Steady State Bi-Level Subsurface Drainage Theory for Soils of Varying Hydraulic Conductivity

1977 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 0276-0277
Author(s):  
H. S. Acharya
1985 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
J-E. Andersson ◽  
O. Persson

AbstractThe results from a large number of single-hole packer tests in crystalline rock from three test sites in Sweden have been analysed statistically. Average hydraulic conductivity values for 25 m long test intervals along boreholes with a maximal length of about 700 m are used in this study. A comparison between steady state and transient analysis of the same test data has been performed.The mean vaule of the hydraulic conductivity determined from steady state analysis was found to be about two to three times higher compared to transient analysis. However, in some cases the steady state analysis resulted in 10 to 20 times higher values compared to the transient analysis. Such divergence between the two analysis methods may be caused by deviations from the assumed flow pattern, borehole skin effects and influence of hydraulic boundaries.


2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Bagarello ◽  
Andrea De Santis ◽  
Giuseppe Giordano ◽  
Massimo Iovino

Performing ponding infiltration runs with non-circular sources could represent a good means to sample completely an area of interest. Regardless of the shape of the source, predicting the expected reliability of the collected data by infiltrometers should facilitate soil hydraulic characterisation and also allow a more conscious use of the field data. The influence of the shape of the infiltration source (i.e., circular or square) and the analysis procedure of the steady-state infiltration data on the saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks, of a sandy-loam soil was tested in this investigation. Circular and square surfaces sampled with the pressure infiltrometer (PI) yielded similar estimates of Ks (i.e., differing by a factor of 1.05-1.16, depending on the calculation method) when an equivalent radius was considered to geometrically describe the square source. With the simplified falling head (SFH) technique, the shape of the source was irrelevant (i.e., circular and square sources yielding Ks values that differed by a factor of 1.19), as theoretically expected. For the steady-state PI experiment, the twoponding depth approach yielded two times smaller Ks values than the one-ponding depth (OPD) approach, probably due to lower steady-state flow rates than those expected for the second phase of the two-level run. The conclusions were that: i) simple infiltrometer experiments (PI, SFH) can be carried out with square sources; and ii) the simplest PI run (OPD approach) is expected to yield the most reliable predictions of Ks. Sampling other soils is advisable in an attempt to make these conclusions of general validity.


HortScience ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 1106-1112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paraskevi A. Londra

For effective irrigation and fertilization management, the knowledge of substrate hydraulic properties is essential. In this study, a steady-state laboratory method was used to determine simultaneously the water retention curve, θ(h), and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity as a function of volumetric water content, K(θ), and water pressure head, K(h), of five substrates used widely in horticulture. The substrates examined were pure peat, 75/25 peat/perlite, 50/50 peat/perlite, 50/50 coir/perlite, and pure perlite. The experimental retention curve results showed that in the case of peat and its mixtures with perlite, there is a hysteresis between drying and wetting branches of the retention curve. Whereas in the case of coir/perlite and perlite, the phenomenon of hysteresis was less pronounced. The increase of perlite proportion in the peat/perlite mixtures led to a decrease of total porosity and water-holding capacity and an increase of air space. Study of the K(θ) and K(h) experimental data showed that the hysteresis phenomenon of K(θ) was negligible compared with the K(h) data for all substrates examined. Within a narrow range of water pressure head (0 to –70 cm H2O) that occurs between two successive irrigations, a sharp decrease of the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity was observed. The comparison of the K(θ) experimental data between the peat-based substrate mixtures and the coir-based substrate mixture showed that for water contents lower than 0.40 m3·m−3, the hydraulic conductivity of the 50/50 coir/perlite mixture was greater. The comparison between experimental water retention curves and predictions using Brooks-Corey and van Genuchten models showed a high correlation (0.992 ≤ R2 ≤ 1) for both models for all substrates examined. On the other hand, in the case of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, the comparison showed a relatively good correlation (0.951 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.981) for the van Genuchten-Mualem model for all substrates used except perlite and a significant deviation (0.436 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.872) for the Brooks-Corey model for all substrates used.


1986 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D. BUCKLAND ◽  
D. B. HARKER ◽  
T. G. SOMMERFELDT

Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and drainable porosity (f) determined by different methods and for different depths were compared with those determined from the performance of drainage systems installed at two locations. These comparisons were made to determine which methods are suitable for use in subsurface drainage design. Auger hole and constant-head well permeameter Ks were 140 and 110%, respectively, of Ks determined from subsurface drains. Agreement of horizontal or vertical Ks, from in situ falling-head permeameters; to other methods was satisfactory providing sample numbers were large. Ks by Tempe cells was only 3–10% of drain Ks and in one instance was significantly lower than Ks determined by all other methods. At one site a profile-averaged value of f determined from the soil moisture characteristic curve (0–5 kPa) of semidisturbed cores agreed with that determined from drainage trials. At the other site, a satisfactory value of f was found only when the zone in which the water table fluctuated was considered. Results indicate that Ks determined by the auger hole and constant-head well permeameter methods, and f determined from the soil moisture characteristic curve of semidisturbed cores, are sufficiently reliable and practical for subsurface drainage design. Key words: Subsurface drainage, hydraulic conductivity, drainable porosity


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