Experimental determination of sediment transport capacity of rill flow over sandified loess slope

Abstract

Rill erosion is affected by the sand particle content in soil, especially in the wind and water erosion transition region of the Loess Plateau. The sediment transport capacity (STC) is a key parameter in rill erosion research, assessing the impact of aeolian sand intrusion on the STC of rill flow is of importance for a better understanding of rill erosion. This study aimed to assess the effect of aeolian sand intrusion on the STC on sandified loess slopes, with typical slopes and flow discharges, using a flume system which consisting of a sediment-feeding and a sediment-supply/settlement flume. The sediment feeding flume was jointed by 10° higher than that of the sediment measurement flume section. Three flow discharges (2, 4, and 8 L min−1) and four slope gradients (5°, 10°, 15°, and 25°) were used to represent the natural hydrological conditions under three intrusion rates (SIR) of aeolian sands (10%, 20%, and 50%). The results show that STC increased with slope gradient and flow discharge, and the relationship between the STC and the SIR was significantly affected by the slope gradient; the STCs decreased with the SIR on a slope of 5° but increased with the SIR on steep slopes of 15°–25°, implying a significant impact of slope gradient on the relationship between SIR and STC. The SIR of 50% resulted in the highest sediment concentration nearly 1200 kg m−3 on slopes of 25°. On sandified loess slopes of 10%, 20%, and 50% SIR, the STC were about 30%, 46%, and 57% higher than on loess slopes, indicating an increased erosion rate by sand particle intrusion into loess soil. These results highlight the impact of sand intrusion on STC of rill flow and provide deeper insights into the soil loss process on the sandified loess slope.