while for the case of Lg/h = 2, they were 36% and 7%, correspondingly. The Lg/h = 1 configuration is recommended for controlling scour length, while Lg/h = 1.5 has the most effective among cases in reducing scour depth at high discharge. The findings indicated that an increasing TwD contributes to reducing scouring dimensions. Specifically, in the absence of GS, increasing TwD to 2y′t led to an average reduction of 19% in scour length and 25% in scour depth. A comparison of TwD effects among different GCS models with GS showed that increasing TwD to 2y′t in the Lg/h = 2 GS configuration was the most effective, achieving a 30% reduction in scour depth.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025017888RiverbedBed stabilizationFree fall jetGabion sillSediment movementTailwater depth
spellingShingle Mohammad Bagherzadeh
Mirali Mohammadi
Impact of gabion sill on scouring depth downstream grade control structures
Results in Engineering
Riverbed
Bed stabilization
Free fall jet
Gabion sill
Sediment movement
Tailwater depth
title Impact of gabion sill on scouring depth downstream grade control structures
title_full Impact of gabion sill on scouring depth downstream grade control structures
title_fullStr Impact of gabion sill on scouring depth downstream grade control structures
title_full_unstemmed Impact of gabion sill on scouring depth downstream grade control structures
title_short Impact of gabion sill on scouring depth downstream grade control structures
title_sort impact of gabion sill on scouring depth downstream grade control structures
topic Riverbed
Bed stabilization
Free fall jet
Gabion sill
Sediment movement
Tailwater depth
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025017888
work_keys_str_mv AT mohammadbagherzadeh impactofgabionsillonscouringdepthdownstreamgradecontrolstructures
AT miralimohammadi impactofgabionsillonscouringdepthdownstreamgradecontrolstructures