TY  - EJOU
AU  - Tang, Shanshan 
AU  - Li, Zhanbin 
AU  - Zhu, Xubin 
AU  - Li, Peng 
AU  - Feng, Zhaoyang 
AU  - Yang, Guoliang 
AU  - Chang, Huake 
AU  - Che, Zefeng 

TI  - Separation and Transport of Sediment Particles Due to the Erosion of Sand-Covered Slopes
T2  - Fluid Dynamics \& Materials Processing

PY  - 2025
VL  - 21
IS  - 4
SN  - 1555-2578

AB  - The particle size distribution plays a crucial role in the transportation and deposition of eroded sediments. Gaining insights into the related sorting mechanism can significantly enhance our understanding of such processes. In this study, sand-covered slopes were examined. A controlled indoor rainfall simulation was conducted on loess slopes with a 12° incline and a rainfall intensity of 1.5 mm/min. These slopes were then covered with sand layers of varying thicknesses—0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 cm—to observe their effects. The findings have revealed that as the thickness of the sand cover increases, the content of sediment particles smaller than 0.054 mm decreases. In contrast, the content of particles larger than 0.054 mm increases after the sixth minute of runoff. The eroded sediment was predominantly composed of silt. During the inter-rill erosion stage, runoff primarily transported particles larger than 0.054 mm. However, in the subsequent rill erosion and combined rill and inter-rill erosion stages, the runoff predominantly carried finer particles, smaller than 0.054 mm. Moreover, the presence of the sand layer significantly influenced the size and form of the eroded sediment particles. Initially, during the first 10 min of runoff, the eroded particles were predominantly larger than 0.054 mm. After this period, however, the particle size shifted, with the majority of particles being smaller than 0.054 mm. This study highlights the intricate relationship between sediment sorting, the thickness of sand covers, and the dynamics of sediment transport under rainfall-induced erosion.
KW  - Sand-covered slope; erosion; simulated rainfall; particle size; sediment sorting

DO  - 10.32604/fdmp.2025.057605