HR: 1340h
AN: H53C-1399 [Abstracts]
TI: Performance Probability Distributions for Sediment Control Best Management Practices
AU: * Ferrell, L
EM: lferrell@rohan.sdsu.edu
AF: San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-4701, United
States
AU: Beighley, R
EM: beighley@mail.sdsu.edu
AF: San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-4701, United
States
AU: Walsh, K
EM: kwalsh@mail.sdsu.edu
AF: San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-4701, United
States
AB:
Controlling soil erosion and sediment transport can be a significant challenge during the construction process
due to the extent and conditions of bare, disturbed soils. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are used as the
framework for the design of sediment discharge prevention systems in stormwater pollution prevention plans
which are typically required for construction sites. This research focuses on commonly-used BMP systems for
perimeter control of sediment export: silt fences and fiber rolls. Although these systems are widely used, the
physical and engineering parameters describing their performance are not well understood. Performance
expectations are based on manufacturer results, but due to the dynamic conditions that exist on a construction
site performance expectations are not always achievable in the field. Based on experimental results product
performance is shown to be highly variable. Experiments using the same installation procedures show
inconsistent sediment removal performances ranging from (>)85 percent to zero. The goal of this research is to
improve the determination of off-site sediment yield based on probabilistic performance results of perimeter
control BMPs. BMPs are evaluated in the Soil Erosion Research Laboratory (SERL) in the Civil and Environmental
Engineering department at San Diego State University. SERL experiments are performed on a 3-m by 10-m tilting
soil bed with a soil depth of 0.5 meters and a slope of 33 percent. The simulated storm event consists of 17
mm/hr for 20 minutes followed by 51 mm/hr for 30 minutes. The storm event is based on an ASTM design storm
intended to simulate BMP failures. BMP performance is assessed based on experiments where BMPs are
installed per manufacture specifications, less than optimal installations, and no treatment conditions.
Preliminary results from 30 experiments are presented and used to develop probability distributions for BMP
sediment removal efficiencies. The results are then combined with spatial and temporal distributions of
perimeter sediment loadings for a construction site to estimate the time dependent risk of off-site sediment
discharge over the duration of a project (ex., 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent complete). The results are used to
highlight the importance of considering all phases of construction when developing stormwater pollution
prevention plans.
UR: http://spatialhydro.sdsu.edu
DE: 1815 Erosion
DE: 1861 Sedimentation (4863)
DE: 1862 Sediment transport (4558)
DE: 1871 Surface water quality
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting