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Abstract: Frequent bank collapse in nature highlights the need to study the mechanism of bank stability. This paper presents a theoretical analysis and a flume experimental study on the interaction of hydrodynamic conditions and non-cohesive banks of meandering and straight rivers. No bank collapse occurs if the bank angle is smaller than a critical value. The critical angle is a function of a dimensionless parameter KUD , which is directly proportional to the square of flow velocity near river bed and inversely proportional to the median diameter of bank material. Furthermore, the critical angle reduces with flow velocity and is higher in meandering rivers than in straight rivers. Formulas for estimating the threshold of bank stability are obtained by curve fitting method with experimental data. The results agree with the data measured in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]