Example

• 1. For the following soil properties, determine

the cumulative infiltration (F) and the
cm
infiltration rate (f). K s = 1.97 , θ𝑖 = 0.318, 𝜃𝑠 =
hr
7.88cm
0.518, 𝑖 = , ᴪ𝑓 = 9.37cm
hr

[ (𝜃𝑠 −θ𝑖 )ᴪ𝑓 ]

Fs = 𝑖
𝐾𝑠
−1
 [ 0.518−0.318 9.37]
Fs = 7.88
1.97
−1

Fs = 0.625 cm

From Darcy’s Equation:

F
ᴪ𝑓 + −𝐻
𝑑𝐹 (𝜃𝑠 −θ𝑖) (𝜃𝑠 −θ𝑖 )
f = =K F
dt F
(𝜃𝑠 −θ𝑖)

(𝜃𝑠 −θ𝑖 )
f= K ᴪ𝑓 +1
F
Therefore,
𝑑𝐹 ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃+F
=K
dt F

F
𝑑𝐹 = K dt
ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃+F

ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃+F ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃
− 𝑑𝐹 = K dt
ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃+F ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃+F
Integrating up to time t:

𝐹(𝑡) ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃 𝑡
‫׬‬0 1−
ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃+F
𝑑𝐹= ‫׬‬0 K dt
Use the mathematical methods to solve such an
integration. E.g. the integration of
𝐹(𝑡) 𝑎
‫׬‬0 𝑎+𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑎 ln( 𝑥 + 𝑎 )+ C

Therefore, the solution is:

𝐹(𝑡)
F(t) - ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃ln 1 + = Kt
ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃
• While solving, there are some other technical
terms that need to be taken care of:

𝜃𝑖 −𝜃𝑟
• Effective saturation, 𝜎𝑒 =
𝜃𝑠 −𝜃𝑟

• Effective porosity, 𝜃𝑒 = 𝜃𝑠 − 𝜃𝑟

• Therefore, 𝜃𝑖 − 𝜃𝑟 = 𝜎𝑒 𝜃𝑠 − 𝜃𝑟

• Again, 𝜃𝑠 − 𝜃𝑖 = ∆𝜃 = 𝜃𝑒 - 𝜎𝑒 𝜃𝑒 = 𝜃𝑒 1 − 𝜎𝑒
Example

Use Green-Ampt method to compute infiltration rate and

cumulative infiltration at every 0.25-hr from the beginning
of infiltration for a silty clay soil with porosity, ε = 0.479;
Suction head, Ψ = 29.22 cm; K = 0.05 cm/hr. Assume the
initial effective saturation is 30 percent. The effective
porosity for the silty clay soil is 0.423.
Solution:

∆𝜃 = 𝜃𝑒 1 − 𝜎𝑒 = 0.423 1 − 0.30 = 0.2961

ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃=29.22 × 0.2961= 8.652

The non-linear equation in F(t) will be:

𝐹(𝑡)
F(t) - ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃ln 1 + = Kt
ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃

𝐹
F – 8.652ln 1 + = 0.05t 1
8.652

ᴪ𝑓 ∆𝜃 8.652
f=K + 1 = 0.05 +1 2
F F
For each time instant, say t1 = 0.25 hr, t2 = 0.50 hr, t3 = 0.75 hr, and
t4 = 1.0 hr, the above non-linear equation (1) is formulated.

For t = 0.25 hr, equation (1) is:

𝐹
F - 8.652ln 1 + = 0.05(0.25)
8.652
F = 0.4735 cm and f = 0.963 cm/hr

For t = 0.50 hr,

F = 0.6745 cm and f = 0.691 cm/h

For t = 0.75 hr,

F = 0.8307 cm and f = 0.5707 cm/hr

For t = 1.0 hr,

F = 0.9638 cm and f = 0.4988 cm/hr

For t = 1.25 hr,

F = 1.082 cm and f = 0.4498 cm/hr r