The In-Situ Scour Testing Device (ISTD) is an advanced system designed by the hydraulics research team at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center to measure the erosion resistance of fine-grained, cohesive soils directly in the field. It features an innovative erosion head that, when inserted into a standard drill casing, can direct a horizontal radial water flow across the surface of the soil, resulting in erosion.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) hosted the eighth ISTD field demonstration on State Route 11 at the bridge over Contentnea Creek, located 1 mi west of the town of Grifton, NC. The demonstration was held in the median, north of the creek. The bridge was not scheduled for replacement, but NCDOT was interested in the technology, and the site was easily accessible.

Recommended citation: Federal Highway Administration, In-Situ Scour Testing Device (ISTD), State Demonstrations of Field Soil Tests, Grifton, NC (Washington, DC: 2022) https://doi.org/10.21949/1521951.