Chapter-4
Infiltration
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 1
Course Outcome
On completion of this chapter you will be able to
understand and / or identify and / or quantify
– What is infiltration?
– The process of infiltration
– Infiltration capacity
– Factors influencing infiltration
– Infiltration measurement
– Infiltration estimation
• Horton’s Infiltration Equation
• Green Ampt Infiltration Equation
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 2
Infiltration
When water is applied to the surface of a soil, a part of
it seeps into the soil. This movement of water through
the soil surface is known as infiltration
• Infiltration plays a very significant role in the runoff
processes by affecting the timing, distribution and
magnitude of the runoff
• Further infiltration is the primary step in the natural
ground water recharge
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 3
Process of infiltration
• The process of infiltration
can be easily understood
through a simple analogy
• Consider a small
container covered with
wire mesh as shown in
the Figure. If water is
poured over the mesh, a
part of it will go into the
container and a part
overflows
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 4
Process of infiltration
• Further, the container
can hold only a fixed
quantity of water and
when it is full no more
flow into the container
can take place
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 5
Process of infiltration
This analogy, though a highly simplified one,
underscores two important aspect;
1. The maximum rate at which the ground can
absorb water, the infiltration capacity
2. The volume of water that it can hold, the field
capacity
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 6
Process of infiltration
Since the infiltrated water
may contribute to
groundwater discharge in
addition to increasing the soil
moisture, the process can be
schematically modeled as in
the Figure.
The figure considers two
situation
a) Low-intensity rainfall
b) High-intensity rainfall
and is self explanatory
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 7
Infiltration Capacity
The maximum rate at which a given soil at a given
time can absorb water is defined as the infiltration
capacity.
It is designated as fc and is expressed in units of
cm/h or mm/h.
The actual rate of infiltration f can be expresses as;
f fc when i f c
f i when i f c
where i is the rainfall intensity
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 8
Factors influencing
infiltration
The infiltration process is affected by a large
number of factors and a few important ones are;
• Characteristics of soil
• Surface condition
• Fluid characteristics
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 9
Characteristics of soil
• The type of soil, e.g. sand, silt or clay, its texture,
structure, permeability and its under drainage are the
important characteristics that influence infiltration.
• A loose, permeable, sandy soil will have large
infiltration capacity than a tight, clayey soil
• A soil with good under drainage, i.e. facility to transmit
the infiltrated water downward to a groundwater
storage would obviously have a higher infiltration
capacity
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 10
Characteristics of soil
• When the soils occur in layers the transmission
capacity of layers determine the overall infiltration rate
• Also a dry soil can absorb more water than one
whose pores are already full
• Land use has a significant effect on fc. For example, a
forest soil rich in organic matter will have a much
higher vale of fc under identical conditions than the
same soil in an urban area where it is subjected to
compaction
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 11
Soil surface condition
• At the soil surface, the impact of raindrops
causes the fines in the soils to displaced and
these in turn can clog the pore space in the
upper layer. This is an important factor
affecting infiltration capacity.
• Thus a surface covered with grass and other
vegetation which can reduce this processes
has a pronounced influence on the value of fc
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 12
Fluid characteristics
• Water infiltrating into the soil will have many
impurities, both in solution and in suspension.
• The turbidity of the water, especially the clay and
colloid content is an important factor as such
suspended particles block the fine pores in the soil
and reduce its infiltration capacity
• Contamination of water by dissolved salts can affect
the soil structure and in turn affect infiltration rate.
• The temperature of water is also a factor in the sense
that it affects the viscosity of the water which in turn
affects infiltration rate
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 13
Infiltration Measurement
Information about the infiltration
characteristics of the soil at a
given location can be obtained
by conducting controlled
experiments on small areas
The experimental set-up is
called infiltrometer test and is
shown in the Figure
(Figure: A double-ring infiltrometer and
quick draw tensiometer assembly from
Rahardjo et al., 2002)
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 14
Infiltration Measurement
• The infiltrometer consists
of two concentric rings
• This two rings are
inserted (about 10 cm)
into the ground and water
is maintained in both the
rings to a common fixed
level
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 15
Infiltration Measurement
• The outer ring provides a
water jacket to the
infiltrating water of the
inner ring and hence
prevents the spreading
out of the infiltrating water
of the inner ring
• Water is poured into the
rings (both) to a depth of
5 cm and a pointer is set
to mark the water level
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 16
Infiltration Measurement
• As infiltration proceeds, the
volume is made up by adding
water from a burette to keep
the water level at the tip of the
pointer
• Knowing the volume of water
added at different time
intervals, the plot of infiltration
capacity versus time is
obtained
(Figure: Plan and sectional view of
layout of a double-ring infiltrometer
and quick draw tensiometers from
Rahardjo et al., 2002)
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 17
Infiltration Measurement
• The experiment are
continued till a uniform
rate of infiltration is
obtained and this may
take 2-3 hours
• The surface of the soil is
usually protected by a
perforated disk to prevent
formation of turbidity and
its settling on the soil
surface
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 18
Infiltration Measurement
• A graph of cumulative
infiltration rate versus
time, prepared from
known volume of water
added at different time
intervals, during an
infiltration experiment is
shown in the Figure
Cumulative infiltration rates from a
double ring infiltration test on a flat
grass-covered surface (from Rahardjo
et al, 2002)
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 19
Infiltration Estimation
Horton Infiltration
Equation:
• The infiltration capacity
curve is the graphical
representation of the
variation of infiltration
capacity with time, during
and a little after rainfall
• Since the curve is reaching
a constant value and
therefore it is a curve of the
exhaustion type
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 20
Infiltration Estimation
• Horton has suggested a
mathematical form by which
this curve is generally
represented, as given below
f f c ( f o f c )e Kt
Where,
f = infiltration rate at any time t
t = time from the beginning from rainfall
fc = the value of infiltration rate after it reaches
a constant value
fo = infiltration rate at the start
K = a constant
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 21
Infiltration Estimation
f f c ( f o f c )e Kt
f f c ( f o f c )e Kt
Taking log on both sides;
log10 ( f f c ) Kt log10 e log10 ( f o f c )
log10 ( f f c ) log10 ( f o f c ) Kt log10 e
1
t [log10 ( f f c ) log10 ( f o f c )]
K log10
1
t
K log
log
10
(
f
fc )
1
K log
log (
10 of f )
c
Y
10 X
10
m C
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 22
Infiltration Estimation
Hence the above equation
represents a straight line
having a slope= 1/Klog10e
The –ve sign shows that as
t increases, f decreases,
and therefore (f fc)
decreases and hence log10
(f fc) decreases
The straight line graph is
shown in the adjacent figure
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 23
Infiltration Estimation
If two values of f at two
known times are known and
fc is also known, then a
straight line can be drawn
through these two points
and the slope of the line can
be obtained
Thus equating the slope to
1/Klog10e, K can be
determined and hence an
equation for infiltration
capacity can be written
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 24
Exercise-1:
The infiltration capacities of an area at different intervals of
time are indicated in table below.
Find an equation for the infiltration capacity in the
exponential form
Time t (hr) 0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00
Infiltration
10.4 5.6 3.2 2.1 1.5 1.2 1.1 1 1
capacity f (cm/h)
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 25
Solution-1:
Let the equation for the
Infiltration Capacity curve be
f f c ( f o f c )e Kt
Here, f c 1 cm/h; f 0 10.4 cm/h
t 0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00
f 10.4 5.6 3.2 2.1 1.5 1.2 1.1 1 1
ffc 9.40 4.60 2.20 1.10 0.58 0.20 0.10 0.00 0.00
log10 (f fc) 0.973 0.663 0.324 0.042 -0.301 -0.699 -1
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 26
Solution-1:
From the graph: slope of the
straight line
1
0.760
K log10 e
1
K 3.03
0.760 log10 (2.718)
The infiltration Eqn. is;
f f c ( f 0 f c )e kt
f 1 (10.4 1)e 3.03t
f 1 9.4e 3.03t
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 27
Green Ampt Equation (1911)
The Green Ampt method of
infiltration estimation is based
on Darcy’s law;
If; h H
h H
f (t ) k Then; f (t ) k ( ) unit L/T…(5.17)
z H
Where; Where;
k hydraulic conductivi ty of soil H depth of percolating water
h hydraulic head capillary suction
z depth
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 28
Green Ampt Equation
The volume of water in the soil Substituting
is a product of the difference in dF (t )
the initial soil moisture content f (t )
and the final moisture content dt
times the depth of the In Equation (5.18) results
percolating water dH
F (t ) H ( s i ) H …(5.18) f (t ) …(5.19)
dt
F (t ) Volume of water in the soil
Setting Eqn. (5.17) equal to
s final soil moisture content
Eqn. (5.19) gives
i initial soil moisture content dH H …(5.20)
effective soil porosity k( )
dt H
H depth of percolating water
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 29
Green Ampt Equation
When integrated with initial
conditions H = 0, at t=0 and
combined with Eqn. (5.18)
yields
F (t )
kt F (t ) ln …(5.21)
Where;
k hydraulic conductivi ty of the soil (L/T)
capillary suction of the soil above the wetting front (L)
effective soil porosity
F (t ) cumulative infiltrati on volume at time t (L)
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 30
Green Ampt Equation (1911)
Assumptions:
1. The soil surface is covered by a pool of water
whose depth can be neglected
2. There is a distinctly defineable wetting front in the
soil which can be viewed
3. Once the soil is wetted the water content in the
wetted zone does not change as infiltration
continues (i.e. hydraulic conductivity is constant)
4. There is a negative constant pressure just above
the wetting front
VAB2063 Hydrology
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI PETRONAS Chapter-4: Infiltration Dr REZAUR, R.B. 31
