Study of classification and estimation models for soil loss disturbed by engineering construction

Year 2015, Special Issue, 13 - 23, 31.01.2015

Duihu Ning Xiaoying Liu Pengfei Du

Abstract

Growing interest in the research of soil loss caused by human activities has attracted public attention
over the world especially for the developing countries. However, existent soil erosion estimation models
focused on natural than artificial conditions, and particularly the models used to estimate the soil erosion
rate to the latter involves a number of uncertainties, which require further attention. To develop scientific
models, it is necessary to extract the characteristics of soil bodies that formed in different engineering
construction programs. This contribution reports the results of an investigation of classifications in various
artificial programs around China. Some indexes, such as slope gradient, slope length, soil layer depth,
vegetation coverage were measured for accumulated spoil and cutting edges, which were caused in
the process of construction. Soil samples were also collected from different sites representative of different
types of projects and distributed in different areas of China. Measurements of soil density and soil particle
size were made on these samples. Four classifications were given and related experiments, including
artificial simulation rainfall, field wind tunnel simulation were taken to calculate the influence of wind
factors on erosion modulus and to estimate the change of different disturbance times. On the basis of
analyzing, the crucial parameters to contribute soil loss were selected and the models framework using
for calculating different types soil erosion were put forward.

Keywords

-

References

• Bhattarai, R., Kalita, P.K., Yatsu, Sh., Howard, H.R., Sevendsen, N.G., 2011. Evaluation of compost blankets for erosion control from disturbed lands. J. Environ. Manage. 92, 803-812.
• Burton, G. A. and Pitt, Jr. R. E. 2002. Stormwater Effects Handbook – A ttolbox for watershed managers, scientists, and engineers. CRC Press LLC.
• Chen, Y., Viadero Jr., R.C., Wei, X., Fortney, R., Hedrick, L.B., Welsh, S.A., Anderson, J.T., Lin, L.Sh., 2009. Effects of highway construction on stream water quality and macro invertebrate condition in a mid-Atlantic highlands watershed, USA. J. Environ. Qual. 38, 1672-1682.
• Dong, J.Z., Zhang, K.L., Zhang, W.X., Shao, S.G., 2011. Highway waste dump shape and regional differences. Bulletin of Soil and Water Conservation (in Chinese): 3 (2), 163-167.
• Forman, R.T.T. Deblinger, R.D., 2000. The ecological road- effect zone of a Massachusetts (USA) suburban highway. Conservation Biology 14, 36-46.
• Hogan, D.M., Walbridge, M.R., 2007. Best management practices for nutrient and sediment retention in urban stormwater runoff. J. Environ. Qual. 36, 386-395.
• Houser, D.L., Pruess, H., 2009. The effects of construction on water quality: a case study of the culverting of Abram Creek. Environ. Monit. Assess. 155, 431-432.
• Jon Harbor. 1999. Engineering geomorphology at the cutting edge of land disturbance: erosion and sediment control on construction sites. Geomorphology, 31, 247-263.
• Noura Bakr, David C. Weindorf, Yuanda Zhu, Allen E. Arceneaux, H.M. Selim, 2012. Evaluation of compost/mulch as highway embankment erosion control in Louisiana at the plot-scle. Journal of Hydrology, 468-469, 257-267.
• SEWRPC (Southeastern Wisconsin Planning Commission). 1978. Sources of water Pollution in Southeastern Wisconsin: 1975. Technical Report No. 21. Waukesha, WI.
• Storey, B.B., McFalls, J.A., Godfrey, S.H., 1996. The use of compost and shredded brosh on rights-of-way for erosion control, Research Report 1352-2F. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX.
• US Geological Survey. 1970. The national atlas of the United States of America. US Government Printing Office, Washington DC.
• USEPA, 2005. National management measures to control nonpoint source pollution from Urban areas. Management Measure 12: Evaluate Program Effectiveness. EPA-841-B-05- 004.
• Willett, G. 1980. Urban erosion, in National Conference on Urban Erosion and Sediment Control: Institutions and Technology. EPA 905/9-80-002. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
• Xu Xianli, Liu Wen, Kong Yaping, Zhang Keli, Yu Bofu, Chen Jiding, 2009. Runoff and water erosion on road side- slopes: Effects of rainfall characteristics and slope length. Transportation Research Part D, 14, 497-501.