Post hurricane Harvey dataset: Portable free fall penetrometer and chirp sonar measurements of Texas rivers

Abstract

This data article includes datasets collected at three sections of the Guadalupe River, Brazos River, and Colorado River in Texas, USA, almost ten months post Hurricane Harvey. Instruments used include a Portable Free Fall Penetrometer (PFFP), Chirp Sonar, Side Scan Sonar (SSS), Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and sediment grab sampler. Measurements were collected from small vessels such as canoes and a 6-feet inflatable zodiac and were supported by long term hydrodynamic data from local river water level and discharge gages. Laboratory testing performed on samples collected included grain size analysis, Atterberg test, and erodibility testing using an Erosion Function Apparatus (EFA). Data collected were analyzed to estimate sediment strength derived from the PFFP, backscatter intensity recorded by the chirp sonar, and soil sample characteristics. The dataset includes raw and processed data for the measurements recorded by the instruments, location of measurements, and laboratory testing grouped for each river with a readme file which gives a potential for reuse by other researchers for further analysis if needed. This data article is representing supplementary data to the following research article published in Engineering Geology [1]: Jaber, R., Stark, N., Jafari, N., & Ravichandran, N. "Combined Portable Free Fall Penetrometer and Chirp Sonar Measurements of three Texas River Sections Post Hurricane Harvey." Raw data was published [2]: Stark, N. Jafari, N. Ravichandran, R. Jaber, R. (2020). Combined Geotechnical and Geophysical Investigation of Texas Rivers Post Hurricane Harvey. in Combined Geotechnical and Geophysical Investigation of Texas Rivers Post Hurricane Harvey. DesignSafe-CI. https://doi.org/10.17603/ds2-835m-zp94.

Keywords: Extreme events; Geotechnical investigation; Offshore geotechnical properties; Riverine environments; Site characterization.