Practical Silt Fence Design Enhancements for Effective Dewatering and Stability

Decade of Research in Review at the Auburn University Stormwater Research Facility

“…SBs, commonly referred to as perimeter controls, envelop disturbed areas as a last line of defense before site discharge. SB projects at AU-SRF have ranged from small- to large-scale testing ( 2 , 6 , 12 , 14 – 19 , 23 , 24 , 29 ).…”

“…Whitman et al’s study aimed to design and evaluate an SF that maintained its sediment retention and water quality standard but dewatered at a controlled rate to relieve increased hydrostatic pressure ( 19 ). This study also examined support posts for structural integrity and developed guidance for adequate post spacing.…”

“…A geotextile underlay with riprap was installed at the back toe of the dewatering board to minimize downstream scour. SF installations were compared for sediment retention, water quality, and effluent flow rate ( 19 ).…”

“…(4.6 by 4.6 cm), respectively, were each tested three times, for a total of 15 tests. Structural analyses indicated that maximum spacing for these posts should be 3.9, 5.91, 7.9, 4.9, and 4.92 ft (1.2, 1.8, 2.4, 1.5, and 1.5 m), respectively ( 19 ).…”

“…Following Whitman et al’s studies on design and installation improvements, researchers constructed a small-scale flume test to evaluate effluent flow rates, sediment retention, and water quality impacts of varying SF geotextiles ( 18 , 19 ). While ASTM D5141 exists to evaluate the filtering performance of geotextiles, flow and sediment introduction rates are limited ( 9 ).…”