GREENAMPTINFILTRATIONMODEL

HYD151
DerivationstartingfromDarcy'sequation.
( ) ( )
f
f f
s
f
f f
s s s
z
H z
K
z
H z
K
z z
h h
K
dz
dh
K q
+

+ +

0
0
1 2
1 2
inwhich,
H=thedepthofponding,cm,
K
s
=saturatedhydraulicconductivity(cm/s),
q=fluxatthesurface(cm/h)andisnegative,

f
=suctionatwettingfront(negativepressurehead),

i
=initialmoisturecontent(dimensionless)and

s
=saturatedmoisturecontent(dimensionless).
Thefollowingassumptionsaremade:
1. Asraincontinuestofallandwaterinfiltrates,thewettingfrontadvancesat
thesameratewithdepth,whichproducesawelldefinedwettingfront.
2. Thevolumetricwatercontentsremainconstantaboveandbelowthewetting
frontasitadvances.
3. Thesoilwatersuctionimmediatelybelowthewettingfrontremainsconstant
withbothtimeandlocationasthewettingfrontadvances.
Notethesignofqisnegativebecausethisinfiltrationfluxisavectorpointingin
thenegativezdirection.Furthermore, f f
z and
arenegativeandthesignofH
ispositiveand,thus,thevectorqisinthedownwardornegativezdirection.
Because f
z
isnegative,Fwhichiscumulativedepthofinfiltration(cm)is
negative.
( )
i s f
z F
orrearranging
i s
f
F
z

.
1
soil
water
z(negativedirection)

wettingfront f

H
0
1
+ H h
f f
z h +
2 f
z z
0 z
Fluxatthesurfaceisequaltotheinfiltrationratefwhichisalsonegativeandhas
unitsofcm/hr.ItisthefirstderivativeofFwithrespecttotimetinhr.
dt
dF
f q
SubstitutingintoDarcy'sequationgivesthefollowingequation.
F
H
F
K
F
H
F
K
dt
dF
f q
i s
i s
f
i s
i s
f

,
_

+

.
AssumeHissmallrelativetotheothertermsandthepreviousequation
simplifiestotheGreenandAmptinfiltrationrateequation.

,
_

1
F
K
dt
dF
f
i s
f

[1]
Rearrangingthe[1]givesthecumulativeinfiltrationFasafunctionofinfiltration
ratef.
F K
f
i s
f

+1
K
f
F
i s
f
+

ForFtobenegative,f<K.
Howdoweintroducetimedependenceinequation[1]whichisarelation
betweenfandF?Separatevariablesinequation[1].

,
_

dt K dF
F
s
i s
f
1
1

( ) ( )


+
dt K dF
F
F
s
i s f

Useusubstitutiontointegrate.
( )
( )
dF du
u F
F u
i s f
i s f

+


Substitutetheaboveintothedifferentialequation.
( )



dt K du
u
u
s
f i s

Integratethepreviousequation.
( ) ( ) t K u u
s f i s
ln
2
Substitutetheoriginalvariablesbackintointegratedequation.
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]
f f
t
s
F
f i s f i s f i s
t K F F
0 0
ln + +
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
1
1
]
1

+

f i s
f
f i s f
f i s
f f i s
f i s f f s
F
F
F
F t K




1 ln ln
[4]
Although f
t
canbeexpressedexplicitlyasafunctionof f
F
as,
( )
( )
s
f i s
f
f i s f
f
K
F
F
t

1
1
]
1

1 ln
, [5]
f
F
isanimplicitfunctionof f
t
.
NoticethatthesignsaredifferentintheoriginalformofGreenAmptequations.
( )
( )
1
1
]
1

+
f i s
i s f s
F
F t K

1 ln
[6]
( )
( )
s
f i s
i s f
K
F
F
t
1
1
]
1

1 ln
( )
1
]
1

+
F
K f
f i s
s

1
[7]
Withthesechanges,F,f,and f

arepositiveratherthannegativeasin
equations[4]and[1].
Toplotthesefunctions,substituteFintoequations[6]and[7]andsolve
fortimetandinfiltrationratef.FirstplotFasafunctionoftandthencombine
theresultsofequations[6]and[7]toplotfasafunctionoft.
Ifrainfallintensityisconstantandeventuallyexceedsinfiltrationrate,
thenatsomemomentthesurfacewillbecomesaturatedandpondingwhenthe
infiltrationrateequalstheprecipitationrate.Thedepthinfiltratedatthat
moment(F
s
)isgivenbysettingf=iinequation[7]andsolvingfor
s
F
:
F
s


s

i
( )

f
[ ]
i K
s
1
( )
[ ]
[8]
inwhich,
i=rainfallrate(cm/s),(imustbegreaterthanK
s
)
s
F
=totalamountofwaterinfiltrated(cm)and
t
s
=timeofponding.
Timeofpondingisgivenbyt
s
=F
s
/i [9]
3
Example:
Forthefollowingsoilproperties,determinetheamountofwaterwhenponding
occurs,thetimetoponding,plotthecumulativeinfiltrationfunction,andplot
infiltrationrate(f)versusinfiltrationvolume(F):Ks=1.97cm/hr,
i
=0.318,
s
=
0.518,i=7.88cm/hr,
f
=9.37cm.Usingequation[1]
625 . 0
97 . 1
88 . 7
1
318 . 0 518 . 0
) 37 . 9 (
1

K
f
F
i s
f

cm
orusingequation[4]andKs=1.97cm/hr,
i
=0.318,
s
=0.518,i=7.88cm/hr,
f
=9.37cm:
Fs=(.518.318)(9.37)/(7.88/(1.97)1)=0.625cm
Fromequation[6]:
t
s
=(0.625/7.88)=0.079hrs=4.74minutes=284seconds.
Until0.625cmhasinfiltrated,therateofinfiltrationisequaltotherainfallrate.
ThereaftersubstituteFintoequations[6]and[7]andsolvefortimetand
infiltrationratef.FirstplotFasafunctionoftandthencombinetheresultsof
equations[6]and[7]toplotfasafunctionoft.
4