Infiltration Theory for Hydrologic Applications

About this book

Here is your state-of-the-art guidebook through soil infiltration theory in response to hydrologic problems. By focusing on the theoretical basis of physically based infiltration functions and their application, Infiltration Theory for Hydrologic Applications presents an in-depth review of current issues and concerns. For scientists wishing concise and robust equations that can be applied in models for a variety of objectives.

Contents

Preface  vii

1. Introduction  1
Brief History  1
Runoff Mechanisms  3
Engineering and Scientific Approaches to Hydrology  4
Objective and Scope of this Work  5

2. Basic Porous Media Hydraulics  7
Capillary Properties of Soil Water  7
Porous Media  9
Darcy's Law  12
Hydraulic Characteristics of Porous Media  13
Steady Flow Soil Water Relations  14
Functional Representation of Hydraulic Characteristics 18

3. Some Essentials of One-Dimensional Porous Media Dynamics  25
Introduction  25
Absorption: Gravity-Free Intake  27
Infiltration: Vertical Flow  31
Mathematical Approximations for Soil Water Flow  34
Approximations for Soil Hydraulic Characteristics 36

4. A Realistic Integrable Nonlinear Model for Transient Unsaturated Flow 41
Introduction  41
Integrable Forms of Richards' Equation' 43
Solution of Nonlinear Diffusion Equation  46
Required Forms for Soil Characteristics 49
Solution of the Integrable Form  55
Discussion and Summary 60

5. Absorption and Infiltration Relations and the Infiltrability-Depth
Approximation 63
Introduction  63
Absorption 65
Infiltration  73
Stability of Flux-ConcentrationR elation  85

6. Infiltrability Models: Comparisons and Application  97
Introduction  97
Timing of Pending 98
Time Explicit Approximations 108
Applying the Infiltrability Models to Variable Rainfall Patterns 114

7. Applying Infiltration Models in Layered Soils and Redistribution Cases 119
Introduction  119
Redistribution and Reinfiltration  119
Layered Soils  122

8. Field Measurements of Infiltration Parameters  135
Introduction  135
Drip Infiltrometers 136
Ring Infiltrometers  138
Permeameters  141

9. Infiltration and Runoff on a Hillslope  159
Introduction  159
General Surface Flow and Infiltration Interaction  160
Effect of Surface Relief on Surface Water Losses  162
Infiltration Heterogeneity and Runoff  164

Appendices 185
I. Derivation of the Infiltration Integral from Richards' Equation  185
II. Attenuation of Characteristic Kinematic Shock in Soil Water Flow 187
III. Finite Difference Solution Method for Richards' Equation  190

List of Symbols and Abbreviations 199
References  203
Index  211

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