Objective This study aims to investigate the mechanisms by which freeze-thaw action affects rill erosion. Methods Laboratory flume scouring experiments were conducted to analyze rill sediment transport characteristics under different combinations of flow rate (q) and slope gradient (S), and sediment transport capacity factor models were constructed. Results 1) Freeze-thaw action increased the sediment transport capacity of rills by up to 34.34%, with a pronounced dependence on slope gradient and flow rate. Additionally, it shortened the critical slope length from 6.8~8.1 m to 5.3~6.4 m. 2) The sediment transport capacity maintained a linear relationship with flow rate (Tc=Aq) both before and after freeze-thaw processes, while its relationship with slope changed. Before freeze-thaw, it increased exponentially with slope (Tc=-ae(-S/b)+c), while after freeze-thaw, it followed a power-law growth (Tc=dSf ). The established models, Tc=-0.041 4+0.110 1S+192.5q before freeze-thaw and Tc=-0.039 8+0.107 7S+213.2q after freeze-thaw, exhibited high accuracy (R²=0.96). The changes in these coefficients indicated that the influence of flow rate on sediment transport capacity increased while that of slope decreased after freeze-thaw. Conclusions Overall, freeze-thaw action alters soil structure, enhances the sediment transport capacity of rills, and modifies the slope response relationship. Model comparisons indicate that freeze-thaw action, soil bulk density, soil type, and experimental settings all affect the prediction performance of the models. These findings provide important theoretical support for soil erosion prediction and control in alpine regions.
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