Design, fabrication and evaluation of a measuring device for relative erodibility of soil to wind erosion

With regards to the wind erosion phenomenon importance, it is vital to quick identification of areas that are sensitive to dust removal and wind erosion processes. In this research, a lightweight and efficient device is designed, fabricated and evaluated in order to create conditions for applying constant wind stress on soil particle surfaces and measuring erosive particles. The production of wind power by a blower and measuring the amount of loose and unstable particles that were harvested in the reservoir with the highest efficiency were the principles of designing the device. The prototype of the device was designed using components and parts, and the device was evaluated in the field. The device is usable by a user in the field without the need for a power generator and the weight of the particles collected in the tank indicates the relative erodibility of the test site to the wind. Using the air filter bag (tank), it was possible to achieve a minimum loss of fine particulate matter and has been reduced the measure of less than the actual amount of land erosion. The result of the comparison of the sensitivity of soil sensitivity to erosion by the device in desert lands of northern Yazd-Ardakan Plain with the height of winding of the soil with the installation of the index showed that this device has good capability (R2</sup>= 0.57) in the rapid detection of areas susceptible to wind and without measuring physical and chemical properties of the soil, there is an early identification of wind erosion-sensitive land. This device does not actually simulate the natural processes of wind erosion created by the particle saltation, but using it, a new index can be obtained for assessing soil erodibility and subsequently identified the location of dust emissions.