title: Particle size distribution of accumulated sediments on an urban road in rainy weather.
abstract: The study of the behavior of deposited sediments on an urban surface serves to determine its characteristics of build-up, in dry periods, and of wash-off, during a rain event. Thus, these can be used later to indicate the presence of pollutants in an area. This paper presents data regarding the sediment collected on a road surface in the city of Torrelavega in northern Spain during a period of 65 days during which 132 samples were collected. The rainfall during the sampling period corresponded to 29% of the total rainfall registered in the same year. Two types of sediment collection samples were obtained: vacuumed dry samples (free load) and those swept up following vacuuming (fixed load). For each type of collected sample, the sediment loading, particle size distribution in seven fractions and moisture were determined. The data showed that the sediment loading (g m(-2)) and vacuumed availability of the load that was more strongly adhered to the surface, "fixed load", increases with the number of dry days. The particle size distribution of the collected sediment tended to be finer with the increase in number of dry days. Particle sizes less than 125 microm presented the greater rate of accumulation in dry weather and those less than 500 microm, the greater susceptibility to being washed off during a storm event.
authors.affiliation: Facultad del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Ingeniería Ambiental, Universidad Distrital F. J. C., Avda. Circunvalar Venado de Oro, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Zafra
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Temprano
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tejero
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D010316:Particle Size; D011891:Rain
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants