Determining the susceptibility of soils materials to erosion by rain-impacted flows

Abstract. Conceptually, rain has a capacity to cause erosion (rainfall erosivity) and soils have a susceptibility to erosion by rainfall (soil erodibility) but no absolute measure of rainfall erosivity exists. Consequently, soil erodibility is nothing more than an empirical coefficient in the relationship between an index of rainfall erosivity and soil loss. Erosion by rain-impacted flow is influenced by the size, velocity and impact frequency of the raindrops but also flow depth and velocity. Experiments with artificial rainfall falling on sloping surfaces in the field usually do not enable flow depth and velocity to be well measured or controlled. Also, sprays produce artificial rainfall where the spatial uniformity in rainfall intensity, drop size and frequency is often less than desirable. Artificial rainfall produced by pendant drop formers can produce rainfall that has better spatial uniformity. Equipment for controlling flow depth and velocity over eroding surfaces has been developed and used to calibrate the effect of flow depth on the discharge of sediment by rain-impacted flow using artificial rainfall having a uniform drop-size distribution under laboratory conditions. Once calibrated, laboratory experiments can be conducted to rank soils according to their susceptibility to erosion under the flows impacted by the artificial rainfall under conditions where the erosive stress applied to the eroding surface is well controlled.