Author(s)

Kaustubh Sane^1,2, Mahesh G. Thakkar^2*, Gaurav Chauhan², Deepa Aiyar¹, Subhash Bhandari²

¹Department of Civil Engineering, HJD Institute of Technical Education and Research, Kera, Kachchh, Gujarat, India.
²Department of Earth and Environmental Science, KSKV Kachchh University, Bhuj Kachchh, Gujarat, India.

The potholes are perceptible erosional features associated with bedrock channels. They play an essential role in bedrock incision studies, but little work has been published on the development of potholes, especially in Bedrock Rivers in India. The present site-specific study aims to analyze the role of physical properties of bedrock and associated structures in the process of development of potholes and to classify the potholes based on their dimensions. The Khari River gorge formed over Mesozoic Sandstone with six bedrock terraces exposed along a confined segment of the river. The site is manifested by strath terraces, grooves, potholes, and knick points. Three stretches of Khari Gorge have been studied in detail for this purpose. The pothole dimensions, joint orientations, rock mass strength, physical properties of rock, and placing of potholes to present active channels were measured. The analysis shows the inverse relationship between the size of pothole and rock properties. The distance of potholes and active channels govern the essential factor and manifest the role of flow hydraulics. The high density of matured potholes near active channels over immature potholes supports primary control of hydraulics of flow over rock properties.

Bedrock Gorge, Hydraulic Flow, Potholes, Mesozoic Sandstone, Kachchh Mainland

Sane, K. , Thakkar, M. , Chauhan, G. , Aiyar, D. and Bhandari, S. (2020) Formation of Potholes Associated with Bedrock Gorges on Mesozoic Sandstone of Khari River, Kachchh Mainland, Western India. Open Journal of Geology, 10, 171-186. doi: 10.4236/ojg.2020.102010.