Gully‐head erosion processes on a semi‐arid valley floor in Kenya: a case study into temporal variation and sediment budgeting

A three year monitoring programme of gully‐head retreat was established to assess the significance of sediment production in a drainage network that expanded rapidly by gully‐head erosion on the low‐angled alluvio‐lacustrine Njemps Flats in semi‐arid Baringo District, Kenya. This paper discusses the factors controlling the large observed spatial and temporal variation in gully‐head retreat rates, ranging from 0 to 15 m a^?1. The selected gullies differed in planform and in runoff‐contributing catchment area but soil material and land use were similar. The data were analysed at event and annual timescales. The results show that at annual timescale rainfall amount appears to be a good indicator of gully‐head retreat, while at storm‐event timescale rainfall distribution has to be taken into account. A model is proposed, including only rainfall (P) and the number of dry days (DD) between storms: which explains 56 per cent of the variation in retreat rate of the single‐headed gully of Lam1. A detailed sediment budget has been established for Lam1 and its runoff‐contributing area (RCA). By measuring sediment input from the RCA, the sediment output by channelized flow and linear retreat of the gully head for nine storms, it can be seen that erosion shifts between different components of the budget depending on the duration of the dry period (DD) between storms. Sediment input from the RCA was usually the largest component for the smaller storms. The erosion of the gully head occurred as a direct effect of runoff falling over the edge (GH_waterfall) and of the indirect destabilization of the adjacent walls by the waterfall erosion and by saturation (GH_mass/storage). The latter component (GH_mass/storage) was usually much larger that the former (GH_waterfall). The sediment output from the gully was strongly related to the runoff volume while the linear retreat, because of its complex behaviour, was not. Overall, the results show that the annual retreat is the optimal timescale to predict retreat patterns. More detailed knowledge about relevant processes and interactions is necessary if gully‐head erosion is to be included in event‐based soil erosion models. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

威连滩冲沟砂黄土的风蚀与降雨侵蚀模拟实验

 通过风洞与模拟降雨实验，研究了风力与降雨对青海省贵南县威连滩冲沟砂黄土的复合侵蚀作用。实验得出：①风蚀后的降雨使砂黄土表面在风干过程中形成了一层较为坚硬的结壳，增大了土壤的抗蚀性，降低了第二次风洞实验后期的风蚀率;②土壤水分与人为扰动是影响土壤风蚀的两个重要因素。当土壤水分较小时，风蚀率受人为扰动影响巨大;当土壤水分较大时，人为扰动对土壤风蚀的影响较小;③在持续降雨的实验条件下，砂黄土的产流、产沙量随着雨强的变化而改变。这种变化与表土的侵蚀率、可蚀性物质的多少、土壤水分以及土壤的入渗率等都有很大的关系。     

澜沧江典型对比流域水力侵蚀快速调查与评价

根据水力侵蚀面蚀和沟蚀两种不同侵蚀形态发生过程尺度空间大小不一的侵蚀特点,确定了研究区面蚀和沟蚀的不同调查评价方法.面蚀的发生过程空间尺度小,选用小区调查方法进行,而沟蚀的发生过程尺度空间大,在典型调查小流域尺度进行全面调查.然后在两种尺度下,分析形成沟蚀和面蚀的影响因素,进行沟蚀程度和面蚀强度分级,并把研究成果展延到澜沧江凤庆河流域和晓街河流域.最后,以在典型调查小流域的研究结果为对照判别依据,判断风庆河和晓街河流域的土壤侵蚀状况.结果显示,澜沧江典型流域的面蚀强度差异不大,沟蚀是造成不同流域土壤侵蚀和沟道输沙差异的主要水力侵蚀形式.     

Impact of root architecture on the erosion‐reducing potential of roots during concentrated flow

Many studies focus on the effects of vegetation cover on water erosion rates, whereas little attention has been paid to the effects of the below ground biomass. Recent research indicates that roots can reduce concentrated flow erosion rates significantly. In order to predict this root effect more accurately, this experimental study aims at gaining more insight into the importance of root architecture, soil and flow characteristics to the erosion‐reducing potential of roots during concentrated flow. Treatments were (1) bare, (2) grass (representing a fine‐branched root system), (3) carrots (representing a tap root system) and (4) carrots and fine‐branched weeds (representing both tap and fine‐branched roots). The soil types tested were a sandy loam and a silt loam. For each treatment, root density, root length density and mean root diameter (D) were assessed. Relative soil detachment rates and mean bottom flow shear stress were calculated. The results indicate that tap roots reduce the erosion rates to a lesser extent compared with fine‐branched roots. Different relationships linking relative soil detachment rate with root density could be established for different root diameter classes. Carrots with very fine roots (D < 5 mm) show a similar negative exponential relationship between root density and relative soil detachment rate to grass roots. With increasing root diameter (5 < D < 15 mm) the erosion‐reducing effect of carrot type roots becomes less pronounced. Additionally, an equation estimating the erosion‐reducing potential of root systems containing both tap roots and fine‐branched roots could be established. Moreover, the erosion‐reducing potential of grass roots is less pronounced for a sandy loam soil compared with a silt loam soil and a larger erosion‐reducing potential for both grass and carrot roots was found for initially wet soils. For carrots grown on a sandy loam soil, the erosion‐reducing effect of roots decreases with increasing flow shear stress. For grasses, grown on both soil types, no significant differences could be found according to flow shear stress. The erosion‐reducing effect of roots during concentrated flow is much more pronounced than suggested in previous studies dealing with interrill and rill erosion. Root density and root diameter explain the observed erosion rates during concentrated flow well for the different soil types tested. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

常规电法在桥基勘察中的应用与效果

以某高速公路桥基勘察为例，介绍了常规电法在桥基选址－初步勘察中的应用，并认为对具备一定地球物理前提的岩（土）体，该法效果明显，值得推广。     

长江上游土地利用变化与冲沟发生和演变

冲沟侵蚀是中国西部山区一个重要的环境问题。小流域研究表明，黄河和长江中的泥沙主要是冲沟侵蚀引起的。目前，长江上游80%的冲沟因被幼林草植被覆盖而处于非活跃期。到底这些冲沟系统是什么时候形成的？未来的暴雨和径流是否会激活这些冲沟系统？土地利用与景观结构对冲沟系统的发生、演变有何关系？基于这些问题，近几年来在中科院山地环境学“百人计划”和“国外引进杰出人才”项目及德国洪堡基金的资助下，中德科学工作者进行了合作研究。本文介绍了长江上游地区土地利用变化与冲沟发生、演变的部分研究成果。我们在西昌安宁河干暖河谷选择了两个冲沟系统一个位于西溪乡长山岭，一个位于大青梁子。为了定量评价土地利用对冲沟发育的影响，我们对研究小流域的航片、土壤剖面、泥沙堆积与土地利用历史等进行了详尽的综合对比分析。同时，对两个冲沟系统的大小和土壤流失的体积进行了详细的野外调查、测定和计算。据此，获得了研究流域的冲沟侵蚀速率。研究结果表明，长江上游数百年的持续景观演变，尤其是20世纪中期人为强烈的不合理农业垦殖和利用土地，造成了四川西南部大量冲沟系统的形成和发展，研究流域的冲沟侵蚀速率高达375t/hm2*a-1。采取成功的水土保持措施以控制冲沟侵蚀，对中国西南山地退化环境的生态修复具有重大实践意义。     

The value of a physically based model versus an empirical approach in the prediction of ephemeral gully erosion for loess-derived soils

A data set on soil losses and controlling factors for 58 ephemeral gullies has been collected in the Belgian loess belt from March 1997 to March 1999. Of the observed ephemeral gullies, 32 developed at the end of winter or in early spring (winter gullies) and 26 ephemeral gullies developed during summer (summer gullies). The assessed data have been used to test the physically based Ephemeral Gully Erosion Model (EGEM) and to compare its performance with the value of simple topographical and morphological indices in the prediction of ephemeral gully erosion.Analysis shows that EGEM is not capable of predicting ephemeral gully cross-sections well. Although conditions for input parameter assessment were ideal, some parameters such as channel erodibility, critical flow shear stress and local rainfall depth showed great uncertainty. Rather than revealing EGEM's inability of predicting ephemeral gully erosion, this analysis stresses the problematic nature of physically based models, since they often require input parameters that are not available or can hardly be obtained.With respect to the value of simple topographical and morphological indices in predicting ephemeral gully erosion, this study shows that for winter gullies and summer gullies, respectively, over 80% and about 75% of the variation in ephemeral gully volume can be explained when ephemeral gully length is known. Moreover, when previously collected data for ephemeral gullies in two Mediterranean study areas and the data for summer gullies formed in the Belgian loess belt are pooled, it appears that one single length (L)–volume (V) relation exists (V=0.048 L^1.29; R²=0.91). These findings imply that predicting ephemeral gully length is a valuable alternative for the prediction of ephemeral gully volume. A simple procedure to predict ephemeral gully length based on topographical thresholds is presented here. Secondly, the empirical length–volume relation can also be used to convert ephemeral gully length data extracted from aerial photos into ephemeral gully volumes.     

泥沙起动条件与卵石浅滩航道整治线宽度的确定

在简述泥沙起动条件表达式的基础上,本文分析卵石浅滩整治与泥沙起动条件的关系。根据起动拖曳力和起动流速的概念,分别导出了卵石浅滩航道整治宽度计算公式,并用北江整治河段的实测资料对诸公式作了比较。结果表明,式(16)的计算值与实际采用值有较好的一致性。     

新疆北天山晚古生代洋盆演化与推覆构造

通过实地考察并综合区域及深部物探资料,研究了北天山逆冲推覆系统的构造样式、结构特征和组合方式;认为北天山晚古代洋盆为板内地壳扩张活动形成的裂陷构造产物,存在时限短暂、对生物群迁移基本没有阻隔作用,不应具有分隔岩石圈板块的大地构造意义。     

Hydrofracture mechanisms in rock during pressure grouting

Summary Hydrofracture Mechanisms in Rock During Pressure Grouting. The paper examines the basic meachnisms controlling the initiation of fractures in rocks and layered soils during pressure grouting, and their subsequent propagation into the ground mass. Previous analyses of fracture initiation have tended to concentrate on simplified models in which the ground is treated as an impervious elastic or Mohr-Coulomb continuum. The present method allows for the porous or fissured nature of the ground by considering the effect of seepage forces induced by the pore pressure gradient. The effect is quantified by use of a parameterN such that the ratio of fluid force used in expanding the injection hole, to that used in forcing fluid through void spaces, isN to (1—N).Analysis of hydrofracture propagation is based on stress analysis of a borehole in an elastic continuum, the propagating fracture zone around the borehole being represented as a non-elastic material governed by the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion. This is supplemented by an energy approach which equates the energy supplied to the ground from the injection pump, with the energy stored in the ground and the energy necessary to fracture it.

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Zusammenfassung Brucherscheinungen im Fels bei Verprearbeiten. In der Arbeit wird der grundlegende Mechanismus untersucht, welcher bei Verpreßarbeiten in Fels und geschichtetem Boden zur Einleitung und Ausbreitung von Brüchen führt. Frühere Untersuchungen des Bruchbeginns stützten sich im wesentlichen auf vereinfachte Modelle, in denen der Untergrund als undurchlässiges Kontinuum angesehen wird, das entweder elastisch ist oder der Mohr-Coulombschen Bruchbedingung genügt. Die neue Methode berücksichtigt dagegen eine Porosität oder Klüftung des Untergrundes durch Ansatz der vom strömenden Medium auf das Gebirge ausgeübten Belastung. Diese Belastung wird aufgeteilt in einen Druckverlust an der Bohrlochwand (gleich ParameterN mal Verpreßdruck) und die entsprechende, über den gesamten durchströmten Bereich verteilte Belastung.Die Untersuchung der Bruchausbreitung geht von der Spannungsermittlung um ein Bohrloch in einem elastischen Kontinuum aus, wobei in der sich ausbreitenden Bruchzone um das Bohrloch herum nichtelastisches Material angenommen wird, das dem Mohr-Coulombschen Bruchkriterium genügt. Zur Ergänzung dient eine Energie-Betrachtung, bei der die von der Injektionspumpe abgegebene Energie gleichgesetzt wird der im Untergrund gespeicherten Energie und der aufgewendeten Brucharbeit.

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Résumé Les mécanismes de la fracturation hydraulique dans les roches pendant les injections sous pression. Le mémoire examine les mécanismes fondamentaux qui gouvernent l'initiation des ruptures dans les roches et les sols stratifiés, au cours des injections et leur propagation dans les massifs. Les analyses antérieures de l'initiation de la rupture, se sont concentrées sur des modèles simplifiés où l'on considérait la roche comme un milieu élastique et imperméable, ou comme un milieu de Mohr-Coulomb. La présente méthode admet que le massif est poreux ou fissuré, en considérant l'action des forces de percolation engendrées par le gradient de pression interstitielle. Cette action est quantifiée par un paramètreN, tel que le rapport de la force du liquide employée à dilater le forage d'injection, à celle employée pour forcer le coulis à travers les vides soitN/(1—N). L'analyse de la propagation des ruptures se base sur l'analyse des contraintes autour d'un forage dans un milieu élastique, alors que la zone de la rupture qui se propage autour du forage est représentée par un milieu non-élastique admettant le critère de rupture de Mohr-Coulomb. Cette analyse est complétée par une approche énergétique, où l'énergie qui est fournie au massif par la pompe d'injection est égalée à l'énergie emmagasinée dans la roche et à l'énergie de rupture.

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Nomenclature A area of new cracks created per unit volume of time t - E total work done by injection fluid - E _i irrecoverable component of energy - E _{i c} work done in fracturing rock or soil - E _{i l} work done to overcome various frictional forces in grouting system - E _{i p} work done to cause plastic deformation of fractured zone - E _{i s} work done to overcome shear strength of fluid during flow - E _{i v} work done to overcome frictional drag between fluid and rock in soil surfaces during flow - E _r recoverable component of energy - E _{r f} elastic strain energy stored in fluid - E _{r s} elastic strain energy stored in rock or soil - h height of overburden - i j 1, 2, 3 - K ₀ coefficient of horizontal earth pressure - k permeability of ground to grout - L length of cylindrical grout source - n rock or soil porosity - p average fluid pressure between timet and (t + t) - p ₀ injection pressure - R radius of grout front - r radial distance from borehole axis - r ₀ radius of borehole - r ₁ radius of fractured zone - S specific surface area of rock or soil - S _T tensile strength of rock or soil - t time - u grout seepage velocity - V volume of grout injected - v volumetric strain - specific surface energy of rock - bulk density of rock or soil - _{i j} ^e elastic strain increment tensor - _{i j} plastic strain increment tensor - v Poisson's ratio - _{i j} average stress tensor in the ground during timet and (t + t) - _R , _T, _Z radial, tangential and vertical stresses induced by grouting - _r , _t , _z radial, tangential and vertical stress around borehole before grouting - grout shear strength - angle of internal friction of rock or soil With 7 Figures