INFILTRATION

Introduction
When water enters the surface of the soil and moves downward towards the ground water
table, the process is known as infiltration.
Infiltration & Percolation
Infiltration – Process by which water on the ground enter the soil. The process is
rapid at initial stage and at later stage slower. The movement is vertical downward.

Percolation – When the water slowly passing through the media (soil particles and
porous media)
Factors Affecting Infiltration

1. Precipitation (form, magnitude, intensity, duration)

2. Soil characteristics (compare clay and sand…)
3. Antecedent moisture condition (AMC)
4. Vegetation or land cover (agriculture or built up)
5. Topography of the land surface (slope etc.)
6. Temperature
Infiltration Capacity
The sub-surface water stored in the soil depends upon the voids, arrangement, sorting,
shape and degree of compaction and does not depend upon the size of soil particles.
Therefore, different soil has different number of voids and hence different capacity to absorb
water.
“The maximum rate at which a soil in any given condition at any given time is capable
of absorbing water is called “infiltration capacity”.
(The unit of infiltration or infiltration capacity is same as intensity of rainfall i.e mm/hr
or cm/hr)
Distribution of Soil Moisture in the Infiltration Process
The water below the water table is
known as ground water and the
water above the water table is
known as soil moisture. The region
above water table (also Known as
vadose zone or zone of aeration) is
divided into
1.Soil-Water Zone
2.Intermediate Zone
3.Capillary Zone
 Methods to Compute Infiltration Capacity
1. Experimental Method
2. By analyzing rainfall hyetograph and runoff hydrograph

• 1. Experimental Method
• A) Infiltrometers
• B) Rainfall Simulators
Infiltrometer (Single Ring Infiltrometer)

Infiltration capacity = Volume of water added/

(Area of ring) x (Time interval)

Issue associated:
In filtering water spread at the bottom and hence does not
represent the soil area
Infiltrometer (Single Ring Infiltrometer)

Infiltration capacity = Volume of water added to inner ring/

(Area of ring) x (Time interval)
 Rainfall Simulator (Artificial Rain)
“A rainfall simulator is used in soil
science and hydrology to study how
the soil reacts to rainfall. Natural rainfall is
difficult to use in experimentation because
the timing and intensity of rainfall events
cannot be reliably reproduced. Using
simulated rainfall events significantly
speeds the study of erosion, surface
runoff, and leaching”
(source : wikipedia)

Water is sprinkled at uniform rate in

excess of the infiltration capacity over
experimental area. The resultant runoff
pattern and from that infiltration capacity is
derived.
 Infiltration Capacity Curve (ICC)
ICC is graphical representation of infiltration capacity with time. It is generally high at the
beginning and after a certain period tends to become constant.
Infiltration Capacity Curve (ICC): Horton’s Equation

Horton (1933) has formulated the ideal equation for Infiltration capacity curve

Where t = time from the beginning of rainfall

f = infiltration capacity at any given time
fc = value of infiltration at which it becomes constant
fo = infiltration capacity at time t=0 i.e time at the start of rainfall
k = constant depending upon the soil type and vegetation cover
Infiltration Capacity Curve (ICC): Horton’s Equation
Infiltration Capacity: Problem
The infiltration capacity of an area at different intervals of time are indicated below. Find an
equation for the infiltration capacity.

Time (hr) 0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.0

f (cm/hr) 10.4 5.6 3.2 2.1 1.5 1.2 1.1 1.0 1.0
Infiltration Indices
The difficulties to in the determination of constant ‘k’ led to the use of infiltration indices based
on empirical approach. These indices commonly used rainfall intensity hyetographs.
Infiltration indices are average rate of infiltration

1. Ø – Index
2. W - index
Infiltration Indices: Ø – Index
Ø – Index is the average rate of rainfall above which rainfall volume equals to runoff volume.
It is derived from the rainfall hyetograph and knowledge of resulting runoff volume.
Procedure to Determine Ø – Index
Procedure to Determine Ø – Index
Procedure to Determine Ø – Index
Procedure to Determine Ø – Index
Procedure to Determine Ø – Index
Procedure to Determine Ø – Index