Experimental Study on Mechanism Analysis of Headcut Erosion in the Noncohesive Sediment Bed

The headcut erosion at the confluence section of a mainstream and tributary can migrate up the tributary streams, and rapid degradation can threaten the stability of hydraulic structures installed in the channel. Therefore, quantitative analysis for the development and mechanism of headcut erosion is needed to prevent damage due to the headcut. In this study, hydraulic experiments for headcut erosion in the channel with noncohesive materials were performed and the knickpoint movement and final bed slope change were analyzed based on the different hydraulic conditions. As a result, the knickpoint movement was 1.5 times faster when the difference in velocity between the upstream and downstream sections was 2.5 times greater and the central part of the cross-section was eroded and collapsed earlier than the left and right sides. The movement length of headcut erosion was longer and the final bed slope was milder as the velocity difference between the upstream and downstream sections was increased. This study showed that a correlation between the knickpoint movement and bed slope change by headcut erosion and the water level difference of upstream and downstream sections was not constant compared to the velocity difference.