Solid rock is usually resistant to scour, although if the rock has marked bedding planes it may not

endure high-velocity flow. If the rock has a rough, jagged surface, cavitation may assist in the erosion.
Loose earth and rock are vulnerable to the erosion action of flowing water and may scour severely at
velocities as low as 2 or 3 ft/sec (0.6 to 1.0 m/s).Movable-bed model studies with gravel, sand, or
powdered coal to simulate the river bed may be used to predict velocity distributions and scour patterns
in the prototype. Ordinary hydraulic models, however, do not reproduce effects dependent on surface
tension , such as air entrainment and spray formation; nor do they reproduce pressure effects such as
cavitation .Special glass-enclosed models in which the pressure can be reduced below atmosphere are
used to study cavitation .The effectiveness of various energy-dissipating devices may also be estimated
from trials on hydraulic models.

The decision as to what degree of erosion protection should be provided immediately

downstream from a dam from a dam depends largely on the amount of erosion expected and the
damage that might result from this erosion. The time required to develop serious erosion depends not
only on the character of the stream-bed material and the velocity distribution but also on the frequency
with which scouring flows occur .Thus the results of model test must be interpreted in the light of the
expected flows at the dam site. If many years are expected to pass before serious erosion conditions
develop, it may not be economical to provide expensive protection works in the initial construction.

Water flowing over a spillway or through a sluiceway is capable of causing severe erosion of the
stream bed and banks the dam. Consequently the dam and its appurtenant works must be so designed
that harmful erosion is minimized.