VEGETATION COVER EFFECTS ON SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION AND OVERLAND FLOW UNDER ARTIFICIAL RAINFALL INTENSITY

Mounia Boussaadi; Liatim Mouzai

doi:10.2298/IJGI2102135B

Authors

Mounia Boussaadi University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Geotechnical and Hydraulic, Algiers
Liatim Mouzai University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Geotechnical and Hydraulic, Algiers

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2298/IJGI2102135B

Keywords:

simulated rainfall, density cover, surface cover, sediment concentration, hydraulic parameters

Abstract

Soil erosion depends on a number of factors including rainfall intensity, density of plant cover, and area cover. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of these factors on flow velocity, overland flow regimes, sediment concentration, and absolute soil detachment. The soil used in this study was sandy remolded agricultural soil. The soil is packed in a tray of 1 m² fixed on a slope of 3%; five different intensities were simulated under different vegetation cover (density and area). The results indicated that the overland flow velocity with vegetation cover was best described by polynomial function. The mean flow velocity varied from 0.021 to 1.244 m/s. Overland flow regime is subcritical and laminar. However, there are significant relationships between the vegetation cover density and sediment concentration and absolute soil detachment. The sediment concentration ranged from 1.38 to 5.65 kg/m³whereas the absolute soil detachment ranged from 0.021×10^–3 to 1.244×10^–3kg/m²/s. Finally, the vegetation cover presented a good protector to soil sediment from erosion.

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References

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