The Tunisian Republic

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

University of Tunis El Manar
National Engineers School of Tunis
Department of Civil Engineering

Report on environmental impact practical course

Modelling water and solute movement

using Hydrus1D

Elaborated by :
Safa BOUSSADA
Wassim CHAOUCHI
Hbib SIDI TLEIMIDI

Supervised by :
Mrs. Nessrine ZEMNI

2022-2023
Table Of Contents

Table Of Contents ................................................................................................... 2

Table of figures ....................................................................................................... 3

The purpose of practice ........................................................................................... 4

Manipulation of Hydrus 1D to a single material soil .............................................. 1

1.1 Mathematical background and equations ....................................................................... 1
1.1.1 Water Retention....................................................................................................... 1
1.1.2 Hydraulic Conductivity ........................................................................................... 2
1.2 The different stages of modelling ................................................................................... 2
1.2.1 New project creation ............................................................................................... 2
1.2.2 Main Processes ........................................................................................................ 3
1.2.3 Geometry Information ............................................................................................. 3
1.2.4 Time Information .................................................................................................... 4
1.2.5 Print Information ..................................................................................................... 5
1.2.6 Water Flow - Iteration Criteria ................................................................................ 6
1.2.7 Water Flow - Soil Hydraulic Parameters ................................................................ 7
1.2.8 Water Flow - Boundary Conditions ........................................................................ 8
1.2.9 Solute transport ....................................................................................................... 9
1.2.10 Solute Transport Parameters ................................................................................. 10
1.2.11 Time variable Boundary conditions ...................................................................... 11
1.2.12 Soil Profile - Graphical Editor .............................................................................. 13
1.3 Results and interpretations............................................................................................ 15
1.3.1 Pressure heads ....................................................................................................... 15
1.3.2 Concentration ........................................................................................................ 16
1.3.3 Surface flux ........................................................................................................... 18

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Table of figures

Figure 1.1 : Project creation .............................................................................................................. 3

Figure 1.2: Main process definition .................................................................................................. 3
Figure 1.3: Geometry Information .................................................................................................... 4
Figure 1.4: time information configuration ....................................................................................... 5
Figure 1.5 : Print information configuration ..................................................................................... 5
Figure 1.6 : iteration criteria configuration ....................................................................................... 6
Figure 1.7 : Water Flow - Soil Hydraulic Model .............................................................................. 6
Figure 1.8 : Water Flow - Soil Hydraulic Parameters ....................................................................... 7
Figure 1.9: Geotechnics data ............................................................................................................. 7
Figure 1.10: Rosetta parameters ........................................................................................................ 8
Figure 1.11 : Water Flow - Boundary Conditions ............................................................................. 9
Figure 1.12: Solute Transport.......................................................................................................... 10
Figure 1.13: Solute Transport parameters ....................................................................................... 10
Figure 1.14 : Solute Transport BC .................................................................................................. 11
Figure 1.15 : Time variable with Excel ........................................................................................... 12
Figure 1.16: Time variable with Hydrus 1D ................................................................................... 13
Figure 1.17: Graphic profile ............................................................................................................ 13
Figure 1.18: Insertion of Density .................................................................................................... 14
Figure 1.19: Condition Specification update................................................................................... 14
Figure 1.20: Observation points ...................................................................................................... 15
Figure 1.21: pressure heads with time relativity ............................................................................. 16
Figure 1.22: Observation nodes concentration ................................................................................ 17
Figure 1.23: Profile information concentration ............................................................................... 18
Figure 1.24: Potential Surface Flux................................................................................................. 19
Figure 1.25: Surface Solute Flux..................................................................................................... 19

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 The purpose of practice

We describe in this report a numerical model for simulating water flow and solute transport in a
variably saturated 1D environment.

While we describe the various conceptual processes forming the basis of Hydrus 1D modelling
software, here we focus on the use of implemented mathematical models. We provide the
governing equations for the various water flow as well as solute transport modules.

We additionally discuss the numerical techniques used to discretize the governing flow and
transport equations, and the importance of the developed graphical user interfaces to ensure wide
acceptance of the software packages.

We further discuss the results obtained after manipulating this software.

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Manipulation of Hydrus 1D to a single material soil

1.1 Mathematical background and equations

1.1.1 Water Retention

Water retention refers to the retention of water by porous materials at various matric potentials.
Water retention measurements were made on select samples using a combination of hanging water
column, pressure-plate extraction, and vapor equilibrium methods.

Porosity was calculated from the measured particle density and the bulk density as shown below:

Mathematical functions were fit to the retention data, and the resulting parameters are used
directly in computer models for predicting water and contaminant movement.

Numerous functions are available, but the van Genuchten (1980) function is most commonly used:
1.1.2 Hydraulic Conductivity
Hydraulic conductivity is known to vary with saturation, and functions describing the saturation
dependence are needed as model input.

The saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) is the proportionality constant in the Darcy equation
that relates the flux density to a unit potential gradient.

The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, [K = f(h)], is the proportionality factor in the Richards’
water-flow equation that relates the flux density to a unit potential gradient at a specific water
content. Because the water content varies in unsaturated soils, the unsaturated conductivity also
varies. Mathematical functions are commonly used to calculate the unsaturated conductivity from
the water-retention function with knowledge of Ks. Several functions are available, but the
Mualem conductivity function is most commonly used (in conjunction with the van Genuchten
retention function):

1.2 The different stages of modelling

1.2.1 New project creation

Project Manager
Button "New"
Name: ‘G5’
Description: Modelling water and solute movement
Button "OK"

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 Figure 1.1 : Project creation

1.2.2 Main Processes

We defined the simulation as Water flow and solute transport mode as Standard Solute
Transport.
Button "Next".

Figure 1.2: Main process definition

1.2.3 Geometry Information

In our case, we are based on a single Material Soil, with 1 layer of mass balances, and 5 meters of
soil depth.

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Button "Next".

Figure 1.3: Geometry Information

1.2.4 Time Information

Initial Time: 0 Days
Final Time: 3650 Days (10 years)
Initial Time Step: 0.001 Days
Minimum Time Step: 1e-0.005
Maximum Time Step: 4.99
Time variable Boundary conditions: 3560
Button "Next"

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 Figure 1.4: time information configuration

1.2.5 Print Information

Number of Print Times: 10
Button "Select Print Times"
Button "Next"

Figure 1.5 : Print information configuration

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1.2.6 Water Flow - Iteration Criteria
We left it as default values.
Button "Next"

Figure 1.6 : iteration criteria configuration

Water Flow - Soil Hydraulic Model

We chose the Van Genuchten-Mualem Single porosity model.
Button "Next"

Figure 1.7 : Water Flow - Soil Hydraulic Model

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1.2.7 Water Flow - Soil Hydraulic Parameters
• Catalog of Soil Hydraulic Properties: Foam

Figure 1.8 : Water Flow - Soil Hydraulic Parameters

Button "Neural Network Prediction’’

We generated the module of ROSETTA Lite v. 1.1.
The model selected was SSC that stands for inputting the percentages of Sand, Silt and clay as
shown respectively: a texture consisted of 9% Sand, 36% Silt and 55% Clay.
The date was previously extracted from a geotechnical study as shown below:

Figure 1.9: Geotechnics data

Therefore, we predicted the Output as shown in this figure below:

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 Figure 1.10: Rosetta parameters

Button: Accept

Button: Next

1.2.8 Water Flow - Boundary Conditions

Upper Boundary Condition: Atmospheric BC with Surface Layer
Lower Boundary Condition: Free Drainage
Button "Next"

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 Figure 1.11 : Water Flow - Boundary Conditions

1.2.9 Solute transport

We chose the Crank-Nicholson Scheme Time weighing Scheme, mass unit as ug:

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 Figure 1.12: Solute Transport

1.2.10 Solute Transport Parameters

We chose a bulk diameter of 1.5:

Figure 1.13: Solute Transport parameters

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For upper boundary condition, we opted for Concentration Flux BC, and zero concentration
gradient for the lower boundary condition.

Figure 1.14 : Solute Transport BC

1.2.11 Time variable Boundary conditions

To configure the variables of boundary conditions in Hydrus 1D, we used the previously prepared
data related to the region of sfax. The information consisted of precipitations, potential
evapotranspiration rate, and calculated Concentration.

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 Figure 1.15 : Time variable with Excel

Therefore, we extracted data from Excel to Hydrus1D:

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 Figure 1.16: Time variable with Hydrus 1D

1.2.12 Soil Profile - Graphical Editor

We generated the soil graphic profile and edited nodes’ lower Density to 0.3. Then we updated the
upper and lower water content distribution to 0.213 each.

Figure 1.17: Graphic profile

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 Figure 1.18: Insertion of Density

Figure 1.19: Condition Specification update

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We inserted 3 nodes for observation.

Figure 1.20: Observation points

1.3 Results and interpretations

1.3.1 Pressure heads

An optimal spatial and temporal discretization depends strongly on the intensity of
precipitation/evaporation/ infiltration and the nonlinearity of soil hydraulic properties.

Our study model, with a 5-meter of soil depth, is located close to the soil surface where highly
variable meteorological factors can cause rapid changes in soil water contents and corresponding
pressure heads. The appropriate choice of temporal resolution of precipitation data is extremely
important to capture the generation of surface runoff.
Our soil is characterized with a texture consisted of 9% Sand, 36% Silt and 55% Clay, which leads
that the major component is clay and silt. The pressure head front for a clay profile is relatively
smooth and, consequently, the spatial discretization can be much coarser.

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In our case, the huge disparity of time axis led to demonstrate mainly vertical curves.

Figure 1.21: pressure heads with time relativity

1.3.2 Concentration
It is observed from figure 1.22 that the soil concentration profile was following an increasing
trend.

The van Genuchten parameters and other soil hydraulic parameter influenced this curve.

Initially the soil was assumed to be dry and the corresponding water content with θ = 0.213
cm3/cm-3 was assigned as the initial condition for water flow model.

At the start of the numerical simulation, the soil was assumed to be free from contaminants, and
subsequently the initial solute concentrations were assumed to be zero from the top of the soil.

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 Figure 1.22: Observation nodes concentration

The variation of concentration in function of depth shows that the slope of curves increases
throughout the years with an uprising initial concentration value.

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 Figure 1.23: Profile information concentration

1.3.3 Surface flux

The ratio of the evaporation flux is used to be calculated at the upper boundary corresponding to
the water flux.

The upper boundary condition was modified to simulate the interface between the soil surface and
the atmosphere. Not to mention, for upper boundary condition, we opted for Concentration Flux
BC, and zero concentration gradient for the lower boundary condition.

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Figure 1.24: Potential Surface Flux

Figure 1.25: Surface Solute Flux

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