Cette thèse a pour but d'améliorer la compréhension des interconnexions entre les processus hydro-sédimentaires et l'évolution morphologique du littoral guyanais, formés à partir des énormes apports sédimentaires amazoniens. Elle s'appuie sur trois échelles spatiales : la côte des Guyanes, le banc de vase et la vasière. L'amortissement des houles à la côte ainsi que les processus de migration des bancs ont été étudiée à l'échelle de la côte des Guyanes. Ce travail apporte une vision structurelle des zones subtidales des bancs et met aussi en évidence les différents processus et forçages (houle, courant) responsables du transport sédimentaire, en fonction de la bathymétrie (> 5 m et < 5 m). L'évolution morphologique du banc de Kourou et des surfaces de mangrove côtières associées, ont aussi été étudiées. Un lien a ainsi été exposé entre, l'implantation des palétuviers, les régimes de courant et la topographie de la vasière. Cette relation a permis d'aborder l'aspect prédictif de l'expansion des surfaces de mangrove côtière. À l'échelle de la vasière, les zones intertidales sont divisibles en deux secteurs géographiques avec des dynamiques sédimentaires bien distinctes : le front de mer et les zones internes. La morphologie des vasières est abordée, tout comme les processus sédimentaires ayant lieu au niveau de la zone interne. Une méthode de reconstitution des apports sédimentaires de la zone interne est aussi proposée. Cette étude souligne l'importance des interactions entre les sédiments cohésifs et la houle, qui modèlent la morphologie du littoral. Les influences des forçages hydrométéorologiques sur la morphodynamique des bancs de vase et l'évolution du trit de côte sont soumises à discussion. / The aim of this work is to improve the knowledge of the interconnections between hydro-sedimentary processes and Guianese's coastal morphology evolution, formed by the sedimentary Amazon discharge. This subject follows three spatial scales : the Guianese's Coast, the mud bank and the mudflat. Coastal waves damping by mud and migration process have been studied at the Guianese's Coastal scale. This study also gives a structural vision of subtidal part of banks and highlights the various processes and hydrodynamics conditions needed for sedimentary transport, for two bathymetric areas (> 5 m and < 5 m depth). The morphological evolution of Kourou's mud bank and the associated surfaces of coastal mangrove are also analysed. A link between mangrove colonisation, currents and the mudflat topography is highlighted. This relation allows a discussion about predictive aspect of the mud banks colonisation by mangrove. At the mudflat scale, intertidal part is divided in two areas with different sedimentary dynamic processes : sea front and internals zones. The morphologycal structure and the sedimentary processes of internals zones are analysed. An historical reconstitution method of sedimentary supplies is also proposed. This study underlines morphological coastal changes sensitivity to hydro meteorological forcing and interactions between cohesive sediment and swells which seems to lead the morphological coastal evolution.

Cette étude tente de modéliser les taux de transport de sédiments et l'évolution du lit dans un milieu estuarien complexe : l'estuaire de la Gironde, caractérisé par une grande hétérogénéité dans la composition des sédiments de lit, avec la présence de sédiments cohésifs et non-cohésifs ainsi que des mélanges sablo-vaseux. Notre objectif principal est d'étendre un modèle morphodynamique 2D développé par Huybrechts et al. (2012b) pour les sédiments non-cohésifs, afin de tenir compte de la présence de la vase et d'établir une étape préliminaire pour un modèle morphodynamique de sédiment mixte. Notre cadre est le système Telemac (version 6.1) où l'approche bi-dimensionnelle a été sélectionnée pour des simulations à grandes échelles spatiales (150 km) et moyen terme (5 ans).La première partie de ce travail est consacrée à la compréhension des processus de sédimentation-consolidation de la vase pure, en combinant expériences et modèles 1D verticaux. Les processus du sédiment cohésif sont ensuite intégrés dans le modèle morphodynamique de l'estuaire de la Gironde. Des expériences d'érosion et de dépôt ont été réalisées au laboratoire RWTH (Université d'Aachen, Allemagne) pour calibrer les paramètres des lois d'érosion et de dépôt. En outre, l'effet de la consolidation est pris en compte à travers la mise en œuvre d'un modèle 1DV de sédimentation et consolidation basé sur la théorie de Gibson (Thiébot et al., 2011) en utilisant des équations de fermeture analytique pour la perméabilité et la contrainte effective. Une attention particulière est accordée à l'initialisation de la structure verticale du lit sédimentaire. Les mesures et les résultats du modèle sont comparés pour les concentrations des sédiments en suspension et pour l'évolution de fond en moyen terme (5 ans).Dans la deuxième partie, un nouveau modèle 1DV pour la sédimentation entravée des mélanges sablo-vaseux a été développé sur la base des modèles de bi-disperse non-cohésifs. La solution numérique a été réalisée en prenant en considération un schéma de haute précision dans l'espace par la technique de reconstruction WENO et en temps par un Discontinue de Galerkin local (DG). Le modèle est ensuite validé par rapport à une large gamme de données expérimentales (mono-disperse sable, vase, non-cohésif bi-disperse et le mélange non-cohésif/cohesif) / This study attempts to model sediment transport rates and the resulting bed evolution in a complex estuarine environment: the Gironde estuary, characterized by a high hetereogeneity in the sediment bed composition, with the presence of both cohesive and non-cohesive sediments and sand/mud mixtures. Our main objective is to extend an existing 2D morphodynamic model developped by Huybrechts et al (2012b) for non-cohesive sediments, to account for the presence of mud and to draw some preliminary step for a fully mixte sediment morphodynamic model. Our framework is the finite element Telemac system (release 6.1), where the two-dimensional (depth averaged) approach has been selected for large scale and medium term simulations.The first part of this work is devoted to the understanding of sedimentation-consolidation processes for pure mud, combining laboratory experiments and 1D vertical models. Cohesive processes are then integrated in the 2D (depth-averaged) large scale morphodynamic model of the Gironde estuary developed by Huybrechts et al. (2012b). Erosion/deposition experiments were performed at the RWTH laboratory (University of Aachen, Germany) to calibrate the erosion and deposition law parameters. Moreover, the effect of consolidation is taken into account through the implementation of a 1DV Gibson-based sedimentation-consolidation model (Thiebot et al., 2011) using analytical closure equations for permeability and effective stress. Special attention is paid to the initialisation of the bed structure. Comparisons between measurements and model results are achieved on both suspended sediment concentration records and on medium term (5-year) bed evolutions.In the second part, a new 1DV model for the hindered settling of sand-mud mixtures has been developed based on the background of non-cohesive bi-disperse models. The numerical solution has been constructed by considering a high-order of accuracy in space via a Weighted Essentially Non Oscillatory (WENO) reconstruction technique and in time via a local space-time Discontinuous Galerkin (DG).The model is then validated against a large range of experimental data (mono-disperse sand, mud, non-cohesive bi-disperse and non-cohesive/cohesive mixture)

O objetivo deste estudo é compreender a dinâmica das partículas no estuário do rio Araranguá (SC) em termos de transporte em suspensão, deposição e exportação, em diferentes condições físico-químicas da água, com pH baixo (<4,5) e normal (>=7), e sob condições de regime transiente da descarga fluvial. O estuário do rio Araranguá é classificado como altamente estratificado e dominado pela descarga fluvial. Um aspecto fundamental nos processos que controlam a dinâmica de materiais em suspensão no estuário é a atividade de lavra e beneficiamento do carvão, que gera uma drenagem ácida no rio Mãe Luzia. O seu pH baixo (&#732;3) indica que o processo de floculação é intensificado no interior do estuário. Com o objetivo de melhor entender a hidrodinâmica do estuário, um modelo tridimensional foi implementado para a região. O modelo foi calibrado e validado com dados observados. Simulações com diferentes picos de descarga fluvial (100, 400, 700 e 1000 m3.s-1) e baixa descarga (30 m3.s-1) foram realizadas. Para calcular o transporte do material particulado em suspensão foi desenvolvido um modelo Lagrangeano da trajetória da partícula. O modelo da trajetória utiliza os resultados do modelo hidrodinâmico e a velocidade de decantação das partículas. O estuário respondeu rapidamente às variações da descarga fluvial. A cunha salina foi transportada para fora do estuário durante os picos de 700 e 1000 m3.s-1. A descarga fluvial é o fator dominante no controle da intrusão da salinidade no estuário e, em condições de baixa descarga, o transporte advectivo de sal é dominado pelo termo dispersivo da circulação gravitacional. O tempo de residência médio das partículas no estuário foi menor em condições de pH baixo. A exportação das partículas aumentou com o aumento da descarga fluvial (pico de 1000 m3.s-1), sendo que 27% e 30% foram exportadas para a plataforma interna durante os experimentos com pH baixo e pH normal, respectivamente. A região de deposição das partículas indica que com a diminuição do pH, as partículas passam a depositar mais à jusante no estuário. O evento de descarga de 1000 m3.s-1 não foi capaz de remover a grande maioria das partículas do estuário, mas foi responsável por redistribuir as partículas ao longo do médio estuário, onde se depositaram em condições favoráveis com baixas velocidades e ausência de salinidade. O trabalho demonstra que apesar da alta estratificação do estuário, a acidez de suas águas, seu padrão de circulação, com baixas velocidades e a presença da cunha salina, possuem um papel fundamental no transporte das partículas, resultando em maior potencial de retenção do material em suspensão no estuário do rio Araranguá. / The present study assessed the dynamics of particles of the Araranguá (SC) river estuary in terns of suspended transport, deposition and exportation in different conditions of physical-chemical of water, with low (<4,5) and normal pH (>=7), and transient of river discharge conditions. The Araranguá river estuary is a highly stratified flash-flood dominated. The river basin of the Mãe Luzia river, one of the main tributaries of the Araranguá river, is performed the activity of mining and coal processing, wich generates an acidic drainage. Its low pH indicates that flocculation process is intensified in estuary inner. With the objective of better understanding the estuarine processes, a three-dimensional hydrodynamics model was implemented. The model was calibrated and verified using observational data. Simulations were conducted with freshet peak ranged over 100, 400, 700 and 1000 m3.s-1. Lagrangian particle tracking algorithms was developed to represent the suspended particle transport at estuary. The particle tracking used the montion resulting from hydrodynamics model and the particle settling velocity. The estuary responded quickly the river discharge variations. During the pulse event the velocities at water column were unidirectional down-estuary is shown the barotropic dominates over baroclinic component. During the highest flash flood event (700 and 1000 m3.s-1) the salt water was pushed out of the estuary. The river discharge is a dominating factor affecting the salinity intrusion in the estuarine system and under low discharge conditions the advective salt transport is dominated by dispersive term of gravitational circulation. The mean residence time of the particles was lowest in pH low conditions. The particles export is great as the river discharge is rising (1000 m3.s-1) with 27% and 30% exported to inner shelf during the experiments with low and normal pH, respectively. The particles deposition local indicates that with the pH decrease the particles become to be deposited further downstream. The discharge event of 1000 m3.s-1 was not able to remove all particles out, but was response to redistribute the particles along of the meddle estuary, where settling in favorable conditions at low velocities and absence of salinity. The study shows that although high stratification of estuary, the acidity of water, the pattern of circulation, at low velocities, and the salt wedge presence play a fundamental role in the transport of particle matter resulting in increased the potential retention of suspended matter in the Araranguá river estuary.

L'évolution des caractéristiques des particules en suspension au cours de leur transfert au sein des bassins versants est encore mal connue. Ceci limite actuellement notre aptitude à prédire correctement l'érosion ou les flux de matières en suspension (MES) et rend difficile la proposition de pratiques de gestion adaptées aux réglementations en vigueur. A partir d'expériences en milieu contrôlé, nous avons montré que les particules de sols ont tendance à se désagréger en milieu turbulent. Il semble de plus qu'une augmentation de la concentration en suspension accélère cette désagrégation et conduise à des particules plus fines. Même si l'évolution des particules à l'échelle horaire semble rester de second ordre derrière les caractéristiques des sols sources, il est indispensable de pouvoir vérifier si les particules en suspension se comportent de la même manière en conditions naturelles où des interactions complexes entre processus peuvent avoir lieu. Cependant l'absence de méthode de mesure permettant le suivi des propriétés de transport des sédiments en écoulements très concentrés (de 1 plusieurs centaines de grammes par litre) dans les bassins élémentaires limite notre capacité à hiérarchiser les processus à considérer pour modéliser le transfert sédimentaire ou améliorer la gestion opérationnelle des sédiments. Afin de répondre à ce besoin instrumental, nous avons développé un Système de Caractérisation des Agrégats et des Flocs (SCAF). Cet instrument est conçu pour être incorporé dans les stations de suivi hydro-sédimentaire. La mesure est réalisée immédiatement après prélèvement d'un échantillon de la suspension à caractériser par une série de capteurs optiques qui suivent l'évolution de l'absorbance optique durant la sédimentation de l'échantillon. Nous proposons une méthode de traitement des données optiques donnant accès à la distribution des vitesses de chute de la suspension ainsi qu'à un indice de floculation qui renseigne sur la capacité des MES à floculer durant leur sédimentation. Les distributions de vitesses de chute mesurées sont validées sur une large gamme de matériaux et de régimes de sédimentation, afin de couvrir la variabilité des types de matériaux et des concentrations observées en milieu naturel. Pour des sédiments non cohésifs ou floculant peu durant leur sédimentation les mesures du SCAF s'ajustent sur celles issues des autres méthodes. Pour les suspensions qui floculent durant leur sédimentation, la plupart des méthodes de mesure classiques conduisent à des vitesses de chute non représentatives de la suspension. Nous avons montré que les variations des propriétés optiques des matières en suspension lors de leur floculation impactent nos mesures. La méthode proposée permet cependant de quantifier l'augmentation des vitesses de chute avec la floculation, et d'encadrer l'incertitude des mesures. Pour les mesures à forte concentration (>10 g/l), un front d'entravement peut se former durant la sédimentation, le SCAF mesurant alors précisément les vitesses de chute du front. La mesure des distributions des vitesses de chute et de la cohésion des particules en suspension peut permettre d'identifier différentes populations de particules formant une suspension (grains de sables, flocs, matières fines...). Le suivi de telles informations au sein de bassins versants ouvre de nouvelles perspectives pour aborder la connectivité sédimentaire et s'orienter vers une gestion optimale des flux de MES. / Little is known about the processes that govern the evolution of suspended particle characteristics during their transport through a river basin. This is a main limitation for modelling erosion severity or suspended solids (SS) fluxes. It also leads to difficulties to propose management policies adapted to environmental legislation. Based on experiments in controlled environments, we have shown that soil particles tend to disaggregate in turbulent flows. The increase in SS concentration was associated to an increase of the disaggregation of SS particles, leading to smaller final particle sizes. Laboratory experiments also showed that the variability of the particle sizes due to their evolution over one hour was smaller than the variability due to the soil type from which the particles originated. However it is important to ensure that the suspended particles behave in the same way in natural conditions, where complex interactions between hydraulic, chemical and biological processes can influence their evolution. Up to now no measurement method allows measuring continuously the suspended sediment properties in highly concentrated fluids (from one to hundreds grams per liter), such as those observed in headwater catchments during runoff events. This severely limits the possibility to identify the processes that are important to consider in numerical models. The Aggregate and Floc Characterization System (SCAF) has been developed in order to measure SS properties for a wide range of SS concentrations. It was designed to be easily incorporated into sequential samplers. Immediately after the collection of a sample from the river, the sedimentation of the suspension is recorded by continuous measurements of the absorbance by a series of optical sensors. A method was proposed to processes the raw optical data in order to obtain the settling velocity distribution of the suspension. It also provides a flocculation index representing the tendency of the particles to flocculate during their sedimentation. The calculated settling velocity distributions were validated on a large range of materials and settling regimes in order to cover the natural variability of suspended sediments. For sediments that hardly flocculate during their sedimentation or are non-cohesive, the measurements of the SCAF were similar to those from other methods. In the case of suspensions that strongly flocculate during sedimentation, most of the classical methods give non-representative falling velocities. In this case, the optical property of the particles may vary during settling, affecting the optical measurement. The proposed method allowed quantifying the increase of settling velocity induced by flocculation, and provided confidence intervals for the settling velocities. For high SS concentrations ( > 10 g/l), a settling front can be formed during the sedimentation, which is well characterized by the SCAF. The measurement of the settling velocity distributions and of the flocculation index can be used to identify different particle populations (sand grains, flocs, individual particles) forming a suspension. Monitoring these properties in watersheds offers new insights to explore sediment connectivity within river basins and to optimize water management strategies.

O objetivo deste estudo é compreender a dinâmica das partículas no estuário do rio Araranguá (SC) em termos de transporte em suspensão, deposição e exportação, em diferentes condições físico-químicas da água, com pH baixo (<4,5) e normal (>=7), e sob condições de regime transiente da descarga fluvial. O estuário do rio Araranguá é classificado como altamente estratificado e dominado pela descarga fluvial. Um aspecto fundamental nos processos que controlam a dinâmica de materiais em suspensão no estuário é a atividade de lavra e beneficiamento do carvão, que gera uma drenagem ácida no rio Mãe Luzia. O seu pH baixo (&#732;3) indica que o processo de floculação é intensificado no interior do estuário. Com o objetivo de melhor entender a hidrodinâmica do estuário, um modelo tridimensional foi implementado para a região. O modelo foi calibrado e validado com dados observados. Simulações com diferentes picos de descarga fluvial (100, 400, 700 e 1000 m3.s-1) e baixa descarga (30 m3.s-1) foram realizadas. Para calcular o transporte do material particulado em suspensão foi desenvolvido um modelo Lagrangeano da trajetória da partícula. O modelo da trajetória utiliza os resultados do modelo hidrodinâmico e a velocidade de decantação das partículas. O estuário respondeu rapidamente às variações da descarga fluvial. A cunha salina foi transportada para fora do estuário durante os picos de 700 e 1000 m3.s-1. A descarga fluvial é o fator dominante no controle da intrusão da salinidade no estuário e, em condições de baixa descarga, o transporte advectivo de sal é dominado pelo termo dispersivo da circulação gravitacional. O tempo de residência médio das partículas no estuário foi menor em condições de pH baixo. A exportação das partículas aumentou com o aumento da descarga fluvial (pico de 1000 m3.s-1), sendo que 27% e 30% foram exportadas para a plataforma interna durante os experimentos com pH baixo e pH normal, respectivamente. A região de deposição das partículas indica que com a diminuição do pH, as partículas passam a depositar mais à jusante no estuário. O evento de descarga de 1000 m3.s-1 não foi capaz de remover a grande maioria das partículas do estuário, mas foi responsável por redistribuir as partículas ao longo do médio estuário, onde se depositaram em condições favoráveis com baixas velocidades e ausência de salinidade. O trabalho demonstra que apesar da alta estratificação do estuário, a acidez de suas águas, seu padrão de circulação, com baixas velocidades e a presença da cunha salina, possuem um papel fundamental no transporte das partículas, resultando em maior potencial de retenção do material em suspensão no estuário do rio Araranguá. / The present study assessed the dynamics of particles of the Araranguá (SC) river estuary in terns of suspended transport, deposition and exportation in different conditions of physical-chemical of water, with low (<4,5) and normal pH (>=7), and transient of river discharge conditions. The Araranguá river estuary is a highly stratified flash-flood dominated. The river basin of the Mãe Luzia river, one of the main tributaries of the Araranguá river, is performed the activity of mining and coal processing, wich generates an acidic drainage. Its low pH indicates that flocculation process is intensified in estuary inner. With the objective of better understanding the estuarine processes, a three-dimensional hydrodynamics model was implemented. The model was calibrated and verified using observational data. Simulations were conducted with freshet peak ranged over 100, 400, 700 and 1000 m3.s-1. Lagrangian particle tracking algorithms was developed to represent the suspended particle transport at estuary. The particle tracking used the montion resulting from hydrodynamics model and the particle settling velocity. The estuary responded quickly the river discharge variations. During the pulse event the velocities at water column were unidirectional down-estuary is shown the barotropic dominates over baroclinic component. During the highest flash flood event (700 and 1000 m3.s-1) the salt water was pushed out of the estuary. The river discharge is a dominating factor affecting the salinity intrusion in the estuarine system and under low discharge conditions the advective salt transport is dominated by dispersive term of gravitational circulation. The mean residence time of the particles was lowest in pH low conditions. The particles export is great as the river discharge is rising (1000 m3.s-1) with 27% and 30% exported to inner shelf during the experiments with low and normal pH, respectively. The particles deposition local indicates that with the pH decrease the particles become to be deposited further downstream. The discharge event of 1000 m3.s-1 was not able to remove all particles out, but was response to redistribute the particles along of the meddle estuary, where settling in favorable conditions at low velocities and absence of salinity. The study shows that although high stratification of estuary, the acidity of water, the pattern of circulation, at low velocities, and the salt wedge presence play a fundamental role in the transport of particle matter resulting in increased the potential retention of suspended matter in the Araranguá river estuary.

Ce travail numérique porte sur le comportement de la lutocline (interface entre l'eau et la vase fluide) en écoulement cisaillé et vise à une meilleure compréhension des mécanismes de remise en suspension de sédiments cohésifs. La crème de vase, ou vase partiellement solidifiée, est modélisée par un fluide homogène équivalent miscible dans l'eau, de rhéologie newtonienne ou viscoplastique. Une étude de l'hydrodynamique de cet écoulement stratifié en densité ainsi qu'en viscosité est ensuite proposée. Considérant une crème de vase initialement non-turbulente, l'étude se focalise sur le développement des instabilités au niveau de la lutocline et de la transition vers une couche de mélange turbulente. La particularité de cet écoulement réside dans la forte viscosité de vase et son seuil de mise en mouvement lorsqu'elle présente un caractère viscoplastique. Une étude de stabilité linéaire permet d'évaluer l'influence des différents paramètres de l'écoulement, notamment les stratifications en densité et en viscosité. La stratification en viscosité augmente sensiblement le taux de croissance de l'instabilité pour des nombres de Reynolds intermédiaires. L'évolution non-linéaire de l'écoulement est ensuite étudiée en utilisant des simulations numériques directes, la stratification en viscosité entrainant un épaississement de la couche de mélange finale. Enfin, des simulations numériques directes basées sur un modèle de fluide de Bingham régularisé permettent d'étudier l'influence de la contrainte seuil sur le développement de l'instabilité. / This numerical study focuses on the behavior of the lutocline in a shear flow and aims to better understand the mechanism of resuspension of cohesive sediment. Mud flow, or mud partially consolidated, is modeled by an equivalent homogenous fluid miscible in water, with newtonian or viscoplastic rheology. A study of the hydrodynamics of this shear flow, stratified both in density and viscosity, is presented. Considering an initially laminar mud flow, the focus of the study is on the development of instabilities on the lutocline and the transition to a turbulent mixing layer. The specificity of this flow lies on the large viscosity of the mud and its threshold to be put in motion, when it presents a viscoplastic feature. A linear stability study assesses the influence of the various parameters of the flow, especially of density and viscosity stratification. The viscosity stratification slightly increases the growth rate of the instability for intermediate Reynolds numbers. Then, the non linear evolution of the flow is studied by using direct numerical simulations, viscous stratification leading to a thicker mixing layer. At last, direct numerical simulations based on a Bingham regularized model, permits to study the influence of the critical strain on the development of the instability.

Shelby tube sediment samples collected from the foundations of ten (10) bridges located in the state of Georgia were tested in the laboratory to find their erosional behavior and the correlation of erosion parameters with sediment properties in order to improve the prediction of scour around bridge foundations. These sites were spatially distributed in order to fall into different major river basins and in different physiographic regions. A description of the Valley and Ridge, Blue Ridge, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain physiographic regions of Georgia is included, and the erosion parameters found from flume measurements are associated with their respective regions. Flume measurements were performed using a rectangular, tilting, recirculating flume located in the hydraulics lab in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech. Velocities up to 1.7 m/s and bed shear stresses up to 21 Pa can be achieved in the flume. Regression analysis was performed on erosion rates as a function of applied shear stress to determine the parameters of the erosion function. The resulting parameters, the critical shear stress and the erosion rate constant, were correlated with soil properties and physiographic regions. Experimental methodology was chosen to approach this problem because the involvement of interparticle forces for fine-grained materials makes it difficult to deal with the erosion phenomenon through other means. Nevertheless, analytical description of the erosion phenomenon was included in order to provide a better understanding of it. Linear, exponential and power regression mathematical models for erosion rate were compared, and the two best-fit regression models of erosion rate as a function of shear stress are proposed to formulate a methodology intended to characterize the behavior of a soil exposed to erosive flow conditions. One of them is a linear model to calculate critical shear stresses and low erosion rates. The second model, which is exponential, has the advantage of describing the erosion rate response for a wider range of shear stress values. It is shown that one of the most relevant predictors for the critical shear stress and erosion rate constant in the regression models is the fine material content present in the sample, which is an indirect indicator of the contribution of interparticle forces to the erosion process. Applying the described methodology, a more case-specific calculation of the erosion at bridge foundations can be performed taking into account the actual material in situ.