Sediment Transportation Mechanics: Wind Erosion and Transportation

The mechanics of wind erosion is a broad, complex subject. The transport of soil material by wind is a special case of the broader field of the transport of solids by fluids. Certain fundamental and relatively great differences exist, however, between the transport of material by wind as compared to its transport by water. For example, soil as it is exposed to wind erosion is made up of solid, liquid, and gaseous components whereas soil exposed to water erosion is made up principally of solid and liquid components. The greatest fundamental difference between air and water transportation, however, is associated with the difference in density of the fluid media. Such variables as wind, surface, topography, soil, and surface effects must be studied to gain a picture of the wind erosion problem. Beginning with the von Kármán-Prandtl equation, this report examines the existing knowledge in this area of sediment transportation mechanics.