INFILTRATION

Infiltration is the process of water entry Arial Measurement
into a soil from rainfall or irrigation.

- Areal measurement estimation is
Soil water movement (percolation) is the accomplished by analysis of rainfall-
process of water flow from one point to runoff data from a watershed. For a
another point within the soil. storm with a single runoff peak, the
procedure resembles that of the
Infiltration Rate is the rate at which the
calculation of an index.
water infiltrates through the soil during a
- The rainfall hyetograph is integrated
storm and it must be equal the infiltration
to calculate the total rainfall
capacities or the rainfall rate, whichever
volume.
is lesser.
- The runoff hydrograph is integrated
Infiltration Capacity the maximum rate at to calculate the runoff volume. The
which of the soil in any given condition is infiltration volume is obtained by
capable of absorbing water. subtracting runoff volume from
rainfall volume. The average
The rate of infiltration is primarily infiltration rate is obtained by
controlled by the rate of percolation below dividing infiltration volume by
the surface and the percolation continues rainfall duration.
after an infiltration, as the infiltrated
water is redistributed. Point Measurement
Infiltration and Percolation play a key role - Point infiltration measurement are
in: normally made by applying water at a
specific site to a finite area and
 Surface Runoff measuring the intake of the soil.
 Groundwater Recharge - FOUR TYPES OF INFILTROMETER
 Evapotranspiration o Pond water ring or cylinder
 Soil Erosion type
 Transport of Chemical in surface and o The sprinkler type
subsurface water o The tension type
FACTORS AFECTING INFILTRATION AND o The furrow type
INFILTRATION MEASUREMENTS - Ring infiltrometers should be used to
determine infiltration rates for
Infiltration rates vary widely. It is inundated soils such as flood
dependent in the condition of the: irrigation or pond seepage.
 Land Surface - Sprinkler infiltrometers should be
used where the effect of rainfall on
 Land Vegetation Cover
surface conditions influences the
 Surface Soil Characteristics
infiltration rate.
 Storm Characteristics - Tension infiltrometer are used to
 Surface soil and water temperature determine the infiltration rates of
 Chemical properties of water and soil soil matrix in the presence of
The soil properties affecting the macropores.
percolation are: - Furrow infiltrometers are used when
he effect of flowing water is
 Hydraulic Conductivity – a measure important, as in furrow irrigation.
of the soil’s ability to transmit
HORTON’s EQUATION
water
 Water-retention characteristics – In general, for a given constant storm
the ability of the soil to store and infiltration rates tend to decrease with
release water. time. The initial infiltration is the rate
prevailing at the beginning of the storm and
This water properties are closely related to
is maximum. Infiltration rates gradually
soil physical properties
decrease in time and reach a constant value.
MEASUREMENTS OF INFILTRATION
Horton observed the above facts and Where η−θr is called the effective porosity
concluded that infiltration begins at some θe
rate f o and exponentially decreases until it
reaches a constant f c. He proposed the PONDING TIME
following equation where rainfall intensity The ponding time t p is the elapse time
i is greater than f p at all times. between the time rainfall begins and the
−kt time water begins to pond on the soil
f p=f c + ( f o−f c ) e
surface.
Where; Kψ Δ θ
t p=
f p – infiltration capacity in mm/hr at any i ( i−K )
time t Where:
f o – initial infiltration capacity in mm/hr ψ = wetting front soil suction head
f c – final constant infiltration capacity K = Hydraulic Conductivity
in mm/hr at saturation, dependent on soil
type and vegetation Δ θ = Moisture content
t – time in hour from the beginning of t p = Ponding time

rainfall
i = rainfall intensity
k -an exponential decay constant dependent
on soil type and vegetation
Note that infiltration takes place at
capacity rates only when the intensity of
rainfall i equals of exceeds f p; that is
f =f p when i≥ f p but when i<f p , f <f p ∧f =i.
The cumulative infiltration equation F (t)

for the Horton method is found from the
relationship d ( Fdt( t ) )=f ( t )=f p and is given
by:
( f 0−f c ) ( 1−e kt )
F ( t )=f c t +
k
PHILIP’s EQUATION
0.5
F ( t )=S t + Kt
For infiltration rate
−0.5
f ( t )=0.5t +K
GREEN-AMPT PARAMETERS
The application of the green-amp model
requires the estimates of the hydraulic
conductivity K , the porosity η , and the
wetting front of the soil suction head ψ .

INFILTRATION

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

INFILTRATION

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

INFILTRATION

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Infiltration is the process of water entry Arial Measurement

into a soil from rainfall or irrigation.

t – time in hour from the beginning of t p = Ponding time

The cumulative infiltration equation F (t)

relationship d ( Fdt( t ) )=f ( t )=f p and is given

You might also like