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Evolution and spatio-temporal characteristics of slope erosion due to rainfall in Southwest China

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Abstract

Soil in rainy and moist regions is influenced by heavy rainfall, which results in erosion from exposed slopes; local collapse and landslide may occur with the evolution of slope erosion. To determine the time–space effect of heavy rainfall on a slope, an in situ model test of a granite slope that was completely decomposed due to rainfall was conducted. The resistivity profile and surface shape parameters of the slope under continuous rainfall were monitored through electrical measurements and three-dimensional laser scanning. Infiltration and slope erosion evolution were analyzed based on the relationships between erosion rate and resistivity. With an increase in rainfall duration, a creep-type growth trend was observed for rill density on the slope surface with rill density change rates of approximately 0.6%/h, 0.1%/h, and 0.7%/h. A gradual decreasing trend of rill density was observed from the bottom to the top of the slope, and the decrease was approximately three times. When the rainfall duration was 12 h, a step-type growth trend for erosion rate was observed from 8.0–11.3 to 21.8–38.8%, i.e., an increase of approximately three times, indicating a transition from low-speed to high-speed growth in erosion. A gradual decreasing trend erosion rate was observed from the shallow to deep part of the slope; the average growth rates were 33.0%, 15.2%, and 4.9% when the rainfall duration was 16 h.

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Data availability

Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request.

Abbreviations

ΔU :

Potential difference

I :

Current intensity

ρ s :

Apparent resistivity

K :

Electrode arrangement coefficient

ρ :

Resistivity

ω :

Moisture content

α :

Horizontal scanning angle

θ :

Vertical scanning angle

S :

Distance measured by 3D laser scanning

Δρ 0 :

Resistivity growth rate

Δρ :

Resistivity change rate

∆W S :

Soil erosion change rate

a, b, c :

Coefficient related to soil water content and other factors

P :

Precipitation

σ :

Conductivity

x :

Total number of rills

y :

Number of measurements per rill

n :

Number of states

n i :

Number of ion units

Z :

Ion valence

e :

Electronic charge

T :

Absolute temperature

D :

Diffusion coefficient

∆ρ ω :

Resistivity change rate due to moisture content

∆ρ W :

Resistivity change rate due to soil erosion

t :

Rainfall duration

L AB :

Electrode spacing

ρ 0 :

Resistivity at t = 0

μ:

Rill density.

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Funding

This study was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFC1504504).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Key Laboratory for Digital Maintenance of Buildings and Infrastructure, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan-Road, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Ganglie Yuan & Ailan Che

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  1. Ganglie Yuan
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  2. Ailan Che
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Correspondence to Ailan Che.

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Yuan, G., Che, A. Evolution and spatio-temporal characteristics of slope erosion due to rainfall in Southwest China. Bull Eng Geol Environ 81, 270 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-022-02767-z

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