College - Author 1
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Department - Author 1
Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Environmental Management and Protection
Date
10-2013
Primary Advisor
Christopher Surfleet
Abstract/Summary
This senior project examined road cuts and soil adjacent to the road cut, along Little Creek road. Contrasting a landslide hillslope complex to a hillslope drainage complex, the project also compared the organic soil horizon to the mineral soil horizon in both soil units. The soils were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative measures of soil properties. The project utilized a road cut inventory to note the characteristics of the road cut such as presence of rill erosion, rock outcrop and sloping degree of the road cut. The project derived the plasticity index for both organic and mineral horizons, and compared the plasticity indices across each soil hierarchal class and soil horizon. The plasticity index in the project was utilized as a quantitative measure of soil behavior and was used in this project as an auxiliary measure of soil strength. The plasticity index was then compared to the attributes recorded in the road cut inventory. The results indicate that differing hierarchal soil classes require different erosion management practices and even in close proximity soil may behave and erode differently
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/nrmsp/35