HR: 1340h
AN: H53C-1398    [Abstracts]
TI: Quantifying the effects of soil compaction on runoff and erosion
AU: * Wernet, A K
EM: wernet@rohan.sdsu.edu
AF: San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-1324, United States
AU: Scholl, B N
EM: bnscholl@earthlink.net
AF: San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-1324, United States
AU: Ferrel, L
EM: lferrell@rohan.sdsu.edu
AF: San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-1324, United States
AU: Beighley, R E
EM: beighley@mail.sdsu.edu
AF: San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-1324, United States
AB: Anthropogenic activities, such as construction, alter the Earth's surface by disturbing the landscape and intensifying erosion processes. As construction continues rapidly worldwide, emphasis is being focused on improving construction techniques for minimizing soil erosion and improving stormwater quality. The challenge on construction sites is that soil surface conditions are dramatically modified in terms of depth and density throughout the various phases of earthwork. In addition, the current understanding of how altered soil density impacts infiltration and soil erosion during rainfall events is limited. The objective of this research is to quantify and explain the effects of soil compaction on runoff and erosion for bare soil conditions. Laboratory experiments were performed in the Soil Erosion Research Laboratory (SERL) at San Diego State University. SERL experiments utilize a 3-m by 10-m tilting soil bed with a soil depth of 0.5 meters and a slope of 33 percent. The simulated storm event consists of two periods: 51 mm/hr (2 in/hr) for 20 minutes, followed by 102 mm/hr (4 in/hr) for 30 minutes. The storm event is based on an ASTM design storm intended to simulate BMP failures. All experiments where preformed using a Sandy Loam soil (USDA). Soil densities were varied from 1.2 to 1.6 g/cm³. Based on the experimental data sediment to runoff ratios vary from 0.3 to 0.5 Kg/L depending on soil density. Preliminary results show that the relationship between soil erosion and soil density initially decreases to a minimum, then increases until becoming stationary. This relationship is explained by characterizing the runoff and erosive processes at varying soil densities. A primary factor in this research is the decrease infiltration capacity with increasing soil density.
UR: http://spatialhydro.sdsu.edu
DE: 1803 Anthropogenic effects (4802, 4902)
DE: 1815 Erosion
DE: 1834 Human impacts
DE: 1838 Infiltration
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting