1

INFILTRATION
AE 520
2
Infiltration Lesson
Objectives
Understand the factors affecting soil
water infiltration
Be able to estimate infiltration rate
using the Horton Equation and the
Green-Ampt Equation
Understand the advantages of the
various infiltration functions.
3
INFILTRATE
To cause (as a liquid) to permeate
something by penetrating its pores or
interstices.

Websters Ninth New Collegiate
Dictionary
4
INFILTRATION
The movement of water through the
soil surface into the soil profile.
After Precipitation, it is the most
important process controlling the
water balance on a field.
Expressed as total depth or as a
velocity called the infiltration rate
5
Infiltration may be
controlled by 3 types of
factors
Supply Factors

Surface Factors

Profile Factors
6
Infiltration Control Supply
Factors
The water supply for infiltration may
be:
Rainfall
Surface Pond Storage
Irrigation
Infiltration Rate will be the minimum
of supply and Capacity
7
Infiltration Control Surface
Factors
Degree of Surface Crusting
Clay content of the surface
Effect of drop impact
Degree of Surface Porosity
Soil texture
Soil Structure
Vegetation Cover
Inwash of fine particles
Cracks and other macropores

8
EFFECT OF PROTECTIVE
COVER ON INFILTRATION
9
Infiltration Control Profile
Factors
Hydraulic Conductivity of the soil
layers
Moisture Content of the soil layers
near the surface.
Rate of internal drainage
10
Measurement of Infiltration
Sprinkler Infiltrometer
Rainfall
Runoff
Infiltration
Infiltration = Rainfall - Runoff
11
Infiltration with supply
control
Supply rate
Time
Rate
f
c

12
Measurement of Infiltration
Ring Infiltrometer
13
TIME
D
E
P
T
H

(
F
)

Infiltration with Soil Control
14
Infiltration with Soil Control
TIME
I
N
F
I
L
T
R
A
T
I
O
N

R
A
T
E

(
f
)

D
E
P
T
H

/

T
I
M
E

f
dF
dT
=
f
c
f
o
- 0 +
POTENTIAL
Z
+
T

+
p
+ +
m

Water Table
Soil
Profile
Static
During
Infiltration
Field Surface
16
log T
n
1
C
F = CT
n
f = CnT
n-1
Kostiakovs Equation
17
Hortons Equation
t
L
o
g
(
f
-
f
c
)

Log(f
0
- f
c
)
1
K
( )
Kt
c c
e f f f f

+ =
0
18
Darcys Equation
dz
d
KA q
dz
d
K v
+
=
+
=
19
0
SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT
D
E
P
T
H

F
R
O
M

I
N
F
I
L
T
R
A
T
I
O
N


S
U
R
F
A
C
E

ZONE OF SATURATION
TRANSITION ZONE
TRANSMISSION
ZONE
WETTING
ZONE
WETTING FRONT
20
HOLTANS CONCEPT OF
INFILTRATION
TIME
A
C
C
U
M
U
L
A
T
E
D

I
N
F
I
L
T
R
A
T
I
O
N

D
E
P
T
H

21
log ((S-F)/S)
P
1
A
1
Holtans Equation
P
c
S
F S
A f f
|
.
|

\
|

+ =
22
f
1/F
K
1
KAOA+
Green-Ampt Equation
F
K
K f
AOA+
+ =
23
Green-Ampt Infiltration
Equation
Soil Surface
Wetting Front
Wet
Dry
1
2
L
f
+
p
= 0
+
z
= 0
+
m
= +
f

+
m
= +
i
+
z
= L
f
+
p
= 0
K = Constant
O = O
f
= constant
O = O
i
= constant
24
Green-Ampt Infiltration
Equation
f
f i f
f i f
f i f
L
L
K
dL
d
K V
Equation Darcy the From
L
0 0 L 0 d
25
Green-Ampt Infiltration
Equation
Both +
i
and +
f
are negative and +
i
<
+
f
. Therefore A+ < 0 and the
negative signs cancel.
V K
L
L
K
L
f
f f
1
26
Green-Ampt Infiltration
Equation
Total Depth of Infiltration = F
F = L
f
(O
f
O
i
) = L
f
AO
L
f
= F/AO
assuming the velocity V = the
infiltration rate f
f K
F
K
K
F
A
B
F
= +
|
\

|
.
|
= + = + 1
AOA+ AOA+
27
Green-Ampt Computations
K B and
K A where
F
B
A
F
1 K f
28
Infiltration Rate at the
Beginning of a Time
Increment
1
1
F
B
A f
29
Infiltration Rate at the
Beginning of a Time
Increment
2
2
F
B
A f
30
Average Infiltration Rate
over a Time Period
2
+ f f

T
F 2 1
0
2
f + f
-
T
F 2 1
Rearranging:
31
Upper Limit on the
Infiltration During the Period
2 1
1 2
2 1
1 2
F 2
B
F 2
B
A
T
F
T
F
0
F
B
A
F
B
A
2
1
T
F F
32
Multiplying by F
2
and
Rearranging
0
2
B
F )
T
F
F 2
B
A ( F
T
1
2
1
1
2
2
F
1
will always be known or assumed.
Therefore F
2
is the only unknown,
and the function is a quadratic.
33
Quadratic Equation Solution
for F
2

a 2
ac 4 b b
F
2
2
T
1
= a
2
B
c
1
1
1
1
aF
F
c
A
T
F
F 2
B
A b + =
A
=
34
Quadratic Equation Solution
for F
2
Only the +sign in the quadratic
equation applies.
The actual value of F
2
can not exceed
F
1
+ Supply during the period. At the
end of each time step, this limit must
be checked, and if the GA equation
gives a larger value, then the supply
will be limiting.

35
Green-Ampt Infiltration
K = 2 mm/hr, AT = 0.25 hr, AO= 0.1 cc/cc, A+ = 5000 mm
Total Rainfall = 114 mm, Total Runoff = 37.26 mm
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50
Time in Hours
D
e
p
t
h

i
n

m
m
Rainfall
Infilt
Runoff
36
Green-Ampt Infiltration
K = 2 mm/hr, DT = 0.25 hr, DQ= 0.1cc/cc, DY = 5000 mm
Total Rainfall = 114 mm, Total Runoff = 53.15 mm
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50
Time in Hours
D
e
p
t
h

i
n

M
i
l
l
i
m
e
t
e
r
s
Rainfall
Infilt
Runoff