INFILTRATION

CALCULATION
HORTON’S EQUATION
HORTON’S EQUATION
SOLUTION TO HORTON’S EQUATION
 EXAMPLE 1
The Value of k in Horton’s equation for a certain soil is 1.5 per hour and
the maximum and minimum infiltration rates observed are 3 cm per
hour and 0.5 cm per hour respectively.

Determine:
A. The infiltration Equation
B. Infiltration capacity during 30 mins , 45 mins and 3 hour
C. Infiltration volume during time interval of four hours in cm^3
considering the area of the soil is 120 square centimeter
INFILTRATION INDICES
What is “Phi Index”
Effective Rainfall Hyetograph
Infiltration Index
Phi Index
W - Index
EXAMPLE 1
GREEN – AMPT INFILTRATION
EQUATION AND PONDING TIME
 GA Equation
The Green-Ampt (GA) model assumes a homogeneous soil with
constant hydraulic conductivity, initial water content, and head at the
wetting front (see schematic below). The saturated wetting front is
assumes to move downwards as a single piston like displacement.
Wetting front configuration in the Green-Ampt method.
Green Ampt Infiltration Parameter for soils
Ponding Time
 Ponding Time
• Ponding time (tp) is a term used in infiltration studies to describe the
transition from infiltration at a rate less than the capacity rate to
infiltration at the capacity rate. It depends partly on local soil surface
micro-relief, infiltration rate, and rainfall characteristics
 EXAMPLE 1
A Sandy Clay loam has a characteristic shown below
Parameter Value
Effective Porosity 0.330
Soil Suction Head 42.43 cm
Hydraulic Conductivity 0.30 cm/hr

A. Calculate the infiltration depth at 30 mins and 50 mins from the start of
rainfall assuming initial effective saturation of 45% and continuous ponding
B. Calculate the infiltration rate (cm/hr) at 30 mins and 50 mins
C. For a constant rainfall intensity of 2.5 cm per hour, how long until ponding
occurs
D. What Rainfall Intensity will Cause Ponding after 30 minutes
 EXAMPLE 2
Cumulative infiltration is defined by the equation f(t) = 3sin(2t)+t+4
t is time in hr and f`(t) is the infiltration rate in cm/h

Determine:
A. The volume of infiltration in cm from t = 2hr to t = 8 hr
B. The time to achieve minimum infiltration (mins)
C. The equation of the rate of change of the infiltration capacity rate