An Investigation on Erodibility and Geotechnical Characteristics of Fine Grained Fluvial Soils from Lower Michigan

Scour and erosion potential of a soil are closely related to each other. Similarities or differences between them have not been defined fully and the terms are often used interchangeably or in association with one another. Erodibility is a property of soil that describes erosion potential. Therefore, a proper understanding of erodibility should help predict scour more accurately. In the past, researchers have looked into erosion of soils with the ultimate objective of understanding the erodibility with respect to the standard geotechnical properties. Most research has shown the difficulties associated with correlating erodibility to any one or more soil properties. The research described in this paper is mainly focused on the relationship between erodibility and dry unit weight of soil with varying fractions of fines. Soils tested using laboratory Jet Erosion Test (JET) indicated that the logarithm of erodibility makes a linear inverse relationship with the dry unit weight. In situ JETs confirmed the range of erodibilities established by the laboratory JETs. The best correlations between erodibility and dry unit weight appeared within a single category of soil as classified by the Unified Soil Classification System. In addition, it was also determined that the logarithm of erodibility is inversely related to the angle of internal friction of the fluvial soils tested during this investigation.     

A comparative analysis of interface erosion tests

Interface erosion is one of the main phenomena in dams, dikes and their foundations which may increase their failure risk. In laboratories, the jet erosion test (JET) and the hole erosion test (HET) are commonly used for the evaluation of the sensibility of interface erosion of fine soils. The results are interpreted by two distinct methods that are valid for one test only. A new energy analysis of the tests is developed, relating the total eroded mass to the dissipated fluid energy, and a new erosion resistance index is proposed. Seven naturally occurring fine-grained soils, covering a large range of erodibility, are compacted with the Proctor protocol, and they are tested with the two devices. It was shown that by using the commonly used methods, the values of the erosion coefficient are systematically higher with the JET than with the HET and the HET critical shear stress is about fifty times higher than the JET critical shear stress. Thus, the relative soil classifications yielded by the two erodimeters are not exactly the same. Based on energy analysis, values of erosion resistance index are roughly the same for each tested soil with the two apparatuses and a single classification of soil erodibility is obtained.     

Effect of soil parameters on the threshold wind velocity and maximum eroded mass in a dry environment

The present study aims to investigate the relationships between several soil parameters (texture, organic matter and CaCO₃ content) and the threshold wind velocity and erodibility of different soil types. Our aim was to determine the role of these soil parameters play in soil loss due to wind erosion and also to statistically evaluate these correlations. The erodibility studies were carried out in wind tunnel experiments, and the resulting data were analysed with multiple regression analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis test. We found that both the threshold wind speed and the erodibility of soils were mostly determined by silt fraction (0.05–0.02 mm), while sand fractions had a lesser effect on it. Our experiences with organic matter and CaCO₃ similar, i.e. in spite of their correlation with the erosion, their contribution was not significant in the multivariate regression model. Consequently, based on mechanical composition of soils, one can predict threshold wind velocity and erodibility of soils.     

Erosion Resistance of HPTRM Strengthened Levee from Combined Wave and Surge Overtopping

Post-Katrina investigations revealed that most earthen levee damage occurred on the levee crest and land-side slope as a result of either wave overtopping, storm surge overflow, or a combination of both. This study addresses erosion resistance performance of a levee strengthening technique—high performance turf reinforcement mat under combined wave and surge overtopping conditions using full-scale flume tests as well as erosion function apparatus (EFA) tests. Based on the results of full-scale flume tests, an “upper limit” of soil loss is observed for certain flow conditions. Erosion rate was presented as a function of velocity and freeboard. The effect of duration of overtopping on the erosion depth is also determined. The results of EFA tests indicate that the presence of grass roots substantially improve the critical velocity and soil erodibility.     

土壤与植物根系特征及碳积累探究

为研究土壤与植物根系生长及有机碳输入之间的关系,2011年分别将构树（Broussonetia papyrifera）、铁仔（Myrsine africana）、紫花苜蓿（Medicago sativa）、皇竹草（Pennisetum sinese）移栽入贵州大学林学院苗圃基地,采用石灰土（岩溶地区土壤）与硅质黄壤（非岩溶地区土壤）进行培育,然后对根系生长特征和根系对土壤有机碳积累进行了研究。研究结果表明,构树根系在岩溶地区土壤比非岩溶地区土壤发达,即岩溶地区土壤根系碳沉积比非岩溶高。岩溶地区土壤上,紫花苜蓿死亡根系体积最大,其根系对土壤有机碳积累贡献最大。构树根系生长无论在哪种土壤均随土层深度增加而增加,使得森林土壤深层有机碳含量比草地高。因此,可确定土壤有机碳积累与植被生长环境和植被种类密切相关。      

Variations in soils derived from an erodible sandstone formation and factors controlling their susceptibility to erosion and landslide

Environmental degradations caused by erosion and landslide within an area in the South-eastern part of Nigeria were assessed, and also an attempt to characterize the underlying soils based on their degree of susceptibility to erosion and landslide. Factors affecting soil erodibility such as physical and chemical properties of soil, as well as vegetation density and slope gradient was determined in 20 different areas. Simple linear regression and principal component analysis were employed to relate the factors controlling erosion and landslide to the erosion and slide densities, and to determine the pattern that exists in the data and as well express the data in such a way as to highlight their similarities and differences. Four vertical horizons and two horizontal zones of soil were distinguished based on their degree of weathering as well as their chemical and mineralogical composition; hence the soils were classified into six different types based on their degree of susceptibility to erosion and landslide. Variations in their degree of susceptibility to erosion and landslide were majorly controlled by its chemical and mineralogical composition rather than its particle size distribution.     

Regulation of vegetation pattern on the hydrodynamic processes of erosion on hillslope in Loess Plateau,China

As vegetation are closely related to soil erosion, hydrodynamic parameter changes under various vegetation pattern conditions can be used as an important basis for the research of the soil erosion mechanism. Through upstream water inflow experiments conducted on a loess hillslope, how the vegetation pattern influences the hydrodynamic processes of sediment transport was analyzed. The results show that the placement of a grass strip on the lower upslope can effectively reduce runoff erosion by 69...     

华南花岗岩残积土红土化程度的地带性与香港该类土不发育的原因

从华南花岗岩残积土红土化程度的地域变化规律出发 ,通过香港与华南沿海各地花岗岩残积土的化学成分及红土化指标对比 ,作者发现香港花岗岩残积土无论厚度、类型 ,还是红土化程度都具有与所处气候环境不协调的特点。文章进一步讨论了香港花岗岩残积土不发育的原因和对工程性质的影响.     

Quantification of stability improvement of a dump through biological reclamation

An integrated study on biological stabilisation of a dump slope has indicated that biological reclamation with grass and tree species should be considered for long term stability of this coal mine dump in India. The grasses have greater soil binding capacity and help to control soil erosion and improve dump stability. Native grasses such as Bamboo (Dendrocalmus strictus) and Kashi (Saccharum spontaneum) are the important constituents of grass species which can stabilise the dump slopes. Field observation of growth performance of grasses have indicated that mean grass height, root depth and below-ground root biomass are 185 cm (±68), 45 cm (±5) and 467 g m^–2 (±170), respectively after three years of grass growth on Mudidih overburden dump slope in India. The growth performance of tree species, namely Sisum (Dalbergia sisoo) and Subabool (Leucena lecocephala), in terms of height, diameter increment, below-ground biomass and root depth have shown mean values of 219 cm (±94), 48 mm (±6), 4.0 kg m^–2 (±1.5) and 1 m (±0.1), respectively. This acts as biological fertility which helps in root proliferation and enhancement of dump stability. From the numerical modelling it is suggested that roots of these grass and tree species have significantly enhanced the factor of safety of dump from 1.4 to 1.8 and therefore have a positive role in maintaining long term stability.     

Field testing of erodibility of two landslide dams triggered by the 12 May Wenchuan earthquake

A strong earthquake of magnitude 8 in Richter scale, occurred in Sichuan Province, China on 12 May 2008, triggered about 257 landslide dams. The erodibility of fresh landslide deposits plays an important role in evaluating the initiation and development of breaching of such landslide dams. In this research, field jet index tests were conducted shortly after the earthquake at 27 locations on the Hongshihe landslide dam and the Libaisi landslide dam. The purpose of these tests was to investigate the erodibility of freshly deposited landslide soils. The landslide deposits are broadly graded. The bulk density increases and the coefficient of erodibility decreases with the depth of deposition. The erodibility of the fresh landslide deposits falls into a moderately resistant category and the fresh deposits are much more erodible than the native geomaterials before the earthquake. The main factors that control soil erodibility are found to be grain-size distribution, void ratio, fines content, and plasticity index. Particularly, the coefficient of erodibility decreases exponentially with the degree of compaction. Two empirical equations are developed for estimating the coefficient of erodibility and critical erosive shear stress of the freshly deposited landslide soils based on their basic soil properties.     

黄土高原草本植被水土保持作用研究进展

草本植被具有积极的保持水土的作用，在黄土高原生态环境建设中具有不可替代的作用。在系统分析黄土高原草本植被保土减蚀作用研究的过去与现状的基础上，归纳并总结了草被覆盖度与水土流失量、草被植物与地表径流系数、草被植物地下根系与土壤抗冲性及抗蚀性等方面的最新研究进展，并针对各方面存在的问题以及今后有待深入研究的问题进行了探讨。     

黄土高原草本植被水土保持作用研究进展

草本植被具有积极的保持水土的作用,在黄土高原生态环境建设中具有不可替代的作用。在系统分析黄土高原草本植被保土减蚀作用研究的过去与现状的基础上,归纳并总结了草被覆盖度与水土流失量、草被植物与地表径流系数、草被植物地下根系与土壤抗冲性及抗蚀性等方面的最新研究进展,并针对各方面存在的问题以及今后有待深入研究的问题进行了探讨。     

Coupling near-surface geomorphology with mangrove community diversity at the estuarine scale: A case study at Dongzhaigang Bay,China

Coastal wetlands are key features of the Earth's surface and are characterized by a diverse array of coupled geomorphological and biological processes. However, the links between the distribution of biodiversity (for example, species and structural diversity) and the formation of coastal geomorphology are not well-understood on a landscape scale most useful to coastal zone managers. This study describes the relationship between select geomorphological and biological mangrove community features (i.e. species composition and functional root type) in a landscape-distributed coastal zone of Dongzhaigang Bay, north-eastern Hainan Island, China. A total of 11 mangrove species and five functional aerial root types were encountered, with the location of species by root types being controlled by the elevation of the soil surface. Plank roots, prop roots and pneumatophores occupied the lowest intertidal elevations, while knee roots and fibrous roots of the mangrove fern, Acrostichum aureum, preferred the highest intertidal elevations. Surface sediment deposition in areas with mangroves was greater than deposition in non-mangrove forest zones, establishing an important biological mechanism for this large-area response because surface erosion/compaction was also more prominent within mangrove roots. Indeed, functional root type influenced the magnitude of deposition, erosion and compaction, with knee roots and pneumatophores being more effective in promoting deposition and preventing surface erosion/compaction than prop roots. These results indicate a potential role for vegetation type (especially functional root type) to influence coastal geomorphological processes at large landscape scales. While soil surface elevation is correlated to the distribution of mangrove species and functional root types, a significant feedback exists between elevation change and the capacity of those root types to influence coastal geomorphological differentiation within sustainable intertidal elevations. An enhanced understanding of geomorphological development, mangrove species distribution and functional root type may improve management to support nature-based solutions that adjust more effectively to sea-level rise through feedbacks.     

Differentiating temperate tree species and their organs using lipid biomarkers in leaves,roots and soil

Although fatty acids and alcohols in plant polyesters can be useful indicators of organic matter provenance in soils and sediments, interpretation is limited by uncertainty in: (i) the distribution of lipids among plant species and their organs (e.g. leaves and roots) and (ii) the extent to which plant lipid composition is recorded in soils and sediments. In this study, we compare lipids in leaves, roots and soils from 11 temperate tree species. Base hydrolysis was used to release ester-bound lipids and solvent extraction was then used to recover both hydrolysable and “free” lipids. Leaf and root lipid composition varied substantially among the tree species and we highlight differences among evergreen conifers, deciduous broadleaved angiosperms and a deciduous conifer (Larix decidua). Some of the variation appears to be linked to the morphology and lifespan of leaves and roots. Soils preserved much of the variation in the leaf and root lipid composition of the overlying tree species. Yet, the concentration of some lipids in soil diverged from their concentration in tree leaves and roots, reflecting an undocumented input from understory plants and other plant organs (e.g. seeds) or variation in the extent of lipid preservation in soil. Finally, by comparing leaf and root lipid composition, our results help constrain the attribution of lipids to each of these plant organs. This allowed us to evaluate the utility of leaf-derived lipids as plant type biomarkers and to document a substantial contribution of root-derived lipids to soil beneath all 11 tree species.     

Assessment of the potential of semi-arid plants to reduce soil erosion in the Konartakhteh watershed,Iran

Soil erosion is a major environmental problem in arid and semi-arid areas. Although bioengineering is important in preventing soil erosion, plant architecture and mechanical properties in these areas are rarely studied. In this study, in order to evaluate the potential of native plants to reduce soil erosion in semi-arid regions, their above-ground (e.g., stem density, radius of the stem, etc.) and below-ground (e.g., root area ratio, root tensile strength, etc.) characteristics were measured in the field and laboratory. Five indicators, namely, stem density (SD), sediment obstruction potential (SOP), plant stiffness (MEI), relative soil detachment (RSD), and root cohesion (Cr), were taken into account. Each indicator was scored according to a five-point scale (0?=?low, 4?=?high), and then, the score of each indicator was represented on an ameba diagram. Finally, for understanding traits of plants and evaluating their potential to control rill and gully erosion, the area occupied by the ameba diagram was studied. The results indicated that the shrub Ziziphus spina-christi (MEI?=?108.35 N, RSD?=?0.398, Cr?=?8.34 kPa, SOP?=?0.097, and SD?=?0.00270) is a very suitable native plant species for controlling both the gully and rill erosion. In addition, Scariola orientalis is effective for sediment obstruction, but its low scores on the MEI and RSD indicators imply that it is not able to control gully development. Furthermore, Noaea mucronata, Platychaete glaucescens, Astragalus gummifer, Alhagi persarum, Lycium shawii, and Prosopis farcta have a distinct potential to reduce the rate of gully erosion. These results have wide applicability for adopting soil conservation measures to other semi-arid environments.     

荆江段河岸粘性土体抗冲特性试验

粘性土体具有较强的抗冲能力,其抗冲性强弱决定了河岸的侵蚀速率。为了估算河岸的侵蚀速率,确定粘性土体的起动条件、侵蚀系数及两者之间的数量关系非常重要,为此开展了荆江段河岸粘性土体起动条件与冲刷特性的水槽试验研究。根据试验结果获得了粘性土体的起动流速与土体液限/自然含水率之间关系以及起动切应力与干密度、起动切应力与液性指数之间的定量表达式,综合反映了粘性土起动条件与其物理性质指标之间的关系;结合冲刷特性试验结果,还获得了土体侵蚀系数随起动切应力的变化规律,并与已有其他试验结果进行了比较。结果表明:荆江河岸粘性土侵蚀系数均比相同条件下其他公式计算值偏大,这与该试验土体中粘粒含量相对较低、土体结构受到扰动等因素有关;根据试验结果,拟合得到了荆江河岸粘性土侵蚀系数与起动切应力之间定量关系式,其相关系数R2=0.90,故该关系式能为荆江段崩岸过程的计算提供参考依据。     

Conditional simulation of USLE/RUSLE soil erodibility factor by geostatistics in a Mediterranean Catchment,Turkey

Soil erosion is a major environmental problem that threatens the sustainability and productivity of agricultural areas. Assessment and mapping of soil erosion are extremely important in the management and conservation of natural resources. The universal soil loss equation (USLE/RUSLE) is an erosion model that predicts soil loss as a function of soil erodibility (K-factor), as well as topographic, rainfall, cover, and management factors. The traditional approach assumes that one soil erodibility value represents the entire area of each soil series. Therefore, that approach does not account for spatial variability of soil series. This study was carried out to evaluate the use of the sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS) for mapping soil erodibility factor of the USLE/RUSLE methodology. Five hundred and forty-four surface soil samples (0–20 cm) were collected from the study area to determine the soil erodibility. A simulation procedure was carried out on 300 realizations, and histogram and semivariogram of the simulation were compared to the observed values. The results showed that the summary statistics, histogram, and semivariogram of the simulation results were close to the observed values. In contrary to the traditional approach and kriging, 95% confidence interval of the simulated realizations was formed in order to determine uncertainty standard deviation map, and the uncertainty was explained numerically. The SGS produced a more reliable soil erodibility map and it can be more successfully used for monitoring and improving effective strategies to prevent erosion hazards especially to improve site specific management plans.     

黄土高原土壤侵蚀基本规律

土壤侵蚀现象是黄土高原的一个重大环境问题。土壤侵蚀的发生和发展有其自然的规律。黄土高原的土壤侵蚀可概括为三种类型:(1)水流侵蚀;(2)重力侵蚀;(3)风力侵蚀。控制黄土高原土壤侵蚀的自然因素为:降水、地形、植被和岩土性质。降水和地形两个因素称之为“侵蚀性因素”;植被和岩土性质两个因素称之为“可蚀性因素”。土壤侵蚀的发生与否,以及侵蚀的程度,最终取决于上述侵蚀性因素与可蚀性因素两者之间相互影响的结果。如果侵蚀性因素的效果大于可蚀性因素的效果,则发生侵蚀作用;反之,则侵蚀作用不显示。     

Effects of hydraulic shear stress and rate of erosion on the magnitude,degree, and rate of collapse

Arid regions worldwide are plagued by collapsible soils. Collapsible soil is characterised by the sudden decrease in volume that occurs when it is subjected to inundation under constant stress. This volume change manifest itself as drastic and unpredicted foundation settlement, which may lead to further catastrophic failure of the supported structures. Collapse settlement is the term applied to the additional settlement of a foundation due to wetting of the underlying soils. The results of an experimental investigation of the effects of the saturation of soil with water, kerosene, and crude oil, and of the effects of the fluid head on the magnitude, degree, and rate of collapse of the underlying soil are presented in this paper. Soil erodibility is presented in terms of the applied hydraulic shear stress and the rate of erosion. The relationship between soil erosion and the magnitude and rate of collapse is examined. Empirical methods for the prediction of the magnitude and rate of collapse of a soil saturated with the test fluids and subjected to a hydraulic constant head are proposed.     

黄河三角洲沉积物抗侵蚀性动态变化差异研究

为研究波浪循环荷载作用过程中,细粒土沉积物抗侵蚀性特征的演化及其发生机制,在现代黄河三角洲北部及东北部选择两个典型研究区（遭受严峻侵蚀的车子沟渔村试验区及基本处于侵淤平衡的黄河海港试验区）进行了一系列波浪荷载模拟试验、侵蚀水槽试验及沉积物物理力学性质测试。试验结果发现：原车子沟渔村试验区沉积物抗侵蚀性在无波浪荷载作用或较短的波浪荷载作用条件下,普遍高于黄河海港研究区,但由于其更显著的液化特性,该区沉积物抗侵蚀性更容易被波浪荷载作用降低,这是造成车子沟渔村研究区遭受严峻潮滩侵蚀的重要原因。另外,结合试验结果,对两个研究区沉积年代及沉积物粒度成分特征的分析可知,波浪荷载作用导致海床下部细粒物质向上输运这一次生改造作用加速了海床沉积物的“粗化”进程,从而推进海岸带地区细粒沉积物抗侵蚀性特征的演化