Comparison of Computational Fluid Dynamic Simulations with Experimental Jet Erosion Tests Results

The jet erosion test (JET) is an experimental device increasingly used to quantify the resistance of soils to erosion. This resistance is characterized by two geotechnical parameters: the critical shear stress and the erosion coefficient. A previously published JET interpretation model provides an estimation of these erosion parameters. But the existing model is simplified and semiempirical and several assumed hypotheses can be discussed. The aim of this study is to determine the relevance of the JET interpretation model. Therefore, a numerical model was developed that is able to predict the erosion of a cohesive soil by a turbulent flow. The numerical model was first validated on a benchmark: erosion of an erodible pipe by a laminar flow. The numerical results were satisfactorily compared with the theoretical solution. Then, three JETs were modeled numerically with values of erosion parameters obtained experimentally. A parametric study was also conducted to validate the accuracy of the numerical results and a good agreement was observed. The erosion parameters found experimentally permit the numerical prediction of the evolution of the erosion pattern within good accuracy. This result contributes to the validation of the JET's semiempirical model. The numerical model also gives a complete description of the flow, including vortices which can be observed in the cavity created by erosion. The entire erosion pattern evolution was given by the numerical results. This numerical model gives information that is not available otherwise.