Engineering Geology [CE-1313]

Semester Project (Part - 01)

Erosion

Group No: 01
Group Members:
TALHA JAFFAR BCE193001

USMAN JAMIL BCE193064

BILAL ASIF BCE193092

LARIB ASIF BCE193004

BISAL KHAN BCE193066

Submitted To:
Engr. Umer Jadoon
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING CAPITAL
UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN

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Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 4
1 The Work of River .................................................................................................................. 5
1.1 Types of River Erosion .................................................................................................... 5
1.1.1 Vertical Erosion ........................................................................................................ 5
1.1.2 Lateral Erosion .......................................................................................................... 5
1.1.3 Head-ward Erosion ................................................................................................... 6
1.2 The four main processes of erosion that take place in rivers ........................................... 6
1.2.1 Hydraulic Action ....................................................................................................... 6
1.2.2 Abrasion .................................................................................................................... 6
1.2.3 Attrition ..................................................................................................................... 7
1.2.4 Solution ..................................................................................................................... 7
1.3 Transportation .................................................................................................................. 7
1.3.1 Suspension ................................................................................................................ 7
1.3.2 Saltation .................................................................................................................... 8
1.3.3 Traction ..................................................................................................................... 8
1.3.4 Solution ..................................................................................................................... 8
1.4 Deposition ........................................................................................................................ 8
2 The work of wind .................................................................................................................... 9
2.1 Two main process of wind Erosion .................................................................................. 9
2.1.1 Wind Abrasion .......................................................................................................... 9
2.1.2 Wind Deflation........................................................................................................ 10
2.2 Transportation/Movement: ............................................................................................. 10
2.2.1 Suspension .............................................................................................................. 10
2.2.2 Saltation .................................................................................................................. 11
2.2.3 Creep ....................................................................................................................... 11
3 The work of Sea .................................................................................................................... 11
3.1 Destructive Waves.......................................................................................................... 12
3.2 Constructive Waves........................................................................................................ 12
3.3 Coastal Erosion take place through four main processes ............................................... 12
3.3.1 Hydraulic Action ..................................................................................................... 12

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 3.3.2 Compression ........................................................................................................... 12
3.3.3 Abrasion .................................................................................................................. 12
3.3.4 Attrition ................................................................................................................... 12
3.4 Effect of Coastal or Sea Erosion .................................................................................... 13
3.4.1 Sea Caves ................................................................................................................ 13
3.4.2 Sea Arch .................................................................................................................. 13
3.4.3 Sea Stack ................................................................................................................. 14
3.4.4 Sea Stump ............................................................................................................... 14
4 Glacial Erosion...................................................................................................................... 15
4.1 There are three main types of glacial erosion ................................................................ 15
4.1.1 Plucking .................................................................................................................. 15
4.1.2 Abrasion .................................................................................................................. 15
4.1.3 Freeze thaw ............................................................................................................. 16
5 Significance of Erosion in Civil Engineering ....................................................................... 16

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Figure 1 Erosion .............................................................................................................................. 4
Figure 2 Vertical Erosion ................................................................................................................ 5
Figure 3 Lateral Erosion ................................................................................................................. 6
Figure 4 Head-ward Erosion ........................................................................................................... 6
Figure 5 process of erosion in river ................................................................................................ 7
Figure 6 transportation .................................................................................................................... 8
Figure 7 wind erosion in sand stone ............................................................................................... 9
Figure 8 wind abrasion.................................................................................................................. 10
Figure 9 Wind Deflation ............................................................................................................... 10
Figure 10 wind transportation ....................................................................................................... 11
Figure 11 Costal Erosion .............................................................................................................. 13
Figure 12 sea cave ......................................................................................................................... 13
Figure 13 Sea Arch ....................................................................................................................... 14
Figure 14 Sea stack ....................................................................................................................... 14
Figure 15 Sea Stump ..................................................................................................................... 15
Figure 16 Plucking ........................................................................................................................ 15
Figure 17 Ice abrasion ................................................................................................................... 16
Figure 18 Freeze thaw ................................................................................................................... 16

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 Introduction

Erosion is defined as removal and movement of earth materials by natural agents. Some of these
agents include water, wind, ice, sea, earthquake, volcanoes, hurricanes, avalanches, tornadoes
and mudflow.

Most of time the erosion is taken place due to liquid water, wind, or ice mostly in the form of a
glacier (avalanches). If the wind is dusty, or water or glacial ice is muddy, erosion is taking
place. The brown color indicates that bits of rock and soil are suspended in the fluid (air or
water) and being transported from one place to another. This transported material is called
sediment.

Physical erosion is the phenomena in which rock change their physical properties without
changing their basic chemical composition. Physical erosion often causes rocks to get smaller or
smoother. Rocks eroded by physical erosion often form clastic sediments. Clastic sediments are
composed of small fragments of older rocks that have been transported from their place of origin.

This report will discuss or explain work of river in erosion, work of wind in erosion, work of sea
in erosion and lastly work of ice in erosion.

Figure 1 Erosion

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1 The Work of River

There are three systematic processes that take place in work of river during erosion. These three
systematic processes are erosion, transportation and deposition. All these processes depend on
the energy present in the water waves. The energy present in the water waves cause erosion. The
bed and banks of the river can be erode make it wider, deeper and longer.

1.1 Types of River Erosion

There are two main types of river erosion

 Vertical Erosion
 Lateral Erosion
 Head wards Erosion

1.1.1 Vertical Erosion

Vertical erosion is making the river deeper, this type of erosion mostly occurs in valleys. This
type of erosion may also be called V type erosion.

Figure 2 Vertical Erosion

1.1.2 Lateral Erosion

Lateral erosion makes the river wider. When river or stream is higher than its base level it makes
the river deeper, when the levels of river approach to its base level lateral erosion take place.

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 Figure 3 Lateral Erosion

1.1.3 Head-ward Erosion

Head-ward erosion is the phenomena by which a river erodes its source region, in this manner
the river and steam start gaining length in the opposite direction as they flow originally.

Figure 4 Head-ward Erosion

1.2 The four main processes of erosion that take place in rivers

 Hydraulic Action
 Abrasion
 Attrition
 Corrosion

1.2.1 Hydraulic Action

Hydraulic action is the action of water pressure in which the water pressure breaks the rock from
river bed and banks. The water pressure produces the force this force hit river banks which
pushes water into the cracks. When the velocity of water is high the hydraulic action may
remove the material from river bank which leads to head-ward or undercutting and the bank of
river may collapse.

1.2.2 Abrasion

The sediment carried by a river scours the bed and banks are called Abrasion.

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1.2.3 Attrition

in attrition the eroded rocks collide and break into tiny pieces and the edges of these rocks
become smoother and rounded. Attrition makes the particles of rock smaller. It does not erode
the bed and bank. Pieces of river sediment become smaller and more rounded as they move river.

1.2.4 Solution

Carbon dioxide dissolves in the river to form a weak acid. This dissolves rock by chemical
processes. This process is common where carbonate rocks such as limestone and chalk are
evident in a channel.

Figure 5 process of erosion in river

1.3 Transportation

Transportation of material in a river begins when friction is overcome. Material that has been
loosened by erosion may be then transported along the river. There are four main processes of
transportation.

 Suspension
 Saltation
 Traction
 Solution

1.3.1 Suspension

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Suspension is when material made up of very fine particles such as clay and silt is lifted as the
result of turbulence and transported by the river. Faster-flowing, turbulent rivers carry more
suspended material. This is why river appear muddy.

1.3.2 Saltation

Saltation is when material such as pebbles and gravel that is too heavy to be carried in
suspension is bounced along the river by the force of the water.

1.3.3 Traction

Traction is when large materials such as boulders are rolled and pushed along the river bed by
the force of the river.

1.3.4 Solution

Solution is when dissolved material is carried by a river. This often happens in areas where
limestone dissolved in slightly acidic water.

Figure 6 transportation

1.4 Deposition

Deposition is the processes where material being transported by a river is deposited. Deposition
occurs when a river loses energy.

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2 The work of wind
Wind is also an agent of erosion this erosion also known as Aeolian Erosion. The difference in
atmospheric pressure cause the wind or Aeolian erosion and the motion of air erode surface
material when the velocity of air is high enough to carry particles. It wind carry sand, clay, dust
and volcanic ash from one place to another place.

Wind erosion mostly takes place in dry regions and in those areas where rainfall is insufficient
for the farming.

Aeolian erosion cannot carry large particles as flowing water, but easily pickups the small dry
particles of soil, sand and dust and carries them away.

Figure 7 wind erosion in sand stone

Threshold Velocity: Soil movement is initiated as a result of wind forces exerted against the
surface of the ground. For each specific soil type and surface condition there is a minimum
velocity required to move soil particles. This is called the threshold velocity.

2.1 Two main process of wind Erosion

 Wind abrasion
 Wind deflation

2.1.1 Wind Abrasion

Abrasion is the process of erosion produced by the suspended particles that impact on solid
objects.

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 Figure 8 wind abrasion

2.1.2 Wind Deflation

Wind causes the lifting and transport of lighter particles from a dry soil, leaving behind a surface
of coarse grained sand and rocks.

Figure 9 Wind Deflation

2.2 Transportation/Movement:

There are following three types of soil movements

 Suspension
 Saltation
 Creep

2.2.1 Suspension

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Occurs when very fine dirt and dust particles are lifted into the wind. They can be thrown into
the air through impact with other particles or by the wind itself. Once in the atmosphere, these
particles can be carried very high and be transported over extremely long distances. Soil moved
by suspension is the most spectacular and easiest to recognize of the three forms of movement.

2.2.2 Saltation

The major fraction of soil moved by the wind is through the process of saltation. In saltation, fine
soil particles are lifted into the air by the wind and drift horizontally across the surface increasing
in velocity as they go. Soil particles moved in this process of saltation can cause severe damage
to the soil surface and vegetation. They travel approximately four times longer in distance than in
height. When they strike the surface again they either rebound back into the air or knock other
particles into the air.

2.2.3 Creep

The large particles which are too heavy to be lifted into the air are moved through a process
called surface creep. In this process, the particles are rolled across the surface after coming into
contact with the soil particles in saltation.

Figure 10 wind transportation

3 The work of Sea

Sea erosion is also known as the Coastal erosion. The power of the sea has shaped Ireland’s coast
into what we can see today. Two main processes are responsible for this; erosion and deposition.

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Coastal erosion is the breaking down and carrying away of materials by the sea. Deposition is
when material carried by the sea is deposited or left behind on the coast.

3.1 Destructive Waves

Coastal erosion takes place with destructive waves. These destructive waves are very high in
energy and are most powerful in stormy conditions. The swash is when a wave washes up onto
the shoreline and the backwash is when the water from a wave retreats back into the sea.
Destructive waves have stronger backwashes than swashes. This strong backwash pulls material
away from the shoreline and into the sea resulting in erosion.

3.2 Constructive Waves

Constructive waves, on the other hand, are low energy waves that result in the build-up of
material on the shoreline. Constructive waves are low energy and have stronger swashes than
backwashes. This means that any material being carried by the sea is washed up and begins to
build up along the coastline. The material that is deposited by constructive waves can most often
be seen by the creation of beaches.

3.3 Coastal Erosion take place through four main processes

 Hydraulic Action
 Compression
 Abrasion
 Attrition

3.3.1 Hydraulic Action

Hydraulic Action is the sheer force of water crashing against the coastline causing material to be
dislodged and carried away by the sea.

3.3.2 Compression

Compression occurs in rocky areas when air enters into crack in rock. This air is trapped in
cracks by the rising tide, as waves crash against the rock the air inside the crack is rapidly
compressed and decompressed causing cracks to spread and pieces of rock to break off.
Compression is one of the main processes that result in the creation of caves.

3.3.3 Abrasion

Abrasion is when rocks and other materials carried by the sea are picked up by strong waves and
thrown against the coastline causing more material to be broken off and carried away by the sea.

3.3.4 Attrition

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Attrition is when material such as rocks and stones carried by waves hit and knock against each
other wearing them down. As these materials are worn down sand and rounded beach pebbles are
formed

Figure 11 Costal Erosion

3.4 Effect of Coastal or Sea Erosion

Coastal erosion effects are on the coast lines are

 Sea Caves
 Sea Arch
 Sea Stack
 Sea Stump

3.4.1 Sea Caves

Sea Caves form when cracks in rock at the base of cliffs are eroded and expanded by the sea. The
processes of compression and hydraulic are key to the creation of sea caves.

Figure 12 sea cave

3.4.2 Sea Arch

Sea Arches are formed when a cave continues to be eroded and expanded until it cuts right
through a headland.

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 Figure 13 Sea Arch

3.4.3 Sea Stack

A sea Stack forms when a sea arch continues to be eroded and widened until the rock becomes
too weak to support the roof of the sea arch and collapses into the sea. The remaining pillar of
rock is known as a sea stack.

Figure 14 Sea stack

3.4.4 Sea Stump

A sea stump is formed when a tall sea stack is eroded and worn down until it juts just above the
surface of the sea.

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 Figure 15 Sea Stump

4 Glacial Erosion
Glaciers not only transport material as they move, but they also sculpt and carve away the land
beneath them. A glacier's weight, combined with its gradual movement, can drastically reshape
the landscape over hundreds or even thousands of years. The ice erodes the land surface and
carries the broken rocks and soil debris far from their original places, resulting in some
interesting glacial landforms.

4.1 There are three main types of glacial erosion

 Plucking
 Abrasion
 Freeze thaw.

4.1.1 Plucking

Plucking is when melt water from a glacier freezes around lumps of cracked and broken rock.
When the ice moves downhill, rock is plucked from the back wall.

Figure 16 Plucking

4.1.2 Abrasion

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Abrasion is when rock frozen to the base and the back of the glacier scrapes the bed rock.

Figure 17 Ice abrasion

4.1.3 Freeze thaw

Freeze-thaw is when melt water or rain gets into cracks in the bed rock, usually the back wall. At
night the water freezes, expands and causes the crack to get larger. Eventually the rock will break
away

Figure 18 Freeze thaw

5 Significance of Erosion in Civil Engineering

Erosion is very important in civil engineering projects. Erosion is one of the biggest concerns for
many large construction projects. Controlling erosion is important not just for preserving the
construction site and protecting the new structure but also for minimizing the environmental
impact that the project has on the surrounding area.

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