CE 394K.

2 Hydrology

Infiltration
Reading AH Sec 5.1 to 5.5

Some of the subsequent slides were

prepared by Venkatesh Merwade
 Darcy’s Law
• K = hydraulic conductivity
• q = specific discharge
• V = q/n = average velocity through the
area
∆h
Q = − KA
L
Q hdown − hup
q = = −K
A ∂h L
 qz  =−K
∂z
 Richard’s Equation
• Recall
∂h
– Darcy’s Law q z =− K
∂z
– Total head
• So Darcy becomes
∂ ( Ψ + z) q z =− K
∂Ψ
−K
q z =− K
∂z ∂z
∂Ψ ∂Ψ ∂θ
D =K
∂θ =−  K + K 
 ∂θ ∂z 
Soil water diffusivity
 ∂θ 
=−  D +K
 ∂z 
• Continuity becomes
∂θ ∂q ∂  ∂θ 
= − = D +K
∂t ∂z ∂z  ∂z 
 Infiltration
• General
– Process of water penetrating θ
from ground into soil Saturation Zone
– Factors affecting Transition θ
Zone
• Condition of soil surface,
vegetative cover, soil
properties, hydraulic
conductivity, antecedent soil Transmission
moisture Zone
– Four zones
• Saturated, transmission,
wetting, and wetting front Wetting Zone

Wetting Front

depth
 Philips Equation
– Assume K and D are
∂t ∂ z 
• Recall Richard’s Equation   ∂θ = ∂ D ∂ θ K
∂z 
functions of θ , not z
• Solution
– Two terms represent
effects of
F (t ) = St 1/ 2 + Kt
• Suction head
• Gravity head 1 −1/ 2
• S – Sorptivity f (t ) = St +K
2
– Function of soil suction
potential
– Found from experiment
 Infiltration into a horizontal soil
column
Θ = Θo for x = 0, t > 0 Boundary conditions

Θ = Θn for t = 0, x > 0

x
0

∂θ ∂ ∂θ
Equation: = D
∂t ∂x ∂z
Measurement of Diffusivity by
Evaporation from Soil Cores
Air stream

x
q = soil water flux = evaporation rate

∂θ
q=D
∂x
 Measurement of Diffusivity by
Evaporation from Soil Cores

http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2006/poster/water/4521_deeryd.htm
 Numerical Solution of Richard’s
Equation

(Ernest To)

http://www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/maidment/GradHydro2007/Ex4/Ex4Soln.doc
Implicit Numerical Solution of
Richard’s Equation
t (j)
j
j -1 x (i)
i-1 i i+1
Implicit Numerical Solution of
Richard’s Equation
Matrix solution of the equations
Θ
f
F
 Definitions
Element of soil, V
(Saturated)
V = gross volume of element Pore with
water
Vv = volume of pores solid
Vs = volume of solids
Vw = volume of water
Vv Pore with
n = = porosity air
V
Vw
S= = saturation; 0 ≤ S ≤ 1
Vv
V Element of soil, V
θ = w = nS = moisture content; 0 ≤ θ ≤ n (Unsaturated)
V
 Infiltration
• Infiltration rate f (t )
– Rate at which water enters the soil at the surface
(in/hr or cm/hr)
• Cumulative infiltration
– Accumulated depth of water infiltrating during given
time period
t
F (t ) = ∫ f (τ )dτ
0

dF (t )
f (t ) =
dt
 Infiltration Methods
• Horton and Phillips
– Infiltration models developed as approximate
solutions of an exact theory (Richard’s
Equation)
• Green – Ampt
– Infiltration model developed from an
approximate theory to an exact solution
 Hortonian Infiltration
• Recall Richard’s   
∂θ ∂ ∂ θ
= D K
∂t ∂ z ∂ z 
Equation
∂θ ∂ 2θ ∂K
– Assume K and D are =D 2 +
∂t ∂z ∂z
constants, not a function
of θ or z ∂θ ∂ 2θ 0
=D 2
∂t ∂z
• Solve for moisture
diffusion at surface

f (t ) = f c + ( f 0 − f c )e − kt

f0 initial infiltration rate, fc is constant rate and k is

decay constant
 Hortonian Infiltration
3.5

3 f0

2.5
Infiltration rate, f

k1
2
k1 < k2 < k3
1.5
k2

1
k3

0.5 fc

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
Time
 Philips Equation
∂θ ∂  ∂θ 
• Recall Richard’s Equation = D +K
∂t ∂z  ∂z 
– Assume K and D are
functions of θ , not z
• Solution
– Two terms represent
effects of
F (t ) = St 1/ 2 + Kt
• Suction head
• Gravity head 1 −1/ 2
• S – Sorptivity f (t ) = St +K
2
– Function of soil suction
potential
– Found from experiment
 Green – Ampt Infiltration
L = Depth to Wetting Front h0
Ponded Water
θ i = Initial Soil Moisture
Ground Surface θ
  F t =L η−θ i =L Δ θ
Wetted Zone
L
dF dL
f = = ∆θ
dt dt
Wetting Front
∂h
q z =− K =−f
∂z θi ∆θ

n
∂ψ
  f  =K K
∂z
z Dry Soil
 Green – Ampt Ground Surface
θ

Infiltration (Cont.) Wetted Zone L

∂ψ
f=K +K
∂z Wetting Front

• Apply finite difference to the θi ∆θ

derivative, between η
– Ground surface z = 0,ψ = 0 z
Dry Soil
– Wetting front z = L,ψ = ψ f
∂Ψ
ψ f −0 f=K +K
∂ψ ∆ψ ∂z
f=K +K =K +K =K +K
∂z ∆z L−0

F (t ) = L∆θ
 ∆θ ψf 
L=
F f = K  + 1
∆θ  F 
 Green – Ampt Ground Surface
θ

Infiltration (Cont.) Wetted Zone L

 ∆θ ψf  dL

f = K + 1 f = ∆θ Wetting Front
 F  dt
θi ∆θ
F (t ) = L∆θ
η
dL ψ f 
∆θ = K  + 1
dt  L  z
Dry Soil

K ψ f dL Evaluate the constant of integration

dt =dL −
∆θ ψ f +L L = 0 @t = 0
Integrate C = ψ f ln(ψ f )
K
t =L −ψ f ln(ψ f + L) + C ψ f
∆θ Kt =L∆θ − ∆θ ψf ln( )
ψ f +L
 Green – Ampt Infiltration Ground Surface
θ

(Cont.) Wetted Zone L

ψ f
Kt =L∆θ − ∆θ ψf ln( ) Wetting Front
ψ f +L θi ∆θ

F
F = Kt + ∆θ ψf ln(1 + ) z
∆θ ψf Dry Soil

 ∆θ ψf 
f = K  + 1 Nonlinear equation, requiring iterative solution.
 F 

See: http://www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/mckinney/ce311k/Lab/Lab8/Lab8.html
 Soil Parameters
• Green-Ampt model requires
– Hydraulic conductivity, Porosity, Wetting Front
Suction Head
– Brooks and Corey
θ −θr
se = Effective
θe saturation

θe = n −θr Effective
porosity
Soil Class Porosit
∆θ = (1 − se )θ e
 Ponding time
• Elapsed time between the time rainfall
begins and the time water begins to pond
on the soil surface (tp)
 Ponding Time

Infiltration rate, f
• Up to the time of ponding, Potential
Infiltration

all rainfall has infiltrated (i

= rainfall rate) i Rainfall

f =i F = i *t p Actual Infiltration

 ∆θ ψf  Time

f = K + 1

Infiltration, F
Accumulated

Cumulative
Rainfall
 F  Infiltration

 ∆θ ψf 
i = K + 1 Fp = i * t p
 i *t p 
 
∆θ ψf
tp= K
i (i − K ) tp Time
 Example
• Silty-Loam soil, 30%
θ e = 0.486
effective saturation, ψ = 16.7 cm
rainfall 5 cm/hr K = 0.65 cm / hr
intensity se = 0.30

∆θ = (1 − se )θ e = (1 − 0.3)(0.486) = 0.340
ψ∆θ = 16.7 * 0.340
∆θ ψf 5.68
tp= K = 0.65 = 0.17 hr
i (i − K ) 5.0(5.0 − 0.65)(i − K )