Abstract
A new method for the isolation of the time interval in which cumulative double ring infiltration data strictly represents the one-dimensional (1D) infiltration is proposed. The infiltration time necessary for the wetting front to reach the bottom edge of the cylinders can be determined graphically by visual observation of cumulative double ring infiltration data, for both inner and outer cylinder, expressed in the form of a recently proposed 1D linearized infiltration equation. Afterwards, sorptivity, , and saturated hydraulic conductivity, , can be estimated by fitting the same equation on the double ring cumulative infiltration data until the specific time was graphically found. After the theoretical analysis, the proposed method was tested using numerical double ring infiltration data [HYDRUS-2D (two-dimensional)/3D (three-dimensional)]. The numerical results indicated that the proposed method provides parameter estimates for and of acceptable accuracy for the four selected soils that cover a range of soil hydraulic spectrum. Preliminary experimental validation of the proposed method is also presented based on experimental infiltration data derived from a controlled double ring experiment in laboratory conditions for a soil-sand mixture.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Prof. Jiri Šimůnek, Dept. of Environmental Sciences, University of California, for his helpful suggestions on ring infiltrometers simulations using the HYDRUS-(2D/3D) model.
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Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 141 • Issue 2 • February 2015
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© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 5, 2013
Accepted: Jun 25, 2014
Published online: Jul 25, 2014
Discussion open until: Dec 25, 2014
Published in print: Feb 1, 2015
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