RT Journal Article
T1 The USLE soil erodibility nomograph revisited
A1 Corral Pazos de Provens, Eva
A1 Rapp Arrarás, Ígor
A1 Domingo Santos, Juan Manuel
AB The nomograph by Wischmeier et al. (1971) for calculating the K-factor in the USLE was extremely useful when there was low access to calculators. However, the generalised calculation of this factor requires the development of analytic procedures. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the nomograph and its underlying equation, which is applicable only when the silt plus very find sand fraction does not exceed 70%. We also examined the quality of fit on the nomograph of the adaptations to the equation that have been proposed, as a means of dealing with those areas where the original equation is not applicable. All models are shown to have areas where the fit is deficient or even unacceptable. Besides, the family of curves on the nomograph for the various values taken by the organic matter are not coincident with the mathematical function from which they presumably derive. The study also identifies those areas of the textural triangle in which the soils originally used in developing the USLE are located, with a view to according a lower predictive value to the contrasting areas in which calculations of the K-factor will necessarily be extrapolations. Finally, a new equation for calculating the K-factor is presented, which accurately reproduces the different sections of the nomograph, and allows the poorly functioning graph to be dispensed with. The paper ends with a link to a tool in R for simplifying the procedure for calculating the K-factor, taking into account varying situations of data availability.
PB Elsevier
SN 2095-6339 (electrónico)
YR 2023
FD 2023
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10272/22157
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10272/22157
LA eng
NO Corral-Pazos-de-Provens, E., Rapp-Arrarás, Í., & Domingo-Santos, J. M. (2023). The USLE soil erodibility nomograph revisited. In International Soil and Water Conservation Research (Vol. 11, Issue 1, pp. 1-13). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2022.07.001
NO Funding for Open Access charges: Universidad de Huelva
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
RD 31 may 2026