Laboratory experiments to determine the maximum size of sediment transported in shallow, rain-impacted flow were conducted in a recirculating flume 4·80 m long and 0·50 m wide. Rainfall intensities were varied between 51 and 138 mm h −1 , flow was introduced from a header tank into the flume at rates ranging from 0 to 0·64 1s −1 , and experiments were conducted on gradients between 3·5 and 10°. The following equation was developed:in which M is particle mass, L is distance moved in unit time (cm min −1 ), RE is rainfall energy (J m −2 s −1 ) and FE is flow energy (J m −2 s −1 ). This equation can be used to predict sediment-transport competence of interrill overland flow. The equation is limited in its utility insofar as it has been developed using quartz grains and takes no account of variations in absorption of rain energy by natural ground surfaces.
Abstract. The travel distances of particles ranging in size from 2.88 mm to 10.63 mm were investigated in !.?•.boratory simulations of interrill overland flow. Using travel distances scaled for differences,: among the experiments in flow and rainfall energy, a relationship between distance traveled and particle size is obtained that shows a steep reduction in travel distance with increase in particle size. Travel distance is the outcome of two probabilities: that of moving and that of coming to rest. In interrill flow, the former is controlled by rainfall energy, but the latter is controlled by flow energy. Analysis of subsets of the data in which only rainfall or flow energy varied shows that the steep reduction in travel distance with particle size is primarily due to sensitivity to flow energy. Although particle movement (entrainment) by rainfall energy does vary with particle size, the sensitivity is less. ( 1) in which M is particle mass (grams), L is distance moved in unit time (cm min-•), Er is rainfall energy (J m -2 S -1) and Ef is flow energy (J m -2 s-1). This relationship indicates thatsmaller particles are transported farther than larger particles and that effective particle transport is achieved in interrill flow only when both rainfall and flow energy are significant because the combined effect of rainfall energy and flow energy on particle transport is multiplicative. While this study demonstrates the importance of both rainfall and flow energy to particle transport, it describes only the relationship between rate of transport and total energy available. No data have been presented that clearly demonstrate the relationship between particle size and transport distance.
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