This paper details an official testing program developed by researchers at Texas Transpiration Institute (TTI) to classify soil control devices (SCDs) based on their sediment-removal performance. The testing facility designed as part of this study was constructed at the TxDOT/TTI Hydraulics, Sedimentation and Erosion Control Laboratory (HSECL) located at the Texas A&M University's Riverside Campus. The facility consisted of a parabolic-shaped testing channel; 4.6-meter (15 feet) wide, 5.5-meter (18 feet) long, with a maximum depth of 0.8 meter (2.5 feet) at the center, and a slope of3 percent. Two commercially available artificial sediments were mixed inequal proportions to create the artificial stormwater in testing. The flow rate and turbidity of the water entering and leaving the channel were monitored for the duration of the test. The turbidity measurements were converted to suspended solid concentration using a relationship developed inthe laboratory. A simple mass balance was used to determine the amount of sediment trapped in the channel.
Abstract