Distribution Of Erosion Rates Research Articles

Soil erosion assessment using SWAT, in relation withLand use, agricultural practices, and future climate change in a semi-arid catchment in Tunisia

Abstract Soil erosion is a severe environmental concern arising from intensive agricultural uses, land degradation, and anthropogenic activities. This problem threatens agricultural productivity and sustainable development, particularly in emerging countries. Therefore, evaluating soil erosion is essential in conservation, planning, and management on a watershed or basin scale. This study aims to assess the erosion of soil loss in the El Gouazine Watershed, central Tunisia, using the Soil and water assessment tool (SWAT). We define the impact of soil and water conservation management implementation combined with climate change scenario. We identified the spatial distribution of erosion rates based on soil properties, topography, and land use. The observed specific erosion rate of the watershed is estimated at 1.6 t.ha−1.yr−1, whereas according to the SWAT model, the average soil loss rate is 1.4 t.ha−1.yr−1. Furthermore, the obtained results highlight importance of the slope factor in affecting the severity of the soil loss rates in the El Gouazine watershed. It was also demonstrated that it’s urgent to prioritize other measures such as contour cropping or conservation agriculture, to enhance and strengthen the soils’ resistance against the detachment due to discharge water. In this context, this research found that these techniques decrease considerably the soil loss by 22% for the strip cropping, 33% for the No-tillage, and 72% for the bench terracing. Moreover, these farming techniques, contribute at the same time to the amelioration of the water balance by reducing the evapotranspiration and enhancing the soil water storage. To go further in this study a soil erosion forecast using the worst-case scenario for climate change RCP 8.5 was conducted. an overview of the future soil erosion patterns is obtained. We noticed then a decrease of the average annual soil loss rate until 2050 and then a prominent increase from 2051 to 2100.

Analisis Laju Erosi dan Tingkat Bahaya Erosi DAS Sekampung Hulu Berbasis GIS (Geographic Information System)

Soil erosion is a process or event of loss of the upper soil layer, either caused by the movement of water or wind. This erosion process can lead to a deterioration in soil productivity, soil carrying capacity, and environmental quality. The surface of the earth's skin will always experience an erosion process, somewhere there will be erosion while elsewhere there will be hoarding, so the shape will always change all the time. This event occurs naturally and takes place very slowly, so the consequences arise only after decades or even hundreds of years later (Suripin, 2002). This study aims to suspect the erosion rate in the GIS-based Sekampung Hulu watershed, determine the Erosion Hazard Level in the Sekampung Hulu watershed, and describe the distribution of Erosion Rate and Erosion Hazard Level in the Sekampung Hulu watershed. The research was conducted from June to August 2020 at the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Lampung. The results of the study obtained the results of analysis through GIS application of the highest erosion analysis found in dryland agriculture mixed with shrubs with a very steep slope (>45%) with an area of 1.78 ha. Erosion Hazard Rate in Sekampung Hulu watershed is classified as heavy with a percentage of 33.96% with an area of 14,506.99 ha. Keywords: Erosion, Erosion Hazard Level, Land Use, Slope, Soil, Watershed Area of Sekampung Hulu.

A Preliminary Numerical Study on the Performance of Cyclone Separators in Supercritical CO2 Solar Power Plants

A combined approach of computational fluid dynamics, the discrete phase model, and the wall erosion model was used to numerically investigate the hydrodynamics, separation efficiency, and erosion rate in cyclone separators for s-CO2 solar power plants. Moreover, the results were compared with those for air and CO2 as carrier phases. The experimental data from the literature were used to validate the numerical model, and it was observed that the simulated gas velocities and wall erosion rate accurately aligned with the experimental measurements. The numerical results reveal that s-CO2 had the largest tangential velocity compared to the other two media; its area-weighted axial velocity of upward flow was the lowest in the middle part of the cyclone body, and varied considerably in the bottom region of the conical section. The particles were all collected at the bottom surface of air and CO2, but the separation efficiency of s-CO2 was 81.51%, due to the poor distribution of the vortex and short circuit. Finally, the erosion rate distribution and averaged surface erosion rate were also analyzed for the three carrier phases.

A numerical study of the slurry erosion in 90° horizontal elbows

The slurry erosion processes of horizontal elbows are investigated numerically using an Eulerian-Lagrangian method coupled with particle rebound and erosion model. First, a mechanical model for the internal multiphase flow involving slurry erosion in the 90° horizontal elbow is established and the corresponding governing equations are presented. Then, a two-way coupled numerical solution procedure is developed and its accuracy and stability are examined carefully using benchmark pipe flow models with experimental results. Using the validated numerical methods, the effects of flow velocity, fluid density and fluid viscosity on the flow and slurry erosion in the horizontal elbow are analyzed in detail. Finally, a prediction method of erosion rate distribution based on the pipe Froude number, particle Stokes number and the Dean number is proposed. In this method the pipe Froude number is employed to qualify the effect of ununiform distribution of particles, particle Stokes number and Dean number are combined to qualify the effects of inertia force, drag force and secondary flow. Using this approach, the location of the maximum erosion rate in horizontal elbows under different operating conditions can be predicted more conveniently.

Topographic Response to Horizontal Advection in Normal Fault‐Bound Mountain Ranges

AbstractTectonic displacements consist of vertical uplift or subsidence, and horizontal advection. We consider the effects of tectonic advection on mountain range topography, surface drainage patterns and drainage divides. Through numerically modeling a normal fault and uplifted footwall, we find that advection promotes the elongation of catchments and reduction in outlet spacing at mountain fronts. We demonstrate an erosional disequilibrium associated with the advection‐induced transfer of mass from the proximal mountain front toward the distal mountain front. Our modeling also demonstrates the development of an erosion rate disequilibrium around fixed geomorphic features such as drainage divides, that we deem characteristic of advection. In our model, steady‐state is achieved when the divide migration occurs at the same rate as advection; advection moves topography away from the fault, meaning drainage migration becomes a mechanism for balancing advection. Topographic observations in a mountain range bound by a low angle normal fault, the Sierra la Laguna (Mexico), are consistent with our modeling results when advection is included. These observations reveal a strong influence of advection on the development of the Sierra la Laguna's topography and suggest the main drainage divide is migrating toward the fault to counterbalance advection. Tectonic advection exerts a significant control on erosion rate distribution, topographic and drainage patterns and the stability of drainage divides. This work also highlights that the Gilbert metrics and across‐divide χ disequilibrium cannot always be interpreted in terms of growing or shrinking catchments in settings with a large advection component of tectonic displacement.

On erosion transition from the incubation stage to the accumulation stage in liquid impingement erosion

The evolution of surface profiles during erosion caused by the continuous impact of a liquid jet was studied using a water-jet apparatus. In this study, we focused on the erosion transition from the incubation stage to the accumulation stage during liquid impingement erosion, which is important for water-jet cleaning and aging management for nuclear power plants. By computing the local erosion rate distribution and surface roughness parameters, the formations of isolated pits and asperities were investigated. The structure of erosion caused by liquid impingement was extracted by using a dynamic mode decomposition technique. The surface profile changes were primarily caused by the formation of isolated pits and asperities during the incubation stage. The roughness parameters remained unchanged during the incubation stage, with barely measurable erosion depth, whereas the skewness of the surface profile began to increase during this stage. The initial erosion with a small-scale roughness gradually evolved into a large-scale crater. Dynamic mode decomposition analysis showed the presence of a short-wavelength (mode A) surface depression during the incubation stage, followed by a long-wavelength (mode B) erosion crater caused by the merging of mode A surface depressions during the accumulation stage.

Particle erosion transient process visualization and influencing factors of the hydraulic servo spool valve orifice

The erosion of the valve orifice can easily lead to the performance degradation of the hydraulic servo spool valve, which seriously affects the service life and reliability of the hydraulic servo system. In this paper, the erosion micro-morphological characteristics, erosive transient process visualization of solid particles, and factors affecting the erosion rate of the spool working edges were investigated. The results showed that there was a significant “edge collapse” phenomenon on the working edges of the spool, which was mainly characterized by surface peeling, notches, grooves, chamfers, and the radius of the fillet which fluctuated violently in the circumferential direction. The “smoothing, slipping, and somersaulting” evolution process started when the incident angle increased and the particles hit the valve orifice by a new visualization experiment model composed of the nozzle-baffle submerged jet. The erosion rate of the working edges also showed continuous fluctuations and violent changes, with strong scatter-like distribution characteristics. The erosion rate of the working edge in the up-flow field was approximately one time higher than that in the back-flow field. The erosion rate of the working edges increased as the oil viscosity and particle concentration increased. Under small openings, the impact frequency of particles and the working edge increased significantly. The distribution law of the erosion rate of the working edge agreed with the distribution characteristics of the erosion fillet radius of the working edges. The erosion rate variance was defined, which can be used to quantify the circular distribution of erosion rate. This study provides further understanding of the mechanism and influencing factors of the hydraulic servo spool valve erosion.

Research on the Prediction Method of the Areas of Fluorine Chemical Pipeline Susceptible to Erosion

A prediction method applicable to erosion-prone areas of fluorine chemical pipelines is herein proposed. By summarizing the common working conditions in the fluorine chemical industry, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for industrial pipelines is established, and three-dimensional numerical calculations of the flow field in the pipelines are carried out to analyze the characteristics of the hydrodynamic parameters and phase distribution in the flow field, as well as the erosion rate distribution in different areas of the pipelines. The areas in the pipeline that are susceptible to erosion are predicted based on the results. The method has universal applicability and has been applied in many large petrochemical companies. It achieves the function of predicting the areas of severe pipeline erosion in a scientifically sound manner. This paper also details the application of the method in a distillation oil and gas pipeline of a large oil and gas company in western China.

Retreat of the Great Escarpment of Madagascar From Geomorphic Analysis and Cosmogenic 10Be Concentrations

AbstractThe eastern margin of Madagascar has a prominent relief change from the flat coastal plain to the low‐relief high plateau, characterizing a typical great escarpment topography at a passive margin. A quantification of the spatial distribution of erosion rates is necessary to understand the rate of landscape evolution. We present catchment‐averaged erosion rates from detrital cosmogenic 10Be concentrations, systematically covering distinct morphological zones of the escarpment. Erosion rates are differentiated across the escarpment, where the high plateau and the coastal plain are slowly eroding with an average rate of 9.7 m/Ma, and the escarpment basins are eroding faster with an average rate of 16.6 m/Ma. The Alaotra‐Ankay Graben related basins have the highest erosion rate with an average rate of 27 m/Ma. The spatial pattern of erosion rates indicates a retreating escarpment landscape. Retreat rates calculated from the 10Be concentrations are from 182 to 1,886 m/Ma. The rates of escarpment retreat on Madagascar are consistent with a model of a steady retreat from the coastline since the time of rifting, similar to the Western Ghats escarpment on its conjugate margin of the India Peninsula.

Analysis of Hillslope Erosion Based on Excess Topography in Southeastern Tibet

The southeastern Tibetan Plateau has been deeply dissected by major rivers and their tributaries into high-relief topography with deep gorges. In this region, most hillslope gradients in the high-relief areas approach a threshold value, and landslides are the dominant surface erosion process. For this work, we analyzed the hillslope erosion process by determining the excess topography from the threshold hillslope. Slope analysis found a similar normal distribution of slope values for six large drainage basins with different lithology, precipitation, and tectonic settings. Overall, 82% of the slopes in our study area were 30 ± 5°, so this was taken as a reasonable range of threshold hillslope angles. We determined that the excess topography calculated for different threshold values all occur along major fluvial inner gorges. We found a linear relationship between excess topography and the mean erosion rate in drainage basins, which indicates that hillslope erosion, especially landslides, is the main erosion process. In contrast, the correlation between excess topography and the slope is only found for low-relief topography. This suggests that excess topography is a better metric than the slope to reflect the spatial distribution of erosion rates in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. In addition, for a threshold value of 30°, we collected data from 4,430 landslides and found that 71% of these landslides had occurred in an area of excess topography. This implies that most recent landslides did not reduce the slope below the threshold value. As a result, the potential for future landslides remains high in areas where landslides have recently occurred.

Transient investigation of nozzle erosion in a long-time working hybrid rocket motor

Nozzle erosion is a common problem in a hybrid rocket motor with the passive thermal protection structure. Nozzle profile and erosion rate distribution are changing with time due to the chemical erosion. Serious erosion greatly influences the performance of the hybrid rocket motor. This paper is aimed to analyze the characteristics of nozzle erosion during the firing process. For this purpose, an unsteady numerical model of carbon-based nozzle erosion is established. The thermochemical erosion of nozzle is simulated coupled with the flow field. A dynamic grid technique is adopted to simulate the regression process of the nozzle surface. Based on this model, numerical simulations on a hydrogen peroxide(HP)/hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) hybrid motor have been performed in a long-time working process. To validate the numerical results, a full-scale hybrid rocket motor is tested. The simulated nozzle erosion rate is about 0.069 mm/s in the steady state simulation, which agrees well with the test data (0.072 mm/s). The material properties of the carbon ceramic composite are affected by the high-temperature gas and suffering performance degradation in the firing process. Both of the combustion chamber pressure and oxidizer to fuel ratio have great influence on the erosion rate.

Numerical Investigation of Erosive Wear of a Centrifugal Slurry Pump Due to Solid–Liquid Flow

Abstract Centrifugal slurry pump designed for handling solid–liquid flow experiences performance reduction and shorter service life due to uneven localized erosive wear of the wetted parts. In this work, three-dimensional (3D) unsteady numerical modeling of a centrifugal slurry pump with Eulerian–Lagrangian approach coupled to the erosion model has been performed to predict the erosive wear of the pump components namely, casing and impeller. The erosion model developed to predict the erosion of the pump components of high chromium white cast iron (HCWCI) is employed, and the erosion rate distribution along the complete length and width of the casing and impeller blade surfaces namely, pressure side, suction side, front shroud, and back shroud, is determined. The numerical results showed good agreement with the experimentally measured erosion of the pump casing. It has been found that the erosion of the casing and impeller is non-uniform along the length and width. The zone of higher erosion is at the centerline and the back side of the casing, whereas, for the impeller, it is on the pressure side near the leading edge. The variation in the operating flowrate and particle size greatly influenced the material removal rate and the zone of higher erosion for the casing and impeller blade surfaces.

Geographic information system (GIS) based soil loss estimation using RUSLE model for soil and water conservation planning in anka_shashara watershed, southern Ethiopia

Water induced soil erosion has been continued to threaten the land resources in sub humid northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Human-induced land cover (LC) changes due to improper land management practices are contributing factors in deteriorating soil quality. Soil and water conservation measures have been implemented without site-specific scientifically quantified soil erosion data and priority bases in this regard; this study was conducted with a view to quantifying soil erosion in Anka-Shashara watershed. To do this, we have opted to use the RUSLE model based on geographic information systems. By collecting data on rainfall, soils, vegetation, slopes and conservation practices separately as a layer and determining the pixel values for each of these factors, a quantified assessment of erosion in the basin is obtained. The result reveals that the mean annual soil loss (15.22t/ha/yr) of the most parts of study area falls in tolerable levels and almost 66% (1594 ha), moderate level about 23% and 10% at high level of watershed. The soil loss of watershed is classified in to four main classes. None to Slight rates of soil erosion (0-10t/ha) is cover the almost 66% of watershed moderate about 23% and high about 10% of erosion rate as seen from the erosion rate distribution map. The upstream of catchment needs management and protection of those existing resources and the fundamental attention for SWC as recommended bases. Therefore, to reduce sedimentation problem and ensue sustainability of the watershed need to special attention for implementing recommended SWC intervention at the earlier.

Numerical Investigation of Wind Erosion to the Grooved Concrete Wall Surface under a Wind‐Blown Sand Movement

Wind erosion to the grooved concrete wall surface under a wind‐blown sand movement was numerically studied. Particularly, the influencing factors that affect the wind erosion to the grooved concrete wall surface were systematically investigated by using the RNG k − ε turbulence model combined with the discrete phase model (DPM). It was found that, under a relatively low impact angle, the damage mechanism to the grooved wall surface is wind‐blown sand impact, and the erosion rates of the grooved wall surfaces are higher than those of the smooth wall surfaces. By contrast, under a relatively high impact angle, the damage mechanism to the grooved wall surface transfers to the microcutting effect, and the erosion rates show an opposite trend. The optimization rates between the erosion of grooved and smooth wall surfaces increase with increasing groove size or groove number. However, the damage mechanism to the grooved wall surface is hardly changed by expanding the groove area. The erosion rate distribution and the optimization rates of the groove wall surfaces are not significantly changed by adjusting the spacing between the grooves alone. When the groove shape changes from semicircular to rectangular, the erosion rate distribution is significantly changed, and the wear resistance of the changed grooved wall surface gets better.

Failure mechanism of thermal barrier coatings of an ex-service aero-engine combustor

Failure mechanism analysis of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) on an ex-service aero-engine combustor is carried out. Microstructure, chemical composition, phase composition, and Young's modulus of TBCs are detected for three typical spallation areas as well as an as-sprayed sample for reference. A fluid-structure interaction simulation for the turbulent combustion is conducted to obtain the working temperature, fuel impurities mass fraction and dust particles erosion rate distribution on the TBCs surface. Results show that the maximum working temperature, the impurity mass fraction, and the sucked-in dust erosion rate correspond to the spallation at the outer liner complementary combustion zone (CCZ), the outer liner primary combustion zone (PCZ), and the inner liner of CCZ respectively. It is found the failure of TBCs at outer liner of CCZ is caused by high-temperature sintering, the infiltration of deposits is the main reason for the failure of TBCs at outer liner of PCZ, and the combination of sintering and particles impact is responsible for the failure of TBCs at inner liner of CCZ. Besides, the accumulation of inelastic strain in the vicinity of thermally growth oxide (TGO) caused by thermal stress may lead to formation and propagation of cohesive interfacial cracks.

Late Quaternary Tectonics, Incision, and Landscape Evolution of the Calchaquí River Catchment, Eastern Cordillera, NW Argentina

AbstractUnraveling the relative impacts of climate, tectonics, and lithology on landscape evolution is complicated by the temporal and spatial scale over which observations are made. We use soil and desert pavement classification, longitudinal river profiles, 10Be‐derived catchment mean modern and paleo‐erosion rates, and vertical incision rates to test whether, if we restrict our analyses to a spatial scale over which climate is relatively invariant, tectonic and lithologic factors will dominate the late Quaternary landscape evolution of the Calchaquí River Catchment, NW Argentina. We find that the spatial distribution of erosion rates, normalized channel steepness indices, and concavity indices reflect active tectonics and lithologic resistance. Knickpoints are spatially coincident with tectonic and/or lithologic discontinuities, indicating local base‐level control by faulting. Catchment mean erosion rates, ranging from 22.5 ± 2.6 to 121.9 ± 13.7 mm/kyr, and paleo‐erosion rates, ranging from 56 +43/‐19 to 105 +60/‐33 mm/kyr, are similar, possibly suggesting that Quaternary climate changes have not had a strong enough influence on erosion rates to be detected using cosmogenic 10Be. However, punctuated abandonment of pediment and strath terraces at 43.6 +15.0/‐11.6, 91.2 +54.2/‐22.2, and 151 +92.7/‐34.1 ka and disparities between vertical incision rates and catchment mean erosion rates could suggest periods of landscape transience, possibly reflecting climate cyclicity. Our results emphasize the role of tectonic uplift and lithologic contrasts in shaping long‐term erosion rates and channel morphology at the relatively local scale of the Calchaqui River Catchment, in contrast to regional‐scale studies which find precipitation to exert the dominant control.

Extracting information on the spatial variability in erosion rate stored in detrital cooling age distributions in river sands

Abstract. One of the main purposes of detrital thermochronology is to provide constraints on the regional-scale exhumation rate and its spatial variability in actively eroding mountain ranges. Procedures that use cooling age distributions coupled with hypsometry and thermal models have been developed in order to extract quantitative estimates of erosion rate and its spatial distribution, assuming steady state between tectonic uplift and erosion. This hypothesis precludes the use of these procedures to assess the likely transient response of mountain belts to changes in tectonic or climatic forcing. Other methods are based on an a priori knowledge of the in situ distribution of ages to interpret the detrital age distributions. In this paper, we describe a simple method that, using the observed detrital mineral age distributions collected along a river, allows us to extract information about the relative distribution of erosion rates in an eroding catchment without relying on a steady-state assumption, the value of thermal parameters or an a priori knowledge of in situ age distributions. The model is based on a relatively low number of parameters describing lithological variability among the various sub-catchments and their sizes and only uses the raw ages. The method we propose is tested against synthetic age distributions to demonstrate its accuracy and the optimum conditions for it use. In order to illustrate the method, we invert age distributions collected along the main trunk of the Tsangpo–Siang–Brahmaputra river system in the eastern Himalaya. From the inversion of the cooling age distributions we predict present-day erosion rates of the catchments along the Tsangpo–Siang–Brahmaputra river system, as well as some of its tributaries. We show that detrital age distributions contain dual information about present-day erosion rate, i.e., from the predicted distribution of surface ages within each catchment and from the relative contribution of any given catchment to the river distribution. The method additionally allows comparing modern erosion rates to long-term exhumation rates. We provide a simple implementation of the method in Python code within a Jupyter Notebook that includes the data used in this paper for illustration purposes.

Tectonic control of erosion in the southern Central Andes

Landscape evolution modeling and global compilations of exhumation data indicate that a wetter climate, mainly through orographic rainfall, can govern the spatial distribution of erosion rates and crustal strain across an orogenic wedge. However, detecting this link is not straightforward since these relationships can be modulated by tectonic forcing and/or obscured by heavy-tailed frequencies of catchment discharge. This study combines new and published along-strike average rates of catchment erosion constrained by 10Be and river-gauge data in the Central Andes between 28°S and 36°S. These data reveal a nearly identical latitudinal pattern in erosion rates on both sides of the range, reaching a maximum of 0.27 mm/a near 34°S. Collectively, data on topographic and fluvial relief, variability of rainfall and discharge, and crustal seismicity suggest that the along-strike pattern of erosion rates in the southern Central Andes is largely independent of climate, but closely relates to the N–S distribution of shallow crustal seismicity and diachronous surface uplift. The consistently high erosion rates on either side of the orogen near 34°S imply that climate plays a secondary role in the mass flux through an orogenic wedge where the perturbation to base level is similar on both sides.

Dominant parameters affecting the reliability of TBCs on a gas turbine blade during erosion by a particle-laden hot gas stream

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) with high brittleness usually exhibit uncertain lifetime due to their scattered mechanical properties and severe service conditions. Here we establish a method of assessing the reliability and the dominant parameters affecting the reliability of TBCs deposited onto a turbine blade substrate during erosion by a hot gas stream. An erosion rate model is established to analyse the failure of TBCs induced by a single solid particle. The velocity, angle, and erosion location of foreign particles attacking the TBCs in a hot gas stream are calculated via numerical simulation, and the distribution of erosion rate is obtained according to the erosion rate model of a single particle. Additionally, reliability methods along with sensitivity analysis are used to quantitatively assess the reliability of TBCs. The results indicate that the most significant parameter affecting the reliability is the pressure at turbine outlet, followed by the coating thickness and the rotational speed of rotor, while both exhibit more obvious effect than the lamella thickness. Moreover, possible approaches to improve the reliability of TBCs are also proposed based on the modeling study.

Soil erosion and its correlation with vegetation cover: An assesment using multispectral imagery and pixel-based geographic information system in Gesing Sub-Watershed, Central Java, Indonesia

Soil erosion in caused by five factors: rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope and slope length, crop management, and land conservation practices. In theory, vegetation as one of the affecting factors has inversed correlation with soil erosion. This research is aimed to: (1) model RUSLE using pixel-based GIS, and (2) prove whether or not vegetation really has the said correlation with the soil erosion that occurs in Gesing Watershed. The method used in this research is divided into two: the use of RUSLE to estimate the soil erosion rate; and the use of fractional vegetation cover (FVC) formula to estimate the vegetation density in the area. Both methods used Landsat-8 OLI imagery, which is used to extract the RUSLE parameters as well as to derive the vegetation density through NDVI, and pixel-based GIS. The mapping of soil erosion rate distribution done in this research demonstrated that pixel-based modeling is able to represent a much more detailed and logical distribution of a phenomenon. The distribution of soil erosion rate in Gesing Watershed showed that the erosion rate in this area is relatively minor. About 1425.99 hectares and 1587.57 hectares of the total area have erosion rate of 0 – 15 tons/ha/yr (very mild) and 15 – 60 tons/ha/yr (mild) respectively.