SUBSURFACE DRAINS

BENEFITS OF SUBSURFACE DRAINS

1. Aeration of soil for maximum root
development and desirable microorganisms
2. Increased length of growing season
3. Improvement of soil moisture conditions in
relation to the operation of tillage, planting,
and harvesting machines
4. Removal of toxic substances such as salt
5. Greater soil storage capacity for water
Advantages:
1.Does not interfere with farming
operations.
2.No loss in farming area.
3.Less maintenance.
Disadvantages:
• Higher initial cost than surface drains.
• Difficult to maintain.
• Difficult to know whether or not it is
operating satisfactorily.
Subsurface Drain Materials
1.Clay pipes
2.Concrete pipes
3.Gravel laid in the soil
4.Fibrous wood materials buried in the
soil
5.Covered stone drains
6.Plastic pipe
Subsurface Drain Types
Mole Drain – constructed by pulling
cylindrical metal object through the
soil Mole plow
Soil surface

Mole drain
2. Tile Drains – used in lateral drains (drains intended to
receive water directly from the soil), about 1 foot long and
3,4,5, or 6 in. in inside diameter
- made of clay or concrete
3. Perforated Drains – made of corrugated steel or plastic
pipe placed in a trench, or they may be drawn into the soil
by a mole plow
ARRANGEMENTS OF SUBSURFACE DRAINS
1. Natural or Random – used in fields that do not require
complete drainage with equally spaced laterals
2. Herringbone – used in areas that have a concave surface
or a narrow draw with the land sloping to it form either
direction.

3. Gridiron – similar to herringbone except that the laterals

enter the main from only one side.
Subsurface Drain Outlets
GRAVITY OUTLETS – water flows out of the drainage system
by gravity into a natural stream channel, an open ditch drain,
a lake, a down well, etc.
Down Wells – vertical wells used to conduct shallow
subsurface drainage waters into deeper more permeable
strata.
Discharge into an Open Drain – water discharges directly into
an open collector drain
Evaporation Sumps – drainage water is stored in the sump
and is lost via evaporation. Evaporation rate = inflow rate

PUMP OUTLETS – used where main drains are not

sufficiently deep or where it is necessary to discharge the
water from land below sea level into the sea.
 Not > ½ length of pipe

Flap or flood gate

Main drain pipe

Concrete collar

Metal pipe, min.

length 15 ft,
diameter 2
inches more
than main
drain pipe

A TYPICAL GRAVITY OUTLET FOR SUBSURFACE DRAINS

Lateral pipes Mainline

Open drain

Outlet

DISCHARGE INTO AN OPEN DRAIN

 ▼

Shallow depression or sump

Down Well

Drainage water to a
more permeable layer
 Pump
▼

Shallow depression or sump with insufficient

capacity or sedimentation basin

Sump-pump outlet
Hydraulic Design of Subsurface Drains
Capacity, Q = f(area, drainage coefficient)
Drainage Coefficient – amount of water that
must be removed in a 24-hour period.
In humid areas, D.C. = .125 – 1 inch/day (3 –
25 mm/day)
Pipe Diameter, d = f(Q, n, slope)
Example:
ET = 7 mm/day
Irrigation Efficiency = 70%
Drainage Coefficient = 10% of Water Requirement
Number of lateral drain pipes = 40
Corrugated plastic pipe n = 0.016
Energy grade line (slope) = .005
W.R. = 7/.7 = 10 mm/day
D.C. = .1(10) = 1 mm/day = 0.04 in/day
Drainage Area, A = 300 acres
Q = A(D.C.) = (300 ac)(43560 ft2/ac)(.04 in/day)(day/86400 sec)(ft/12 in)
= 0.504 cfs
q/pipe = 0.504/40 = 0.0126 cfs/pipe
q = (1.486/n)aR2/3S1/2
0.0126 = (1.486/.016)(π)(d2/4)(d/4)2/3(.005)1/2
= 0.0082d8/3
d = (.0126/.0082)3/8 = 1.17 ft = 14.1 inches
If sand envelope thickness = 10 inches
Pipe thickness = 0.125 in.
Pipe diameter = 14.1 – (10 + .125) = 3.975 or 4 inches

S2 = (4kH/v)(2de + H)
d
de =
8d ln 8d
1+ S 3r

d = equivalent depth of drain

S = drain spacing
r = effective radius of the drain (includes gravel envelope)

r = internal radius of drain pipe + thickness of drain pipe + thickness

of drain envelope
Tile Drainage Design Charts (Figures 9-7 and
9-8)
Factors that Contribute to Drainline Failure:
1. Excessive crack width between successive sections
2. Excessively large perforations in plastic pipe
3. Improper alignment of successive sections of clay or
concrete pipe
4. Grade reversal during construction of drainlines
5. Failure or collapse of drainpipe due to successive loads or
inadequate strength of pipe
6. Settlement of sections of the drainline because of unstable
foundation conditions
7. Erosion of backfill soil into the drainline during compaction
of backfill
8. Improper design of gravel envelopes designed to protect
drainlines from entry of fine sands and silt
9. Improper location of gravel envelope
Items 1 to 4 may be prevented by quality control during
construction
Items 5 to 7 . A strip of impermeable material may be placed
on top of the pipe when water is added to the backfill in
order for it to settle
Item 8. Use gravel; coarse sand; organic materials such as
corncobs, straw and others to filter fine sands and silt from
the inflowing water.
Factors Affecting the Flow Into the Drains:
1. Drain diameter
2. Gravel envelope
3. Trench backfill material
4. Spacing of perforations in plastic pipe
5. Segment length of clay and concrete pipe
6. Drain depth
12–18 in Gap or Crack width (3 – 6 mm)

Clay or concrete pipe sections 12–18 in

Perforations
Perforated plastic pipe
Effect of Drain Diameter on Drain Inflow – the bigger the
diameter, the higher the inflow
Effect of Gravel Envelope on Drain Inflow - increases inflow
Effect of Trench Backfill on Drain Inflow – more permeable
backfill soils increases inflow
Effect of Placing Drain Pipe in a More Permeable Stratum on
Drain Inflow– increases inflow
Effect of Perforations on Drain Inflow:
1. As the number of holes is increased, the relative
increase in flow decreases
2. Increasing the hole diameter increases inflow
Effect of Load on Drain Pipes
Pipes buried near the ground surface will be subject
to loads due to the soil, equipment and animals
on the ground surface
Chemical Deposits in Subsurface Drains – Chemical deposits
are caused by the activities of bacteria which oxidize and
precipitate reduced forms of iron and manganese in the
drainage water.
Iron deposits – red
Manganese deposits – black
Chemical deposits clog drain pipe openings
ACCESSORIES FOR SUBSURFACE DRAINS
Manhole – placed in the drain lines for the purpose of
inspecting the operation of the line and trapping the silt
that may be in the drainage water
- it provides for ready access to the line if repair and
maintenance are made to the line
- installed at the junction of the drain lines
- spaced 300 m apart when roots of plants are a
problem
Sedimentation Basin – may be incorporated into an
inspection manhole
Blind Inlet – used to allow surface drainage waters to
percolate into the subsurface drain system (sand and
gravel materials)
Surface Inlet – admits surface water into the buried drain
Relief Pipes and Breathers – small-sized vertical risers
extending from the lateral line to the surface
Controlled Drainage Structures – used for maintaining the
groundwater at a specified level in the lateral drain line,
similar to the sedimentation basin.
METHODS OF INSTALLING SUBSURFACE DRAINS
• Hand Digging
• Machine Installation
SLOPES OF DRAIN LINES
Pipe Dia. (inch) Slope (%)
4 0.10
5 0.07
6 or larger 0.05
Design of Tile Drains
d = 0.892(DcA)0.375s-0.1875
d = inside diameter of tile, in.
D = drainage coefficient, ipd
A = drainage area, ac
s = drain slope, ft/ft
n = 0.0108 for tile drain material
Minimum Tile Size: 4 in. for humid areas
5 & 6 in. for organic & irrigated soils
Q = 0.028A0.75
Q = maximum flow, cfs
A = drainage area, ac.
Example: Determine the tile diameter where the slope is 0.4%,
drainage area is 30 ac, and drainage coefficient is ½ in.
Solution:
d = 0.892(DcA)0.375s-0.1875
= 0.892(0.5 x 30)0.375 (0.004)-0.1875 = 6.9 in.
Select the nearest commercial size of 8 in.
Example: Determine the tile size to carry the design flow from
3,000 ft of tile spaced 100 ft apart if the soil drainable
porosity is 4% and the drainage requirement for optimum
plant growth is a water table drop of 0.8 fpd. The grade for
the tile is 0.15%.
Solution: Assume a uniform drop of water table over the
entire tiled area.
q = L x D.R. x D.P.
q = design flow, cfs
L = tile drain area, ft
D.R. = drainage requirement, fps
D.P. = soil drainable porosity, decimal
3000 x 100 x 0.8 x 0.04
q= = 0.111 cfs
60 x 60 x 24
d = 0.892[(0.8 x 12) x (3000 x 100)/43560]0.375 (.0015)-0.1875
= 5 in.
Quiz:
ET = 6 mm/day
Irrigation Efficiency = 65%
Drainage Coefficient = 10% of Water Requirement
Number of lateral drain pipes = 40
Corrugated plastic pipe n = 0.016
Energy grade line (slope) = .005

Sand envelope thickness = 10 inches

Pipe thickness = 0.125 in.
Drainage Area = 300 acres
Find the lateral pipe diameter.