Scour of rock due to the impact of plunging high velocity jets Part I: A state-of-the-art review

This paper presents the state-of-the-art on methods to estimate rock scour due to the impingement of plunging high velocity water jets. The following topics are addressed: empirical formulae, semi-empirical and analytical approaches, determination of extreme pressure fluctuations at plunge pool bottoms and, finally, the transfer of these pressure fluctuations in joints underneath concrete slabs or rock blocks. Available methods on rock scour have been thoroughly investigated on their ability to represent the main physical-mechanical processes that govern scour. This reveals lack of knowledge on turbulence and aeration effects, as well as on transient pressure flow conditions in rock joints. These aspects may significantly influence the destruction of the rock mass and should be accounted for in scour evaluation methods. Their relevance has been experimentally investigated by dynamic pressure measurements at modeled plunge pool bottoms and inside underlying one-and two-dimensional rock joints. Test results are described and discussed in Part 11 of this paper.