Estimating wind transport of sand on vegetated surfaces

Vegetation significantly reduces the transport of sand by wind. We report a generalization of Bagnold's transport equation by finding empirical mathematical expressions to describe the relationships between projected vegetation cover, wind speed outside the area of vegetation, and transport rates. Examples of the use of the equations are given, illustrating the effect of vegetation cover on sand transport, dune encroachment and soil nutrient loss during individual wind storms and over periods of many years.     

影响含硫化物的地下工程围岩中锚固体系侵蚀的主要因素研究(英文)

采用复合式衬砌的隧道及地下工程,锚喷支护系统的耐久性直接影响结构的稳定性和运营年限。锚杆主体属于钢构件,极易遭受侵蚀。从采用复合式衬砌的隧道及地下工程的结构特点可知,对于一定形式的锚杆,所遭受的侵蚀作用主要取决于锚杆与来自围岩的侵蚀性地下水的相互作用。本文探讨了含硫化物围岩中影响锚杆侵蚀的主要因素,描述了侵蚀性地下水的形成,以及锚杆侵蚀作用的物理化学机理,并提出了基于此机理的含硫化物围岩中锚杆使用年限的估算方法。     

Accuracy of cosmogenic ages for moraines

Analyses of all published cosmogenic exposure ages for moraine boulders show an average age range of 38% between the oldest and youngest boulders from each moraine. This range conflicts with the common assumption that ages of surface boulders are the same as the age of the landform. The wide spread in boulder ages is caused by erosion of the moraine surface and consequent exhumation of fresh boulders. A diffusion model of surface degradation explains the age range and shows that a randomly sampled small set of boulders (n = 3-7) will always yield a lower age limit for the moraine. The model indicates that for identical dating accuracy, six to seven boulders are needed from old and tall moraines (40,000-100,000 yr, 50-100 m initial height) but only one to four boulders from small moraines (20,000-100,000 yr, 10-20 m). By following these guidelines the oldest obtained boulder age will be ≥90% of the moraine age (95% probability). This result is only weakly sensitive to a broad range of soil erosion rates. Our analysis of published boulder ages indicates that <3% of all moraine boulders have prior exposure, and 85% of these boulders predate the dated moraine.     

Glacial erosion and geomorphology in the northwest Sierra Nevada, CA

Pleistocene glacial erosion left a strong topographic imprint in the northwestern Sierra Nevada at many scales, yet the specific landforms and the processes that created them have not been previously documented in the region. In contrast, glaciation in the southern and central Sierra was extensively studied and by the end of the 19th century was among the best understood examples of alpine glaciation outside of the European Alps. This study describes glacially eroded features in the northwest Sierra and presents inferred linkages between erosional forms and Pleistocene glacial processes. Many relationships corroborate theoretical geomorphic principles. These include the occurrence of whalebacks in deep ice positions, roches moutonnées under thin ice, and occurrence of P-forms in low topographic positions where high subglacial meltwater pressures were likely. Some of the landforms described here have not previously been noted in the Sierra, including a large crag and tail eroded by shallow ice and erosional benches high on valley walls thought to be cut by ice-marginal channels.     

Effect of source-varying input data on erosion potential model performance

This paper examines the performance of the Erosion Potential Method (EPM or Gavrilovi?) and the model response to input data variations caused by choosing different sources of information for the same parameter. The research presented addresses the input data uncertainty via an analysis of the two model input parameters (the soil protection coefficient and the soil erodibility coefficient). The parameter uncertainty analysis is performed following two different approaches: uncertainty analyses of both the selected sample size and the entire population are conducted for an erosion assessment case study of the Dubra?ina River catchment, Croatia. The analysis indicated that, when changing the data source, significant changes in the model outcome values can occur (up to 47% for this case study). Future method modifications should consider the mitigation of these two parameters by potentially making structural changes in the model and therefore moderating the effect.     

Equilibrium beach profile model for perched beaches

A beach profile equilibrium model for perched beaches is presented. The model assumes that wave reflection at the seaward and leeward sides of the breakwater is the most important process that modifies Dean's equilibrium profile model for non-perched beaches. The influence of wave breaking over the submerged structure is also discussed. Several laboratory data sets are used to analyze the merit of the proposed model for describing the equilibrium condition of a perched beach. A good comparison is obtained. Results show that if the ratio between the water depth above the submerged structure, d, and the water depth at the toe of the structure, h_e, is large, d/h_e>0.5, only minor advance of the shoreline is achieved with the construction of a toe structure. A considerable advance is obtained for d/h_e less that 0.1. In these situations, however, resonant effects may result in an inefficient structure. The proposed model is used to provide an estimation for the required sand volume and the associated beach advance for the case of narrow breakwaters.     

Influence of reversing currents on the erosion stability and bed degradation of widely graded grain material

Physical model tests were done in a recirculating flume to investigate the overall erosion stability of widely graded bed material in estuarine and coastal conditions by means of simulating tidal flow conditions with reversing currents. As a result of the reversing flow conditions, previously protected sediment eventually became exposed again, leading to bidirectional displacement processes depending on the flow direction. Furthermore, eroded sediment fractions were slightly finer due to flow in the initially applied direction rather than under the subsequently applied flow in the reverse direction. This indicates higher critical shear stresses, and, thus, erosion stability for the initial flow direction. In comparison to the erosional pattern found when subjecting the material to unidirectional currents, this study finds an even higher erosional stability for sediment fractions smaller than the median (d₅₀) diameter of the parent bed material under reversing current conditions. Overall, no significant damage or failure of the bed was observed after subjecting the material to reversing currents, indicating only a small amount of bed degradation, and, thus, high potential for scour and bed protection under the tested flow conditions.     

南海西北部沉积盆地晚新生代沉降、沉积特征:对深部异常过程的响应

南海西北部雷琼区域出露大量晚新生代碱性玄武岩,且地震层析成像结果显示其地幔存在类似地幔热柱特征的低速异常体.为了揭示该异常体的活动信息及其对表层地质过程的影响,本文选择位于雷琼区域的北部湾盆地和珠三坳陷为研究对象,系统分析了它们早中新世以来的构造沉降、与基底隆升有关的剥蚀面和岩浆活动特征.结果显示,研究区晚中新世构造沉降速率表现为低速异常;晚中新世以来,研究区发育了2个因基底隆升形成的局部剥蚀面,剥蚀范围大致以雷琼火山区为中心呈环状分布,中心区域剥蚀量较大,累积厚度100～200m;中中新世后研究区部分区域因岩浆活动导致上覆地层隆起和沉积环境变化.分析表明雷琼地区深部低速异常体对表层升降影响有限,推测该深部异常体规模较小,可能是深部更大规模异常体的一个分支.     

南海北部东沙海域巨型水下沙丘的分布及特征

本文基于多波束测深和高分辨率多道反射地震数据研究了东沙海域深水巨型水下沙丘的特征.巨型水下沙丘发育在230~830m水深的上陆坡范围内,呈斑块状分布.NW-SE向的近海底流体运动不仅冲蚀地层,形成了三条与水下沙丘间隔分布的冲蚀带,为水下沙丘提供了沉积物来源,同时也为水下沙丘的形成提供了动力源.研究区水下沙丘波长(L)范围55~510m,波高(h)范围1.5~20m,二者呈指数关系分布.沙丘的波长随水深增大而增大,波高则在500~700m水深范围内最大.水下沙丘NE—SW向展布的脊线和几何参数关系是与现今水动力条件相平衡的结果.     

LIVE-BED SCOUR IN LONG CONTRACTIONS

1 INTRODUCTION Scour within a channel contraction occurs where the waterway is restricted by the foundations or road approach embankments of a bridge. Alternately, contraction scour takes place when a bridge is located at a natural contraction in the rive…