Factors affecting the sediment concentration in runoff from a slope during the spring thawing period

Abstract

AbstractSediment concentration (S) is vital in soil erosion models. However, research on estimating S at different positions on slopes in the spring thaw period is difficult. Thus, in this research, four flow discharges, two slope gradients, and four initial thawing depths were used in combination with Rare Earth Elements (REEs) tracing techniques to investigate the effects of hydraulic parameters at different locations of freeze–thaw rill flows on S. The results show that the S on the freeze–thaw slope gradually increases from the first section to the third section of the slope, with an increase of 43.99% from the first slope section to the third slope section. The flow velocity is the most critical factor to affect the S (R2 > 0.7). The prediction equation of S on the entire slope under freeze–thaw conditions was established based on the flow turbulence intensity and relative gravity (R2 = 0.769). This study examined the S and hydraulic parameters of the freeze–thaw rill flow, which provided a reference for further research on the soil erosion model during the spring thawing period.