The Similarity Hypothesis and New Analytical Support on the Estimation of Horizontal Infiltration into Sand

A method based on a specific power-law relationship between the hydraulic head and the Boltzmann variable, presented using a similarity hypothesis, was recently generalized to a range of powers to satisfy the Bruce and Klute equation exactly. Here, considerations are presented on the proposed simila...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Celso L. Prevedello, Jocely M. T. Loyola
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2010-01-01
Series:Applied and Environmental Soil Science
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/657402
Description
Summary:A method based on a specific power-law relationship between the hydraulic head and the Boltzmann variable, presented using a similarity hypothesis, was recently generalized to a range of powers to satisfy the Bruce and Klute equation exactly. Here, considerations are presented on the proposed similarity assumption, and new analytical support is given to estimate the water density flux into and inside the soil, based on the concept of sorptivity and on Buckingham-Darcy's law. Results show that the new analytical solution satisfies both theories in the calculation of water density fluxes and is in agreement with experimental results of water infiltrating horizontally into sand. However, the utility of this analysis still needs to be verified for a variety of different textured soils having a diverse range of initial soil water contents.
ISSN:1687-7667
1687-7675