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A Laboratory Rainfall Simulator for Infiltration and Soil Detachment Studies¹

ABSTRACT

A laboratory rainfall simulator with high intensity precision and nearly uniform rain distribution was developed for studying rain infiltration into soils and soil detachability by rainfall. The rainfall simulator consists of an assembly of closely packed hypodermic syringes with plungers driven by a common plate. Rainfall intensity is determined by controlling the plunger speed at variable motor speeds. Rain is distributed uniformly by superpositioning three independent motions—rotation, and perpendicular and linear motions in the horizontal plane. Rainfall intensities were generally within 2.5% of predicted values. The average coefficient of variation of rain distribution for various rainfall intensities over a 100-cm² area was reduced from 31.9% with no motion to 8.5% with rotation and linear motions.

¹ Contribution from the Dep. of Agronomy, Purdue Univ., and the USDA, ARS, West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue Agr. Exp. Sta. Journal Paper No. 5552.

² Soil Scientist, now USDA Sedimentation Lab., Oxford, Miss., and Research Associate, Associate Professor, and Assistant Professor, Dep. of Agronomy, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, Ind., respectively.

Received for publication September 18, 1974. Accepted for publication October 21, 1974.