Numerical estimating of water profile in different soil types applying Van Genuchten and Brooks-Corey equation

Due to water crisis, nowadays modeling and investigating the water flow movement in soils is an essence. Optimized designing and analyzing of drainage systems, reaching water to plant root in agriculture, the issue of transporting any kind of pollution like transport of radioactive elements are all indicating the importance of estimating and assessment of water profiles in different soil types. However, sometimes exact estimates of the values is not accessible. Van Genuchten and Brooks-Corey formulas were applied for hydraulic modeling in this paper. Four types of soils: clay, sand, loam, and silt loam were considered. Then for each one, under controlled conditions, the analyzes presented based on Van Genuchten and Brooks-Corey formulas. The aim of this research is to measure and estimating the differences caused by using these two formulas for different soil types. The results showed that in general, all type of mentioned soils were sensitive to these formulas, but specifically in the lowest depth, neglecting sand, which the differences in all parameters was significantly high, hydraulic conductivity reached by Van Genuchten formula is more than the value reached by Brooks-Corey in clay and loam. While in silt loam this value is almost the same. Not to mention that the highest difference in pressure head is assigned to silt loam. The results of this research is a repeated indicator of the importance of performing field studies, fitting the best relation and caring about using the appropriate and validated equations.

Keywords:

Brooks-Corey , Numerical model , Van Genuchten , Water profile