River bank erosion risk potential with regards to soil erodibility

Abstract

River bank failures are a common scenario in Malaysia especially during heavy rainy seasons. One of the significant factors causing river bank erosion is the textural composition along the river banks which can be presented by the degree or level of soil erodibility. Sieve analysis and hydrometer tests were conducted for all soil samples collected along the river bank and the "ROM" scale (after the name of the researchers ROslan and Mazidah) is used to determine the degree of soil erodibility namely low, moderate, high, very high and critical along the river bank based on the percentage composition of sand, silt and clay. By determining the soil erodibility level, the risk of river bank failure at any location along the river bank can be made known. Thus, this valuable information would certainly enable the concerned government and private authorities to plan, design and construct the most suitable preventive measures in arresting river bank erosion. © 2013 WIT Press.