Articles | Volume 14, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-14-191-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-14-191-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
16 Mar 2026
Research article |
| 16 Mar 2026
| 16 Mar 2026
New experiments to probe the role of fractures in bedrock on river erosion rate and processes
Marion Fournereau
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Univ. Rennes, CNRS, Geosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000, Rennes, France
Univ. Rennes, CNRS, Geosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000, Rennes, France
Philippe Steer
Univ. Rennes, CNRS, Geosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000, Rennes, France
Jean-Jacques Kermarrec
Univ. Rennes, CNRS, Geosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000, Rennes, France
Paul Leroy
Univ. Rennes, CNRS, Lidar Platform, OSERen, UAR3343, 35000 Rennes, France
Christophe Lanos
Univ. Rennes, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et Génie Mécanique, Rennes, 35000 France
Hélène Hivert
Univ. Rennes, Inria, Géosciences Rennes – UMR 6118, IRMAR – UMR 6625, 35000 Rennes, France
Claire Astrié
Univ. Rennes, CNRS, Geosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000, Rennes, France
Dimitri Lague
Univ. Rennes, CNRS, Geosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000, Rennes, France
Univ. Rennes, CNRS, Lidar Platform, OSERen, UAR3343, 35000 Rennes, France
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Short summary
River bedrock erosion can occur by abrasion and by the removal of entire blocks. We observe that when there is no or few fractures most erosion occurs by abrasion, whereas with more fractures, blocks can be removed at once leading to different patterns of erosion and riverbed morphology. Fractures affect barely mean erosion rate but change the location and occurrence of block removal. Our results highlight how river bedrock properties influence erosion processes and thus landscape evolution.
River bedrock erosion can occur by abrasion and by the removal of entire blocks. We observe that...
