| Issue |
E3S Web Conf.
Volume 195, 2020
4th European Conference on Unsaturated Soils (E-UNSAT 2020)
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 01014 | |
| Number of page(s) | 7 | |
| Section | Field Studies and Engineering Applications | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202019501014 | |
| Published online | 16 October 2020 | |
Stabilization to prevent soil erosion using vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides L.) in slopes: a field case study of selected grounds at Guatemala
1 Departamento de Ingeniería, Universidad de Almería, La Cañada de San Urbano – 04120 - Almería, Spain
2 Escuela de Ingeniería Mecánica Industrial, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de San Carlos, Guatemala
3 Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales, Centro Mixto CSIC – Universidad de Sevilla. Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, Isla de la Cartuja – 41092 - Sevilla, Spain
* Corresponding author: egarzon@ual.es
The effects of Chrysopogon zizanioides (vetiver) on the hydrophysical properties of soils and infiltration rate have been determined. Thus, it has been examined the stabilization to prevent soil erosion using vetiver in slopes, studying a field case of selected grounds at Guatemala. The particle size analysis of the soil samples showed a predominant sand fraction and a plasticity index of 7.9 %. The results indicated that these soils were fairly acid with worthless salinity and non-swelling. The specific surface area, determined by nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis, ranged from 11.7 - 15.5 m2 /g and the pore sizes between 17-160 µm, which changed to 20-100 µm, with predominant pore size around 40 µm after cultivation. The characteristics of the soils showed the presence of cohesion (2.05 t/m2) and an internal friction angle Ф = 31.69º. After the plantation, it has been found a decrease in the cohesion and an increase of the internal friction angle. The sowing of vetiver affected the infiltration characteristics of the soil. An analysis using the Kostiakov-Lewis classical model, with a mathematical fitting, has been performed. From these results, it has been deduced that the slope protected using this plant diminished its infiltration rate, being associated to the compaction caused by the plant roots. The present results demonstrated that the plantation of vetiver is effective to stabilize and prevent slopes from the soil erosion caused by severe rainfall events.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences 2020
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