CAUSES AND MECHANISMS OF COHESIVE SOIL EROSION: THE STATE OF THE ART

Abstract

THE PROCESSES OF EROSION OF COHESIVE SOIL ARE EXAMINED THROUGH A STUDY OF BASIC SOIL INDEX PROPERTIES, SOIL STRUCTURE AND FABRIC, AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL INTERACTION OF SOIL AND WATER. REPORTED STUDIES ARE EVALUATED TO DETERMINE THE FACTORS THAT INITIATE AND SUSTAIN EROSION. A WIDE VARIETY OF TEST PROCEDURES ARE STUDIED, INCLUDING JETS, ROTATING CYLINDERS, TUBE FLOW, FLUMES, AND FIELD DATA. IT IS FOUND THAT GENERALLLY USED SOIL CLASSIFICATION INDEXES HAVE NOT PROVED USEFUL AS EROSION PREDICTORS. STRUCTURAL INDEXES AND INDEXES DESCRIBING THE QUALITY OF THE PORE FLUID AND ERODING FLUID MUST BE ESTABLISHED FOR EACH CASE. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FORCE SYSTEMS ARE DEFINED TO ESTABLISH THE RATE AND INITIATION OF EROSION. THE PAPER CONCLUDES WITH A BRIEF STUDY OF SOME CURRENT METHODS USED TO STABILIZE ERODIBLE SOILS IN THE FIELD. /AUTHOR/