doi: 10.18178/ijesd.2026.17.5.1612
Experimental Study of Sediment Detachment Capacity by Overland Flow Using Hydrodynamic Parameters
Zuliziana Suif1,*
,
Jestin Jelani1 ,
Nordila Ahmad1 ,
Latifah Sarah Supian2 ,
Alya Qaisara Ahmad Khairul1
- 1Department Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National Defence University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- 2Department of Electrical and Electronics, Faculty of Engineering, National Defence University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Manuscript receivedJanuary 5, 2026
- revisedFebruary 23, 2026
- acceptedMay 13, 2026
- publishedOctober 23, 2026
Abstract
Sediment detachment by overland flow is a critical process in soil erosion, influencing land degradation, sediment transport, and water quality. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between flow rate, slope gradient, and hydrodynamic parameters on the sediment detachment capacity and to develop an empirical model to estimate sediment detachment capacity based on a multifactor effect. An experiment was conducted using a flume channel to test soil samples with various flow rates (6 L·min-1, 10 L·min-1, and 14 L·min-1), slope gradients (4°, 8°, and 12°), and soil cover (bare and vegetative). The results indicated that bare soil exhibits a significantly higher sediment detachment capacity than vegetative soil across all tested hydrodynamic parameters, including flow velocity, shear stress, unit stream power, and root parameters. A multifactorial mathematical model was developed to estimate soil detachment capacity based on hydrodynamic parameters for both bare and vegetative soil. The model showed varying degrees of predictive accuracy, with the vegetative samples (R2 = 0.4173; RMSE = 0.0041) performing better than the bare soil samples (R2 = 0.1138; RMSE = 0.0133), where the low R2 reflects the high stochasticity of detachment on unprotected surfaces. Based on correlation analysis and regression, shear stress, unit stream power, and root density were identified as the most significant predictors of soil detachment capacity in the study area. Overall, the study findings provide insight into better soil conservation practices that minimize soil erosion, leading to improved water sources.
Keywords
- sediment detachment capacity
- hydrodynamic parameters
- overland flow
- multifactor analysis
- soil erosion
How to Cite
Zuliziana Suif, Jestin Jelani, Nordila Ahmad, Latifah Sarah Supian, and Alya Qaisara Ahmad Khairul, "Experimental Study of Sediment Detachment Capacity by Overland Flow Using Hydrodynamic Parameters," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 520-525, 2026. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijesd.2026.17.5.1612
Copyright & License
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).