Modeling Rainfall Erosivity by Measured Drop-Size Distributions
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 20, Issue 6
Abstract
The study of the detachment of soil particles due to rainfall erosivity requires knowledge of the energetic characteristics of the precipitation. In this paper, following a review of both the drop-size distribution (DSD) proposed by one researcher and the corresponding relationship for evaluating the kinetic power of rainfall, the reliability of that researcher’s DSD using the size distributions of raindrops detected by an optical disdrometer installed at Palermo (Sicily) is experimentally tested. Finally, an experimental verification of both the relationship proposed by two separate research teams for evaluating the specific and unit rainfall kinetic energy is carried out.
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© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 6, 2014
Accepted: Jul 24, 2014
Published online: Sep 11, 2014
Discussion open until: Feb 11, 2015
Published in print: Jun 1, 2015
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