A device for measuring downwearing rates on cohesive shore platforms

The device described in this paper, known as the traversing erosion beam, is believed to be the first to be designed specifically for measuring rates of downwearing of cohesive foreshores, such as clay shore platforms, under high‐energy wave conditions. It is primarily constructed of Flexlink Aluminium Structural System components and consists of a horizontal beam with a main leg and two further support legs. A sliding ‘dolly’ module is moved along the beam at precise intervals using a longitudinal scale as a reference. The topographic profile of the measurement surface is transferred to the dolly by a vertical sliding steel alloy rod, from which the relative height differences are measured by a separate engineer's digital height gauge placed on the dolly. The main leg of the device fits into a marine grade stainless steel box, which is deeply embedded into the foreshore or shore platform to act a permanent datum. The box is robust and can be expected to have a lifetime of at least a year, and possibly even five years or more. Sample data are provided from a clay shore platform at Warden Point in the Isle of Sheppey, Kent (UK), which demonstrate that the TEB can provide information on seasonal as well as annual rates of downwearing. The device has also been tested successfully on a peat and clay foreshore at Pett Level in Sussex and on a shore platform cut in glacial till at Easington, Yorkshire. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In situ measurements of surficial mud strength: A new vane tester suitable for soft intertidal muds

A vane fitted to a standard shear vane tester is described, the purpose of which is to obtain better measurements of the rheological properties of soft, surficial, intertidal muds (and consequently, variations in their erodability). Specifications and geometry of this vane are presented. The computation procedure is detailed, so that the methodology can be applied to any vane tester. The main improvement is a greater vertical resolution, typically less than 1 cm. Sets of direct measurements with this equipment and correlation with dry densities for three intertidal mudflats (estuaries and bay) are presented.     

不同尺度条件下的土壤侵蚀实验监测及模型研究

土壤侵蚀的实验和监测是获取水土流失资料的重要手段,土壤侵蚀模型研究是水土保持规划、管理的重要内容。本文对点、小区、田间和坡面、流域及区域尺度条件下的土壤侵蚀的实验和监测研究进行了综述,分析了当前国际上实验研究和监测研究的侧重点及其不足;并对当前国际上土壤侵蚀模型的总体发展趋势进行了评述,特别分析了这些模型在全球气候变化背景下的作用;最后对当前土壤侵蚀、试验及检测研究作出展望。     

PHYSICAL MODELING OF HYDRAULIC DESILTATION IN TAPU RESERVOIR

1 INTRODUCTIONIn recent years, the concePt of long-term sustained use of reservoirs has been addressed because areservoir is very much considered to be a nonrenewable resource (Morris and Fan, l998). Technically,many options for reservoir sedAnentation control can be utlized to pursue the sustainable develoPment ofwater resources. In general, reduction of incoming sedimen yields from watersheds is often emPloyedin conjunction with hydraulic methods such as flushing or density currnt vot…     

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 impacts of urbanization on soil erosion in the Loess Plateau region

The accelerated urbanization has resulted in new soil erosion in the Loess Plateau region since the 1980s. A concept of urban erosion and its impacts on environment are discussed. The experimental studies and field investigations show that those loose silt and earth piles formed by urban construction can be eroded seriously: Under stormy rain, the amount of sediment from steep man-dumped slope is 10.8-12.2 times that of from uncovered slope land; the result of experiments with the wind tunnel also shows that the damage to the surface structure of dry loess can cause serious soil erosion by wind in some cities of the region. Even if in the urban built-up area, there are many loose sandy soil, mud and silt, which are washed into rivers by city’s ground flow in the rainy season. So, anthropogenically induced soil erosion has made soil erosion more serious around the urban areas. And the urban eroded environment has several characteristics such as fragility, complexity, seasonality and quick variability. Urban areas witness a quick economic growth and have more construction projects than rural areas, which brings more intensive changes of environments during a short period of time or adds some new elements to the erosion system. Therefore erosion has experienced more intensive impact by human activities. So, the possible impact of urbanization on erosion environment must be taken into consideration when designing or planning to exploit natural resources or to develop urban areas in the Loess Plateau.     

洞庭湖的冲淤变化和空间分布

在实测的1974，1988，1998年1：2.5万地形图的基础上，利用地理信息系统的数据处理和空间分析方法，分析洞庭湖24年来的冲淤规律，得到了2个时期（1974-1988，1988-1998）洞庭湖冲淤量和冲淤区域的空间分布位置，研究表明，洞庭湖近24个来总的趋势冲淤厚度没有明显的变化，为0.017m/a。以两期冲淤变化的趋势预测了2010年三峡工程全部完工时洞庭湖的冲淤变化状况，结果表明，1998-2010年间洞庭湖将平均淤高0.33m。最后以3年数字地形模型为基础，分析了洞庭湖24年来的不同水位下湖盆容积的变化。     

Spatial distribution of wind erosion and its driving factors in China

Soil erosion by wind means the soil particles are eroded and transported by wind. Fine particles of soil are transported as suspended load and may travel much greater distances than the coarse coarse materials do which are transported as creep and saltation. The finest particles and chemical microsome constitute the aerosol which can even keep for several years in atmosphere from descending. Wind erosion is a serious problem in many parts of the world. In China, up to 2400 km2 of land is dese…     

RUNOFF GENERATION CHARACTERISTICS IN TYPICAL EROSION REGIONS ON THE LOESS PLATEAU

1 mTRODUCT1ONThe Loess Plateau in the central and westem China with an area of 430,(X)0 lQn2 is well known for itsancient cultUre and serious soil and water loss. About 287,(X)0 km2 of area in this region has an annualerosion be greatC than 1(XX) tlkIn2. The eroded soil totally amounts to more than 2.2 X l0' tons, amongwhich about l.6X 10' tons, on average, is delivered into the Yellow kiver mdeng the river one of thehighest sediment-laden rivers in the word. The serious soil erosion …