Estimation and Scaling of the Near-Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity

1999 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Atle Olsen
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Scaling Analysis ◽  
Laboratory Measurements ◽  
Estimation Errors ◽  
Geometric Means ◽  
Top Soil ◽  
Structured Soils ◽  
Order Of Magnitude

The hydraulic conductivity in structured soils is known to increase drastically when approaching saturation. Tension infiltration allows in situ infiltration of water at predetermined matric potentials, thus allowing exploration of the hydraulic properties near saturation. In this study, the near saturated (ψ≥-0.15 m) hydraulic conductivity was estimated both in the top- and sub-soil of three Norwegian soils. A priory analysis of estimation errors due to measurement uncertainties was conducted. In order to facilitate the comparison between soils and depths, scaling analysis was applied. It was found that the increase in hydraulic conductivity with increasing matric potentials (increasing water content) was steeper in the sub-soil than in the top-soil. The estimated field saturated hydraulic conductivity was compared with laboratory measurements of the saturated hydraulic conductivity. The geometric means of the laboratory measurements was in the same order of magnitude as the field estimates. The variability of the field estimates of the hydraulic conductivity from one of the soils was also assessed. The variability of the field estimates was generally smaller than the laboratory measurements of the saturated hydraulic conductivity.

scholarly journals Use of Pedotransfer Functions in the Rosetta Model to Determine Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity (Ks) of Arable Soils: A Case Study

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 959
Author(s):  
Łukasz Borek ◽  
Andrzej Bogdał ◽  
Tomasz Kowalik
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Rapid Determination ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Pedotransfer Functions ◽  
Laboratory Measurements ◽  
Arable Soils ◽  
Ks Values

A key parameter for the design of soil drainage and irrigation facilities and for the modelling of surface runoff and erosion phenomena in land-formed areas is the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks). There are many methods for determining its value. In situ and laboratory measurements are commonly regarded as the most accurate and direct methods; however, they are costly and time-consuming. Alternatives can be found in the increasingly popular models of pedotransfer functions (PTFs), which can be used for rapid determination of soil hydrophysical parameters. This study presents an analysis of the Ks values obtained from in situ measurements conducted using a double-ring infiltrometer (DRI). The measurements were conducted using a laboratory permeability meter (LPM) and were estimated using five PTFs in the Rosetta program, based on easily accessible input data, i.e., the soil type, content of various grain sizes in %, density, and water content at 2.5 and 4.2 pF, respectively. The degrees of matching between the results from the PTF models and the values obtained from the in situ and laboratory measurements were investigated based on the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), and determination coefficient (R2). The statistical relationships between the tested variables tested were confirmed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (rho). Data analysis showed that in situ measurements of Ks were only significantly correlated with the laboratory tests conducted on intact samples; the values obtained in situ were much higher. The high sensitivity of Ks to biotic and abiotic factors, especially in the upper soil horizons, did not allow for a satisfactory match between the values from the in situ measurements and those obtained from the PTFs. In contrast, the laboratory measurements, showed a significant correlation with the Ks values, as estimated by the models PTF-2 to PTF-5; the best match was found for PTF-2.

Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Clayey Tills and the Role of Fractures

1990 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johnny Fredericia
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
American Studies ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Present Knowledge ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
Laboratory Measurements ◽  
Vertical Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Data Field

The background for the present knowledge about hydraulic conductivity of clayey till in Denmark is summarized. The data show a difference of 1-2 orders of magnitude in the vertical hydraulic conductivity between values from laboratory measurements and field measurements. This difference is discussed and based on new data, field observations and comparison with North American studies, it is concluded to be primarily due to fractures in the till.

scholarly journals Predicting the Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Clayey Soils and Clayey or Silty Sands

Geosciences ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 393
Author(s):  
Stefania Bilardi ◽  
Domenico Ielo ◽  
Nicola Moraci
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Clay Content ◽  
Limited Range ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Reliable Estimate ◽  
Clayey Soils ◽  
Geotechnical Parameters ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Different Soils

Predictive models able to provide a reliable estimate of hydraulic conductivity can be useful in various geotechnical applications. Since most of the existing predictive methods for saturated hydraulic conductivity estimation are valid only for a limited range of soils or can be applied under certain restrictive conditions, a new method applicable to clayey soils and clayey or silty sands having a wide range of values of soil index properties is proposed in this study. For this purpose, 329 saturated hydraulic conductivity values, obtained by laboratory tests carried out on different soils, were collected in a database and used to develop five equations using a multiple regression approach. Each equation correlates the hydraulic conductivity with one or more geotechnical parameters. An equation was developed that predicts, within an order of magnitude, the saturated hydraulic conductivity in the range from 1.2 × 10−11 to 3.9 × 10−6 m/s, based on simple geotechnical parameters (i.e., clay content, void ratio, plastic limit, and silt content).

A new and simple method for measuring in situ field-saturated hydraulic conductivity using a falling-head single cylinder

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-87
Author(s):  
Kosuke Noborio ◽  
Yuki Ito ◽  
Hailong He ◽  
Min Li ◽  
Yuki Kojima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Single Cylinder

scholarly journals Form and function in hillslope hydrology: in situ imaging and characterization of flow-relevant structures

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 3749-3775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conrad Jackisch ◽  
Lisa Angermann ◽  
Niklas Allroggen ◽  
Matthias Sprenger ◽  
Theresa Blume ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
And Function ◽  
Hillslope Scale

Abstract. The study deals with the identification and characterization of rapid subsurface flow structures through pedo- and geo-physical measurements and irrigation experiments at the point, plot and hillslope scale. Our investigation of flow-relevant structures and hydrological responses refers to the general interplay of form and function, respectively. To obtain a holistic picture of the subsurface, a large set of different laboratory, exploratory and experimental methods was used at the different scales. For exploration these methods included drilled soil core profiles, in situ measurements of infiltration capacity and saturated hydraulic conductivity, and laboratory analyses of soil water retention and saturated hydraulic conductivity. The irrigation experiments at the plot scale were monitored through a combination of dye tracer, salt tracer, soil moisture dynamics, and 3-D time-lapse ground penetrating radar (GPR) methods. At the hillslope scale the subsurface was explored by a 3-D GPR survey. A natural storm event and an irrigation experiment were monitored by a dense network of soil moisture observations and a cascade of 2-D time-lapse GPR trenches. We show that the shift between activated and non-activated state of the flow paths is needed to distinguish structures from overall heterogeneity. Pedo-physical analyses of point-scale samples are the basis for sub-scale structure inference. At the plot and hillslope scale 3-D and 2-D time-lapse GPR applications are successfully employed as non-invasive means to image subsurface response patterns and to identify flow-relevant paths. Tracer recovery and soil water responses from irrigation experiments deliver a consistent estimate of response velocities. The combined observation of form and function under active conditions provides the means to localize and characterize the structures (this study) and the hydrological processes (companion study Angermann et al., 2017, this issue).

An Automated Tool for Three Types of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Laboratory Measurements

2009 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 466-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.W. Wietsma ◽  
M. Oostrom ◽  
M.A. Covert ◽  
T.E. Queen ◽  
M.J. Fayer
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Laboratory Measurements ◽  
Automated Tool

scholarly journals CONDUTIVIDADE HIDRÁULICA DO SOLO SATURADO NA ZONA VADOSA IN SITU E EM LABORATÓRIO

Irriga ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-422
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Trevisan ◽  
Luiz Felipe Salemi ◽  
Jorge Marcus de Moraes ◽  
Julio Cesar Martins de Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
Laboratory Method ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Fundamental Parameter ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Constant Head ◽  
Guelph Permeameter

 CONDUTIVIDADE HIDRÁULICA DO SOLO SATURADO NA ZONA VADOSA IN SITU E EM LABORATÓRIO  Rodrigo Trevisan1; Luiz Felippe Salemi1;  Jorge Marcos de Moraes1;  Júlio Cesar Martins de Oliveira(4)(1)Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP,  e-mail: [email protected] (4)Laboratório de Física de Solos, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP  1 RESUMO A condutividade hidráulica do solo é uma propriedade fundamental na determinação da dinâmica da água e de solutos em solos saturados e não - saturados, sendo útil na resolução de problemas relacionados à preservação do meio ambiente, da agricultura e dos recursos hídricos. Muitos métodos são empregados para a sua determinação em solos saturados, tanto em campo como em laboratório, cada um com suas vantagens e desvantagens. Nesse contexto, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi o de comparar um método de campo, o método do permeâmetro de carga constante (“Permeâmetro Guelph”), e um método de laboratório, também de carga constante usando amostras indeformadas de solo, em um solo classificado como Latossolo Vermelho Escuro, da região de Piracicaba - SP. Conclui-se que o método de campo e o método de laboratório não podem ser considerados diferentes. UNITERMOS: permeabilidade; zona não saturada; latossolo; permeâmetro guelph.  TREVISAN, R.; SALEMI, L. F.; MORAES, J. M.; OLIVEIRA, J. C. M. THE SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY IN THE VADOSE ZONE IN SITU AND IN LABORATORY  2 ABSTRACT The saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil is a fundamental parameter to determine  water and solutes dynamics in the soil, and it is useful  to resolve problems related to environmental, agricultural and water resources preservation. Many methods are used for its determination, in field and in the laboratory, each one with its advantages and disadvantages. The main objective of the present work was to compare a field method, using a constant head permeameter (“Guelph Permeameter”), to a laboratory method also employing a constant head in undisturbed samples in a soil classified as dark red Latosol (Oxisol) in the area ofPiracicaba. The results show, through statistical analysis, that the values obtained by the field and laboratory methods cannot be considered different. KEYWORDS: permeability; unsaturated zone; oxisol;guelph permeameter.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document