Experimental studies on infiltration/soil-water movement processes are vital to
better understanding movement of soil-water in the vadose zone. The objective of this
experimental research was to investigate infiltration/soil-water movement processes
utilizing laboratory experiments and computer modeling. Small scale laboratory soil box
infiltration experiments were conducted and utilized for the improved parameterization of
the Green-Ampt (GA) saturated moisture content parameter to produce an effective
moisture content parameter (Be) for utilization in a modified GA model. By incorporating ⊖e
values into GA modeling, modeling results showed greatly improved wetting front
prediction across different soil conditions. A new soil packing method was proposed for
replicating complex microtopographical surfaces with uniform bulk densities in laboratory
soil box experiments which proved efficient and effective at accomplishing both objectives.
A rainfall simulator and an instantaneous-profile laser scanner were used to simulate
rainfall and quantify surface microtopography for experiments. The results clearly show the
effect of microtopography on infiltration and soil-water movement characteristics. This
offers valuable insight into infiltration/soil-water movement processes as affected by
different soil and surface microtopographic conditions. / National Science Foundation (Grant No. EAR-0907588)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ndsu.edu/oai:library.ndsu.edu:10365/29329 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Sande, Leif Andrew |
| Publisher | North Dakota State University |
| Source Sets | North Dakota State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text/thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | NDSU Policy 190.6.2 |
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