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A Green‐Ampt Model of infiltration in a cracked soil
Author(s) -
Davidson Malcolm R.
Publication year - 1984
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/wr020i011p01685
Subject(s) - infiltration (hvac) , front (military) , geotechnical engineering , moisture , mechanics , water content , wetting , geology , materials science , composite material , physics , oceanography
The motion of the wetting front in a two‐dimensional Green‐Ampt model of infiltration into a soil containing regularly spaced water‐filled vertical cracks is traced using a stepwise numerical procedure which progressively solves an integral equation for the velocity at points on the front at each time step. Initially, the calculated front exhibits a mushrooming effect at its base which diminishes both with time and as moisture potential becomes more negative. The shape of the front is independent of crack spacing/depth ratio until the interaction of wetted tongues emanating from adjacent cracks. Thereafter the front becomes flatter and advances further (cumulative infiltration is greater) relative to the crack depth, with decreasing crack spacing and increasingly negative moisture potential.