Laboratory study of using biopolymer to reduce wind erosion

摘要

This investigation is aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of biopolymer material in the suppression of wind erosion. Four different types of biopolymer (xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan and modified starches) were used in this study in three different concentrations (0.25, 0.50 and 0.75%). The effectiveness of the biopolymer on reducing soil erosion was measured from the mass loss of the specimens after being exposed to air device to simulate wind speeds similar to field conditions. Shear strength and liquid limits for treated specimens were measured and used to predict the loss of soil mass. Also, the effect of durability of biopolymer was studied through cycles of wet and dry. A neural network model was successfully used to predict the soil loss mass under different concentrations and cycles. The study verified the ability of biopolymer to reduce wind erosion; however, the erosion resistance varies according to the type of biopolymer used and its concentration. Although the effectiveness of biopolymer may be affected after different wet and dry cycles, the erosion resistance for soil treated with guar gum or modified starches is still noticeable even after the fifth cycle. Moreover, 0.5% biopolymer concentration is a sufficient percentage, as almost all specimens treated with this percentage can resist the wet/dry cycles till the fifth cycle.