Laboratory experiments and estimation of cumulative infiltration and sorptivity

Abstract

Soil water cumulative infiltration affects the environment by controlling the irrigation rate and consequently the water and pollutants movement through the ground. In order to study the cumulative infiltration in a sandy soil sample, experiments were performed in the laboratory. The sample was placed uniformly in a transparent column with an inner diameter of 6 cm. A constant head boundary condition of a 2 mm height was applied on the surface of the sample and the cumulative volume of the incoming water was measured. Soil moisture at four locations of the column was measured, by using the TDR method in order to obtain the moisture profiles. By comparing the values of the infiltrated water volumes with those calculated by the integration of the moisture profiles, a good agreement was found out. Also the Parlange theoretical model fitted very well with the infiltration experimental points. © 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.