7/7/2014

Engr. Kelvin Michael A. Crystal

Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering
College of Engineering and Information Technology
Cavite State University
Indang, Cavite

Infiltration - passage of water into the soil

surface
Percolation movement of water through the
soil profile
Infiltration rate infiltration per unit time;
expressed in volume per unit time per unit
area or depth per unit time
Hydraulic conductivity velocity of flow
caused by a unit gradient; flow through soils
in any direction
Permeability used interchangeably with
hydraulic conductivity

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Water conservation
Reduced soil erosion by runoff
Irrigation (manner of application)
Critical and maximum depth
determination in water reservoir
design

1. Soil soil texture, soil structure; the

larger the pore size and the greater
the continuity of the pores, the greater
is the infiltration rate
surface sealing or puddling of soil
formation of a thin compact layer on the
surface as a result of severe breakdown of
soil structure caused by the beating action
of raindrops and flow of water over the
surface

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2. Vegetation reduces surface sealing;

has greater effect on infiltration than
soil type and texture
3. Antecedent moisture condition
high antecedent moisture condition
causes reduction in pore space and
rate of water movement

4. Use of soil additives chemicals that

improve the soil structure hence
increase infiltration; other chemicals
cause soil particles to swell and to
become hydrophilic hence reduce
infiltration

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Darcy equation (For one-dimensional flow of

water through a saturated homogeneous soil)

Q = k h A/L
Where: Q = flow rate (L3/T)
K = hydraulic conductivity (L/T)
h = head or potential causing flow (L)
A = cross-sectional area of flow (L2)
L = length of the flow path (L)

In case of heterogeneous soil (2 layers):

L
K = ------------------L1/K1 + L2/K2

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Direct measurement involves direct

measurement of water applied and water
flowing from the field
1. Double Ring Infiltrometer Method
Provides for a buffer pond to minimize the effect
of radial flow
Cylinders are carefully driven into the soil to a
depth of about 15 cm; water is added to the
cylinder and allowed to pond carefully so as not
to puddle the soil; water levels in both cylinders
are maintained equal; recession rate of water
level in inner cylinder is recorded.

Installation of cylinders
Maintaining the water level
in the cylinders

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Other Methods
Ponding
Furrows
Rainfall or sprinkler
Note: Infiltration is computed by assuming it to equal
the difference between water applied and
measured surface runoff

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The infiltration capacity at the onset of

infiltration is high. S the soil pores fill
with water as surface sealing takes
place, the rate of water intake
gradually decreases. It then normally
approaches a constant value which
may be taken as the infiltration rate of
the soil.

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Hortons Equation

f = fc + (fo fc) e-kt

Where:

f = infiltration capacity or the maximum rate at

which soil under a given can take water
through its surface (L/T)
fc = the constant infiltration capacity as t
approaches infinity (L/T)
fo = infiltration capacity at the onset of infiltration
(L/T)
k = a positive constant for a given soil and initial
condition
t = time (T)

Sample Problem
Assuming that the Horton infiltration is
valid, determine the constant
infiltration rate if fo = 50 mm/hr, f at 10
min is 13 mm/hr, and k = 12.9. What is
the infiltration rate at 20 min?

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