Longitudinal Hillslope Shape Effects on Runoff and Sediment Loss: Laboratory Flume Experiments
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 144, Issue 2
Abstract
Catchment geomorphology is one of the most important factors governing runoff and erosion. However, its complexity is difficult to describe accurately; thus, for simplicity, many studies assume hillslopes with a uniform sloping profile. The influence of this simplification on estimating the rainfall-runoff and sediment loss processes is not well understood. In an effort to improve our understanding, this study relies on laboratory experiments using a movable rainfall simulator and a 6-m-long, 3-segment soil flume to simulate the effect of static and moving storms on differently shaped hillslopes: uniform, convex, concave, convex-concave, and concave-convex profiles. Therefore, variables, such as rainfall intensity, soil and water characteristics, and storm speed, were kept constant throughout the experiments. The work confirms empirically that storm movement and hillslope shape are central factors in the soil loss and overland flow processes. The results led to the following conclusions: (1) hillslope shape affected erosion for both nonmoving and moving rainstorms; (2) downslope moving storms led to higher runoff and sediment loss peaks than upslope moving storms; and (3) convex surfaces were the most hazardous in terms of the generation of runoff and erosion.
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Acknowledgments
This research was partly conducted within project HIRT—“Modelling surface hydrologic processes based on infrared thermography at local and field scales” (PTDC/ECM-HID/4259/2014—POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016668), funded by FCT, Portugal, and FEDER and through the strategic project UID/MAR/04292/2013 granted to MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Center by also FCT. The experimental work was conducted in collaboration with Cristiano Souza.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 144 • Issue 2 • February 2018
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 30, 2017
Accepted: Jul 5, 2017
Published online: Nov 28, 2017
Published in print: Feb 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Apr 28, 2018
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