Infiltration and Recharge

Department of Civil Engineering

By: Dr. Sherwan Sharif Qurtas

Infiltration Rate Capacity and Actual Infiltration Rate
• The infiltration capacity refers to the maximum possible infiltration rate, given the current
soil-water content in the root zone and ideal supply of abundant precipitation.
• The actual infiltration rate is usually less than the infiltration capacity owing to the fact
precipitation rate does not normally exceeds the infiltration capacity, unless flood
conditions are occurring.
• The actual infiltration rate during a period of time, is the minimum between the
infiltration capacity and precipitation rate.
• If we denote the actual infiltration rate i(t) as the specific discharge at the ground surface,
that is; 𝒊 𝒕 = 𝒒𝒛 𝒛 = 𝟎, 𝒕 , then:
𝒊 𝒕 = 𝒎𝒊𝒏 𝒇 𝒕 , 𝒑 𝒕
𝒊 𝒕 = actual infiltration rate at the ground surface (mm/hour)
𝒇 𝒕 = infiltration capacity at the ground surface (mm/hour)
𝒑 𝒕 = precipitation rate (mm/hour).

Thus the calculation of the actual infiltration rate requires an estimate of the
infiltration capacity.
Horton’s Model (1935) :
It is one of the most widely used empirical models of infiltration capacity :
𝒇 𝒕 = 𝒇𝒄 +(𝒇𝒐 − 𝒇𝒄 )𝒆−𝒌𝒕
𝒇𝒐 = initial infiltration capacity (mm/hour)
𝒇𝒄= infiltration capacity after prolonged wetting (mm/hour)
𝒌 = a constant representing the rate of decreasein in 𝒇 (hour -1).

• The Horton’s equation states that

the infiltration capacity
decreases exponentially between
two limiting values, 𝒇o and 𝒇c.
• Horto’s model requires the
evaluation of three empirical
parameters(𝒇o , 𝒇c , and k).
• 𝒇o and k are difficult to evaluate.
• In practice, these parameters are
estimated based on infiltrometer
tests in actual field plots, or
using stream hydrograph
analyses .
• According to Horton’s (1933. 1939) model the k value can be found by applying the following
equation:
𝒇𝒐− 𝒇𝒄
𝒌=
𝑭𝒄
Fc is the shaded area under the infiltration curve.
• In another way k value can be found in the Horton’s equation as the following:
𝑓 = 𝑓𝑐 + (𝑓𝑜 − 𝑓𝑐 )𝑒 −𝑘𝑡
𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑓 − 𝑓𝑐 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑓𝑜 − 𝑓𝑐 − 𝑘𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑒

𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑓𝑜 − 𝑓𝑐 𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑓 − 𝑓𝑐
𝑡= −
𝑘 𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑒 𝑘 𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑒
• Which is in the form of a straight line y = mx + c , In which;
y = t;
x = log ( f – fc );
m = - 1/k log e
• Plotting t versus (f – fc) in semi-log paper; t to linear scale, and the (f – fc) in the logarithmic
scale, the k value can be determined in the Horton’s equation as the following equation
(Toebes, 1969):
1
𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 = −
𝑘 log 𝑒
Where slope is the dy or dt over a log cycle.
• The infiltration capacities
can be recalculated after
the determination of the
values of fo , fc , and k
through applying Horton’s
equation and.
• They were plotted on
charts together with the
field observed data.

70
R2 = 0.997
60
f (infiltration rate (mm/h)

50
Observed
40
Calculated
30

20

10

0
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0
Time (Hours)
 Time (hours) Used Water Infilteration (mm/Hour)
f -fc f
Volume Cumulative Depth of Inf. Cum. Depth f
Start End dt
(Litre) Volume (Litre) (mm) of Inf. (mm)
(Calculated
Observed
)
0 0.017 0.017

0.017 0.033 0.017

0.033 0.05 0.017

0.05 0.067 0.017

0.067 0.083 0.017

0.083 0.133 0.05

0.133 0.167 0.033

0.167 0.2 0.033

0.2 0.25 0.05

0.25 0.333 0.083

0.333 0.417 0.083

0.417 0.5 0.083

0.5 0.583 0.083

0.583 0.667 0.083

fo =
fc =