Gully erosion as a natural hazard: the educational role of geotourism

Gully erosion is one of the greatest natural hazards in the loess areas of E. (Eastern) Poland. At the same time, permanent gullies are a major tourist attraction and can provide a basis for the development of geotourism. The study objective was to assess the possibilities of using the loess gullies for educational purposes. Detailed studies were conducted within the municipality of Kazimierz Dolny, an area with an extremely high concentration of permanent gullies. The questionnaire survey of students and tourists (nearly 300 surveys were completed) showed that the respondents’ knowledge of geomorphology was limited, despite their familiarity with gullies. In most cases, they were unable to accurately identify the determinants of gully erosion, its negative effects and methods for preventing it. An assessment of the tourism and geotourism potential of the municipality made it possible to identify the sites (gullies) that can perform an educational function, with regard to gully erosion. The establishment of the Małopolska Vistula Gap Geopark, whose highlights will include numerous loess gullies, can pave the way for the development of geotourism.

     

Gully erosion as a natural hazard: the educational role of geotourism

Gully erosion is one of the greatest natural hazards in the loess areas of E. (Eastern) Poland. At the same time, permanent gullies are a major tourist attraction and can provide a basis for the development of geotourism. The study objective was to assess the possibilities of using the loess gullies for educational purposes. Detailed studies were conducted within the municipality of Kazimierz Dolny, an area with an extremely high concentration of permanent gullies. The questionnaire survey of students and tourists (nearly 300 surveys were completed) showed that the respondents’ knowledge of geomorphology was limited, despite their familiarity with gullies. In most cases, they were unable to accurately identify the determinants of gully erosion, its negative effects and methods for preventing it. An assessment of the tourism and geotourism potential of the municipality made it possible to identify the sites (gullies) that can perform an educational function, with regard to gully erosion. The establishment of the Ma?opolska Vistula Gap Geopark, whose highlights will include numerous loess gullies, can pave the way for the development of geotourism.     

Effects of gully erosion and gully filling on soil depth and crop production in the black soil region, northeast China

Gully erosion is a very serious problem in the black soil region of northeast China. Gully filling is often adopted for controlling gully erosion by local farmers and thus causes more serious soil erosion. In this study an ephemeral gully (EG, 74 m) and a classical gully (CG, 52 m) connected at the gully’s headcut were selected as the study site. Two comparisons were made to explore the effects of gully erosion and the subsequent gully filling on soil depth and soybean yield: (1) soil depth between 81 sample points in the study site and 11 reference points along the same slope with the gully; (2) soybean yield between 81 sample points in the study site and 30 baseline locations near the study site. The results indicated that gully erosion caused the reduction of soil depth and soybean yield. Although filling gullies with soil from adjacent areas seemed to be an expedient way to remediate the gullies, it resulted in substantial soybean yield reduction. Gully erosion reduced the soil depth and soybean yield in 74.4 and 83.9 % of the study site, respectively. The soybean yield reduction ratio was 34.5 % for the whole study site and 2.6 % for the black soil region. Soil depth was the most important soil property indicator to reduce yield. Every 1 cm decrease in soil depth in the areas adjacent to gullies due to infilling activities resulted in a 2 % decrease in yield. More significant was the deposition of sediment from gully erosion, which completely eliminated soybean yield. Currently, effective soil and water conservation measures are not known and adopted by local farmers extensively. In the future, once some measures for preventing soil erosion, in particular gully erosion, were proved effective, these technologies should be disseminated among local farmers.     

管道穿越黄土陡坡斜井工程稳定性分析

长输油气管道工程频遇黄土冲沟,给管线的施工和安全运营带来了困难。基于邓肯-张非线性弹性本构模型,利用数值模拟方法,对斜井开挖法穿越边坡的井周及坡体的受力变形规律进行了系统的研究和分析。结果表明,在确保斜井布设在边坡潜在的最危险滑动面以外的前提下,坡顶斜井入口越接近坡肩,斜井井周及坡体的稳定性越好。鉴于黄土斜井拱顶易出现塌落的问题,基于多工况数值模拟分析结果,结合响应面方法,构建了拱顶屈服区深度的预测公式,经验证相关性良好,可用于对斜井穿越黄土冲沟或陡坡的支护设计。     

黄土构造节理研究及其应用

作者发现大量不同力学性质的黄土构造节理后，识别了它们的区域性、系统性特征；认定其两组扭裂面代表新构造应力场最大剪切应力方向，利用黄土构造节理系及由其控制的土层沟槽网络恢复了相应地区Q3-4构造应力场；提出构造节理是黄土区地下水运移的主要通道和赋存的场所；发现构造节理是黄土区地裂缝、滑坡、崩塌和水土流失等地质灾害的构造基础之一，证实构造节理是黄土地层的软弱面，风化和继之而来的应力侵蚀就由此开始，进而逐步塑造黄土碟、穴、井、桥、柱、墙、沟等潜蚀地貌和部分侵蚀地貌。研究黄土构造节理对恢复新构造应力场、帮助预测地裂乃至地震活动、控制水土流失和滑塌灾害、进行工程乃至区域稳定性评价、重新认识黄土潜蚀地貌发育规律、指导干旱半干旱黄土区找水，既有理论意义又有实际意义。     

Research on the gully forming in the gully region of Yanhe River Basin and process of geological disasters

In recent years, the frequency of geological disasters gradually increases in the gully region of the Loess Plateaus centred with Yanhe River Basin. The research on the forming of the geological disasters in gully region and the disaster process will help us further understand the development of geological disasters and the disaster process. According to the detailed survey of geological disasters in Yan’an City, the river and gully erosion is the main natural predisposing factor that caused the geological disasters in the river gully region. In the forming of ditches and gullies, the surface water system changes the stress form of the original slope and reduces the strength combination of the slope in ways of water erosion and gravity erosion. Gully’s forming stage and stratigraphic contact form have some influence on the geological disasters and disaster process.     

Gully development in eastern Romania: a case study from Falciu Hills

The gullied systems from the Falciu Hills within the Chioara catchment (2997 ha) consist of both main types of gullies, discontinuous and large continuous ones along valley bottoms, and lots of ephemeral gullies. Several methods have been used to measure and estimate gully characteristics. Then, the gully development stages, the effect of the natural conditions, and especially the impact of land management on gullying in the Falciu Hills over the last two centuries have been defined. In addition, the role of gully erosion in triggering landslides has also been studied. Two main periods have been distinguished (until 1960 and 1961–2012) for assessing major characteristics of land degradation. The results show that total gully area in the Chioara catchment is 66.4 ha excepting for the ephemeral gullies, and areas occupied by gullies from the five study sub-catchments (2334 ha) account for two-thirds. Total length of the main gully network in the entire catchment is 33.2 km from which the five sub-catchments account for 71 %. The mean gully density of 1.11 km km⁻² supports the evidence that here gullying is the major environmental threat. Half of the gully areal growth and three-quarters of the new landslide area occurred over the 1961–2012 period. Delayed deforestation peaking during 1830–1930 and land conversion to arable use resulted in severe soil erosion, high aggradation along the non-gullied valley bottoms, and severe gullying. The average gully head retreat rate over the last two centuries from four trunk continuous gullies is 14 m year⁻¹, and the sediment yield from gullying only accounted for 54–69 % of the sediment mass produced by water erosion. The evolution of gullies is linked to major land-use changes in the study area. Despite a decreasing tendency of gullying and catchment area over the last half century, gullying still remains problematically high in East Romania.

     

Patterns of gullying in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe four contrasting gully locations and associated gully patterns are present, reflecting spatial variations in precipitation, bedrock, soil type and landuse. Deep dendritic gullies, associated with landslip activity and subsurface piping, characterise the wet Eastern Highlands and areas with sodic soils. Shallow discontinuous gully systems characterise bornhardt terrain in the Communal Lands. Dambo gullies tend to form a continuation of the fluvial system. The pattern and temporal variation of gullies was studied in three areas of Communal Land (Mhondoro-Ngesi, Mangewende, Mutema) with particular reference to the influence of average slope and landuse on gully development. In areas of sodic soils the gullies appear to be largely the product of natural processes and their development has only partly been influenced by landuse changes. In contrast the shallow gullies developed on granitic/gneissic terrain tend to occur on cultivated or recently cultivated land. The case studies indicate that a full assessment of gully development can only be achieved if a temporal perspective is also considered.     

Morphological characteristics of gully networks and their relationship to host materials,Baringo District,Kenya

The morphological characteristics of gully networks in Baringo District, Kenya are described in relation to host materials. All gullies studied were part of a well integrated network characterised by a high drainage density. Causes of network rejuvenation leading to gullying are postulated. The morphology of the individual gullies were found to be related to the most material. Gullies formed on weathered bedrock had a dendritic drainage network with convex slopes. The morphology of gullies developed in lacustrine sediments varied with sediment texture and chemistry. V-shaped dendritic gullies with a concave longitudinal profile were associated with a high clay content and high sodium content whereas entrenched gullies were associated with a high silt content and low sodium content. Process inferences are made in order to explain the variation in gully morphology.     

Characteristics of groundwater flow field after land creation engineering in the hilly and gully area of the Loess Plateau

In order to study the degree of influence and control mechanism to groundwater flow field caused by land creation engineering in the hilly and gully area of the Loess Plateau, based on the geological and engineering conditions of the first stage project of Yan’an new district in China, numerical simulation of groundwater flow is carried out by the Feflow and GIS technologies. From the simulation, punning measure relatively reduces infiltration recharge and artificial gravel drain increases groundwater seepage. The basic characteristics of groundwater flow field is controlled by the old and new topographies in the whole study area, and artificial gravel drain plays an auxiliary role in accelerating groundwater drawdown upstream and promotes groundwater rise downstream. According to differences of groundwater level and declining percentages of hydraulic gradient in the main and secondary gullies, dewatering of artificial gravel drain in the secondary gully is more effective than that in the main gully, which will yet play an important role in the future. The study results will make contributions to understand groundwater response to land creation engineering and will be beneficial to take necessary measures to prevent collapse of loess and failure of building foundation in the hilly and gully area of the Loess Plateau.     

黄土塬区二维地震施工技术初步研究

某勘探区位于宁夏回族自治区南部固原市,具黄土高原地貌特征：黄土冲沟发育,地形切割剧烈,部分沟壁近乎直立,地形总体北低南高,最大高差大568m。该区基岩少有裸露,大多数被第四系所覆盖,盖层厚度一般大于100m,地震激发条件属Ⅲ类区,原始资料存在严重的静校正问题。该区目的层主频率为30Hz,通过试验,采用井深20m、药量3kg及多井组合激发,同时增加排列长度,提高覆盖次数等野外技术措施,改善资料品质。     

西南某水电站泥石流形成条件及运动特征研究

西南某水电站库区五里沟、咱里沟、浑水沟等多条泥石流冲沟发育,历史上曾经发生过大规模的泥石流。沟内第四纪松散堆积物及人工堆积物丰富,在暴雨,地震等自然因素的触发下,时有较大规模的泥石流发生的可能,将对该水电站运行安全带来不利影响。根据国内外有关研究成果,结合区内泥石流的具体特征,重点以五里沟为主,分析研究了五里沟泥石流的形成条件及其运动特征,包括泥石流的流速、流量、冲击力。这一研究为评价库区泥石流对水电站的建设和安全运行的影响具有现实意义。     

坡面不同侵蚀沟断面特征及水力几何形态

通过整理和分析国内外大量野外调查数据,系统研究了裸露坡耕地壤土土质不同侵蚀沟的断面特征和水力几何形态,并给出了相应的判别标准。结果表明:随坡面侵蚀沟逐步发展,宽深比参数ζ逐渐减小,细沟、浅沟、切沟和冲沟适宜的ζ范围分别为5~17、2~5、0.4~1.8和0.1~0.6;同一侵蚀沟条件下,壤土类型对ζ值也有影响。土壤质地越细,ζ值越小。不同侵蚀沟水力几何形态指数也不相同,细沟的形态指数β₁、β₂和β₃分别为0.3、0.4和0.3,浅沟和切沟为0.4、0.4和0.2,冲沟为0.5、0.4和0.1。验证结果表明给出的判别标准可以用来界定不同侵蚀沟类型。     

改良黄土强度特性与工程处置试验研究

本文针对山西朔州典型黄土,利用素黄土与石灰粉煤灰、石灰水泥、水泥粉煤灰三种改良黄土,进行了击实特性、抗剪强度特性及崩解特性试验研究,提出了黄土改良的最佳方案,并采用该方案对山西某煤矿电梯井填方段进行了数值模拟分析,验证了石灰粉煤灰改良黄土工程应用的可行性。试验结果表明:粉煤灰与黄土形成致密的混合结构,石灰的掺入,激活了粉煤灰的活性,发生了一系列的水化反应,使改良黄土的强度大大提高,改良黄土在物理力学性质方面有明显改善。     

The morphological characteristics of gully systems and watersheds in Dry-Hot Valley,SW China

Gully systems and watersheds are geomorphic units with clear boundaries that are relatively independent of basin landscapes and play an important role in natural geography. In order to explore the morphological characteristics of gully systems and watersheds in the Dry-Hot Valley [South West (SW) China], gullies are interpreted from online Google images with high resolution and watersheds are extracted from digital elevation model at a scale of 1:50,000. The results show that: (1) There are 17,382 gullies (with a total area of 1141.66 km²) and 42 watersheds in the study area. (2) The average gully density of the study area (D) is 4.29 km/km², gully frequency (F) is 14.39 gullies/km², the branching ratio (B) is 5.13, the length ratio (L) is 3.12, and the coefficient of the main and tributary gullies (M) is 0.06. The degree of gully erosion is strong to extremely strong, the main development intensity of gully erosion ranges from intense to moderate, and the type of gully system is tributary. (3) The watershed areas (A) are between 0.39 and 96.43 km², the relief ratio (R) is from 0.10 to 0.19, the circularity ratio (C) is from 0.30 to 0.83, the texture ratio (T) is from 0.82 to 39.35, and the dominant geomorphological texture type is fine. (4) There is a quantitative relationship between F and D:F?=?0.624D² (R?=0.84) and T is closely related to D, F, M (R²?>?0.7). A, R and C are related to M (R²?>?0.5). The development of gully systems is the result of coupling effects between multiple factors. In this area, the degree of erosion and the condition of the main and tributary gullies can be controlled by the degree of topographic breakage in the watershed, which provides some theoretical basis for the evaluation of gully erosion by the latter. In addition, the scale, relief, and shape have a significant impact on the locations of the main and tributary gullies. For tributary gullies, attention should be paid to the interception and control of runoff and sediment in the small confluence branches in order to prevent gully expansion and head advance. These features can inform the development of targeted measures for the control of soil erosion.     

灰色关联法在泥石流危险性评价中的应用

选取了一次泥石流（可能）最大冲出量,泥石流发生频率,流域面积,主沟长度,流域相对高差,流域切割密度,24h最大降雨量,松散固体物质储量8个因素作为泥石流危险性的影响因子.运用灰色关联分析法,选取云南蒋家沟泥石流作为参考系列,通过比较泥石流沟之间的相似性来预测其危险性.最后,用于西藏八宿泥石流危险度评价,结果表明此方法是可行的.     

我国南部红土区的水土流失问题

本文提出华南红土区水土流失的重大问题。水土流失的方式有:(1)坡面散流侵蚀;(2)暴流冲沟侵蚀。按风化分层出露情况可将花岗岩丘陵区的水土流失分为德庆崩岗型和五华沟谷型两大类。当风化层底部砾石层出露时,则地表呈“石蛋地形”,可用这种地表形态结构作为水土流失划分的指标。     

Susceptibility mapping of gully erosion using GIS-based statistical bivariate models: a case study from Ali Al-Gharbi District,Maysan Governorate,southern Iraq

This work aims to evaluate the predictive capability of three bivariate statistical models, namely information value, frequency ratio, and evidential belief functions, in gully erosion susceptibility mapping in northeastern Maysan Governorate (Ali Al-Gharbi District) in southern Iraq. The gully inventory map, consisting of 21 gullies of different sizes, was prepared based on the interpretation of remotely sensed data supported by field survey. The gully inventory data (polygon format) were randomly partitioned into two sets: 14 gullies for build and training the bivariate model, and the remaining 7 gullies for validating purposes. Twelve gully influential factors were selected based on data availability and the literature review. The selected factors were related to lithology, geomorphology, soil, land cover, and topography (primary and secondary) settings. Analysis of factor importance using information gain ratio proved that out of 12 gully influential factors, eight were of more importance in developing gullies (the average merit was greater than zero). The most important factors and the training gully inventory map were used to generate three gully erosion susceptibility maps based on the three bivariate models used. For validation, the area under the operating characteristics curves for both success and prediction rates was used. The results indicated that the highest prediction rate of 82.9% was achieved using the information value technique. All the bivariate models had prediction rates greater than 80%, and thus they were regarded as very good estimators. The final conclusion was that the bivariate models offer advanced techniques for mapping gully erosion susceptibility.     

甘肃岷县浑水沟泥包砾成因机制及其灾害意义

2020年8月,甘东南地区持续降雨且伴随多个强降雨过程,岷县梅川镇浑水沟暴发泥石流,左岸方家山滑坡失稳下滑,严重威胁沟口成兰铁路安全。基于野外调查、遥感解译和室内测试结果,分析泥包砾的形态结构、矿物组成以及堆积特征,研究泥包砾形成的地质环境和机制,探讨泥包砾的灾害意义。研究结果表明：泥包砾分布于浑水沟流通区下游及堆积区,呈球形且具多层结构,由石英、方解石、黏土矿物等组成,其形成主要受控于流域第四系黄土和古近系泥岩中的黏土矿物,而较缓的沟道、岸坡黄土滑坡和崩塌的发育以及适宜的水动力条件,促进了泥包砾的形成和自生加大;泥石流冲击力随着泥包砾粒径的增大而增大,再起动所需临界泥石流流速相较于块石较小;泥包砾是古近系泥岩与泥石流共同作用的结果,具有加剧泥石流危害的作用,因此亟需治理浑水沟泥石流以保证成兰铁路的安全运营。     

兰州老狼沟黄土微地貌灾害链时空分布特征与危险性模拟研究

黄土洞穴和滑坡是黄土高原独特侵蚀作用下的微地貌景观,反映了地貌快速演化链式过程,具有分布广、发育密度高等特点,严重威胁了我国西北地区人居安全。本研究以老狼沟小流域为研究对象,利用现场调查、GIS空间分析、无人机测绘以及数值模拟等手段开展了黄土微地貌灾害链时空分布特征和危险性模拟研究。结果表明,老狼沟研究区内发育黄土洞穴、滑坡、浅沟的数量分别为134个、38个和81个,黄土洞穴密度约为159个/km2,占研究区总面积的1.88%。黄土洞穴多位于TWI高值的凹地形区域,呈线状展布排列,与浅沟发育密切。研究区2001~2021年五期核密度估计结果显示高密度中心均位于西侧斜坡,面积约为5.91×104 m2,长轴、短轴、面积、高程、周长的空间集聚程度更高。黄土微地貌灾害链演化模式可以总结为原生地貌阶段、早期侵蚀阶段、加速侵蚀阶段、侵蚀贯通阶段、局部破坏阶段。洞穴环境加剧了水分入渗程度,更易引发滑坡发生。模拟结果显示潜在滑坡运动能够对阶地建筑物造成严重破坏,受灾面积约为2.02×104 m2,滑坡运动过程为150 s,平均堆积厚度约为9.2 m,最大运动距离约为651 m。本研究是揭示黄土洞穴发育规律及其灾害链效应的有益探索和尝试,为黄土高原城镇防灾减灾提供参考。