• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.337-343
• /
• 2011

A particular empirical equation for rainfall kinetic energy is needed to compute rainfall erosivity, calculated by the annual sum of the product of total rainfall energy and maximum 30-min rainfall intensity. If rainfall kinetic energy equation was different, rainfall erosivity will be produced differently. However, the previous studies in Korea had little concern about rainfall kinetic energy equation and it was not clear which rainfall kinetic energy is suitable for Korea. The purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate the difference of the rainfall erosivity based on different rainfall kinetic energy equations obtained from previous studies. This study introduced new rainfall erosivity factors based on rainfall kinetic energy equation of Noe and Kwon (1984) that is only regression model developed in Korea. Data of annual rainfall erosivity for 21 weather stations in 1980~1999 were used in this study. The result showed that rainfall erosivity factors by the previous equations had been about 10~20% overestimated than rainfall erosivity by Noe and Kwon (1984)'s equation in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.19 no.12
• /
• pp.15-23
• /
• 2018

The occurrence of soil erosions in Korea is mostly driven by flowing water which has a close relationship with rainfalls. The soil eroded by rainfalls flows into and deposits in the river and it polluted the water resources and making the rivers become difficult to be managed. Recently, the frequency of heavy rainfall events that are more than 30 mm/hr has been increasing in Korea due to the influence of climate change, which creating a favourable condition for the occurrence of soil erosion within a short time. In this study, we proposed a method to estimate the distribution of rainfall intensity and to calculate the energy produced by a single rainfall event using the cumulative distribution function that take into account of the physical characteristics of rainfall. The raindrops kinetic energy estimated by the proposed method are compared with the measured data from the previous studies and it is noticed that the raindrops kinetic energy estimated by the rainfall intensity variation is very similar to the results concluded from the previous studies. In order to develop an equation for estimating rainfall kinetic energy, rainfall particle size data measured at a rainfall intensity of 0.254~152.4 mm/hr were used. The rainfall kinetic energy estimated by applying the cumulative distribution function tended to increase in the form of a power function in the relation of rainfall intensity. Based on the equation obtained from this relationship, the rainfall kinetic energy of 1~80 mm/hr rainfall intensity was estimated to be $0.03{\sim}48.26Jm^{-2}mm^{-1}$. Based on the relationship between rainfall intensity and rainfall energy, rainfall kinetic energy equation is proposed as a power function form and it is expected that it can be used in the design of short-term operated facility such as the sizing of sedimentation basin that requires prediction of soil loss by a single rainfall event.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
• /
• 2008.05a
• /
• pp.234-238
• /
• 2008

The energy conservation theory is introduced for investigating processes of runoff and soil erosion on the hillslope system changed vegetation condition by wildfire The rainfall energy, input energy consisted of kinetic and potential energy, is influenced by vegetation coverage and height. Output energy at the outlet of hillslope is decided as the kinetic energy of runoff and erosion soil, and mechanical work according to moving water and soil is influenced dominantly by the work rather than the kinetic energy. Relationship between output and input energy is possible to calculate the energy loss in the runoff and erosion process. The absolute value of the energy loss is controlled by the input energy size of rainfall because energy losses of runoff increase as many rainfall pass through the hillslope system. The energy coefficient which is dimensionless is defined as the ratio of input energy of rainfall to output energy of runoff water and erosion soil such as runoff coefficient. The energy coefficient and runoff coefficient showed the highest correlation coefficient with the vegetation coverage. Maximum energy coefficient is about 0.5 in the hillslope system. The energy theory for output energy of runoff and soil erosion is presented by the energy coefficient theory associated with vegetation factor. Also runoff and erosion soil resulting output energy have the relation of power function and the rates of these increase with rainfall.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.45-55
• /
• 2019

Climate change has significantly affected the rainfall characteristics which can influence the pollutant build-up and wash-off patterns from the catchment. Therefore, this study explored the influence of varying rainfall characteristics on urban and agricultural runoff pollutant export using statistical approaches. For this purpose, Mann-Kendall and Pettitt's test were applied to detect the trend and breakpoint in rainfall characteristics time series. In addition, double mass curve and correlation analysis were used to drive the relationship between rainfall-runoff and pollutant exports from both catchments. The results indicate a significant decreased in total rainfall and average rainfall intensity, while a significant increased trend for antecedents dry days and total storm duration over the study periods. The breakpoint was determined to be 2013 which shows remarkable trend shifts for total rainfall, average rainfall intensity and antecedents dry days except total duration. Double mass curve exhibited a straight line with significant rainfall-runoff relationship indicates a climate change effect on both sites. Overall, higher pollutant exports were observed at both sites during the baseline period as compared to change periods. In agricultural site, most of the pollutants exhibited significant (p< 0.05) association with total rainfall, average rainfall intensity and total storm duration. In contrast, pollutants from urban site significantly correlated with antecedent dry days and average rainfall intensity. Thus, total rainfall, average rainfall intensity and total duration were the significant factors for the agricultural catchment while, antecedents dry days and average rainfall intensity were key factors in build-up and wash-off from the urban catchment.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.111-118
• /
• 2020

The rainfall kinetic energy equation derived in the USA has been used in South Korea to quantitatively estimate the amount of soil erosion caused by rainfall for the past 40 years. It is critical to analyze the characteristics of rainfall kinetic energy that causes soil erosion from measured storm events in the study area because the characteristics depend on climate, region, and time. The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics in Seoul, South Korea, and the data of the Parsivel rain gauge measured in Seoul for 3 years was used for the current study. This study focuses on deriving the relationship between rainfall kinetic energy and rainfall intensity among the data measured by the Parsivel. The new rainfall kinetic energy equation in Seoul is proposed and compared with the previous equations used in South Korea.

• Water for future
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.47-54
• /
• 1976

The research are intend to establish the design criteria for slopy upland reclamation, with protecting the loss of top-soil, Recently undertaken reclamation works for developing the slopy upland of 310,000 ha. have faced to the vagueness of their deign criteria. One of the most influencing factors to cause the soil erosion depends basically upon the kinematic energy of rainfall, which is developed by the rainfall intensity. Their relationship between the rainfall and its kinematic energy is expressed as EK=916+ 331 log I. Consequently, the study was carried out through analyzing each intensity of the independant rainfall through out the 14 rainfall stations. About 10,000 single storms self recording chart of more than 10mm of rainfall amout were collected and analyzed by computer. The results of research show their kinematic energy for the 14 stations, and will be available for the establishment of the design oriteria.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.48 no.7
• /
• pp.595-604
• /
• 2015

Interrill erosion by the rainfall is divided into a detachment of soil particles by raindrop splash when raindrops having kinetic energy strike on the surface soil and a sediment transport by sheet flow of surface runoff. Rainfall kinetic energy is widely used as an indicator expressing the potential ability to separate the soil particles from soil mass. In this study, the soil erosion experiments of rainfall simulation were operated to evaluate the effects of rainfall kinetic energy on interrill erosion as using the strip cover to control raindrop impact. The kinetic energy from rainfall simulator was 0.58 times to that of natural rainfall. Surface runoff and subsurface runoff increased and decreased respectively with increase of rainfall intensity. Surface runoff discharge from plots of non-cover was 1.82 times more than that from plots with cover. The rainfall kinetic energy influenced on the starting time of surface and subsurface runoff. Soil erosion quantity greatly varied according to existence of the surface cover that can intercept rainfall energy. Sediment yields by the interaction between raindrop splash and sheet flow increased 3.6~5.9 times and the increase rates of those decreased with rainfall intensity. As a results from analysis of relationship between stream power and sediment yields, rainfall kinetic energy increased the transport capacity according to increase of surface runoff as well as the detachment of soil particles by raindrop splash.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.105-122
• /
• 2016

To evaluate the changes in the physical characteristics of open rainfall related to canopy effects and rainfall intensity in Korea, the terminal velocity of raindrops and drop size distributions(DSD) were continuously measured by an optical-laser disdrometer in an open site(Op) and in two forest stands(Th1: Larix leptolepis, Th2: Pinus koraiensis) during five rainfall events in 2008. The terminal velocity, DSD and two forms of kinetic energy(KE, $Jm^{-2}$ $mm^{-1}$; KER, $Jm^{-2}$ $h^{-1}$) of open rainfall drops were determined and were compared with those of throughfall drops under two different canopy heights. The effects of the canopy and rainfall intensity, together with wind speed, on the changes in drop size and kinetic energy of throughfall were evaluated. Throughfall drops were larger than open rainfall drops. The distribution of terminal velocities for the drop sizes measured at Th2 was lower than that at Op; however, at Th1 the distribution was similar to that at Op. The total kinetic energy of throughfall at Th1 and Th2 was higher than the total kinetic energy of open rainfall, and the kinetic energy distribution for the drop sizes wassimilar to the drop size distribution. The observed throughfall-KER at Th1 was lower than an estimate previously produced using a model. The overestimation from the modeled value at Th1 was likely to be due to overestimated values of a square root transformation of fall height and its coefficient in the model because the distributions of terminal velocity for the drop size measured at Th1 were similar to those of open rainfall.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.415-420
• /
• 2002

The previous dynamic food chain model was improved for the consideration of the influence of radioactive contamination to agricultural products due to rain during the environmental releases of radionuclides in a nuclear accident Wet interception coefficients for the agricultural plants were derived as a function of radionuclide and rainfall amount, and mathematical formulations of the previous model were modified. As a result, rain during accidental releases was influential in agricultural contamination. The contamination level of agricultural products decreased dramatically according to increasing rainfall amount. It means that predictive concentrations in agricultural products using the previous model, in which dry interception to the agricultural plants is only considered, can be overestimated. The influence of rainfall in agricultural contamination was the most sensitive for $^{131}$ I, and the least sensitive for $^{90}$ Sr among the radionuclides considered in this study.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
• /
• 2022.05a
• /
• pp.151-151
• /
• 2022

The impact of raindrops on the soil surface causes soil detachment, which may be estimated by measuring the kinetic energy (KE) of the raindrops. Since direct measurements of rainfall force on ground surfaces are not generally available, empirical equations are an alternative option to estimate KE from rainfall intensity (I), which has the greatest influence over soil erosion and is easily accessible. Establishing the optimal formulation for the relationship between kinetic energy and rainfall intensity has proven to be difficult. Thus, this research considered thirty-seven rainfall events observed from June 2020 to December 2021 using a laster optical disdrometer erected in Kyungpook National University to examine the characteristics of KE-I relationships. We concentrated our discussion on the formation of two different expressions of the KE, including KE expenditure (KE_exp) and KE content (KE_con). The following conclusions were drawn: (1) We employed statistical analysis to demonstrate that the KE_exp is more suitable expression for establishing an empirical rule between KE and I than the KE_con. (2) A power-law model was used to find the best correlation between KE_exp-I relationship, whereas the best match between KE_con and I were found using an exponential equation.