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Use of axisymmetric infiltration model and field data to determine hydraulic properties of soils
Author(s) -
Jeppson Roland W.,
Rawls Walter J.,
Hamon W. Russell,
Schreiber David L.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr011i001p00127
Subject(s) - infiltrometer , infiltration (hvac) , hydraulic conductivity , rotational symmetry , saturation (graph theory) , soil water , geotechnical engineering , soil science , capillary pressure , richards equation , environmental science , mechanics , geology , hydrology (agriculture) , materials science , mathematics , porous medium , porosity , physics , combinatorics , composite material
A numerical model is described for solving axisymmetric infiltration problems. The model uses saturation‐capillary pressure data and a modified Burdine equation to develop reasonable estimates of relative hydraulic conductivity. A specially designed infiltrometer and a field data collection system, which provide infiltration capacity, saturation‐time, and saturation‐capillary pressure data, are also described. The numerical solutions were fitted to the field data to define the hydraulic properties of the soil. Close agreement was found between the numerical model solutions and the field measurements for two sites on the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in southwestern Idaho. A feasible method was developed for determining the hydraulic properties of surface soils under natural conditions.