Wetting Patterns Estimation Under

Subsurface Drip Irrigation Systems

for Different Discharge Rates and Soil Types

Boutheina Douh, Olfa Didouni, Amel Mguidiche, Hiba Ghazouani,

Sami Khila, Abdelhamid Belaid, and Abdelhamid Boujelben

Keywords
Wetting patterns Soil container Subsurface drip irrigation Discharge rates Wetted
radius

1 Introduction 2 Materials and Methods

Knowledge about the moisture distribution pattern shape
and volume of soil wetted by an emitter is the basic need
for better subsurface drip irrigation system. The dimen-
sions of the pattern are imperative in selecting the right
spacing between emitters and the suitable distance
between laterals.
The laboratory experiments were conducted at the Higher
Agronomic Institute of chott Meriem. A soil container of
internal dimensions (60 cm length, 60 cm width, and 70 cm
depth) was used in the experiments. plexiglass sheets form
one side of this container to monitor the advance of wetting
patterns at different times during and after irrigation and the
other sides are metal plates. We conduct laboratory experi-
ments with subsurface drip irrigation involving three soil
textures, three discharge rates, and three depth of the drip.

B. Douh (&)
O. Didouni
H. Ghazouani
S. Khila
A. Belaid

A. Boujelben
Dept. of Rural Genuis, High Agronomic Institute of Chott
Mariem, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
e-mail: boutheina_douh@yahoo.fr
A. Mguidiche
Regional Field Crops Research Center (CRRGC), Beja, Tunisia
H. Ghazouani
Dept. of Agricultural and Forest Science, Università Degli Studi
Di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
The locations of the wetting patterns were recorded by
drawing them on the plexiglass sheets at specified times
during the experiments. At the end of each experiment, the
container was covered then its vertical plane was placed on
an horizontal surface to prevent moisture redistribution
(Li et al. 2003, Douh and Boujelben 2011; Zhang et al.
2015, Al-Ogaidi et al. 2015).
The semi-empirical models for simulation of wetted soil
width and wetted soil depth are presented under:

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A. Kallel et al. (eds.), Recent Advances in Environmental Science from the Euro-Mediterranean and Surrounding Regions,
Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70548-4_257
878
 0:5 0:065 0:435 
qw Z t 4 Conclusion
W ¼ 3:245
Ks0:065
 0:5 0:177 0:323 
q Z t
D ¼ 3:572 w 0:177
Ks
To evaluate the model performance, some statistical
indexes were calculated such as RMSE, and R2 for the three
profile textures, the three discharge rates between the mea-
sured and the predicted wetted radius for all the experiments
and all the considered times.
3 Results and Discussion
The performance of these models can be tested by com-
paring simulated values against observed values to ensure
model applicability in our case. If the results of comparisons
between the observed and simulated data indicate a good
coincidence, it could then be reliably recommended in
practice.
For evaluation of accuracy of simulated data in compar-
ison to observed data, the statistical parameter ME is used;
positive value of ME is indicative of over estimation and
negative value is indicative of under estimation. Thus the
present models are found under estimating the values to
some extent. The magnitude of RMSE is indicative of per-
formance of the model but does not show the degree of over
or underestimation of simulated values. The EF is another
parameter to evaluate the performance of the model.
For the models, average RMSE values are found 0.86 cm.
Thus it is found that the performance of the models is good
enough with average model efficiency of 90.5%. Therefore,
based on the above results it can be concluded that the
models describing wetted soil width and wetted soil depth
under subsurface drip irrigation can be useful tools to apply
in practice.
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B. Douh et al.
The results of this study can contribute to improving the
design and managing of subsurface drip irrigation sys-
tems. In light of the research objective, the conclusion
derived from the study is to verify the efficacy of two
semi-empirical models to simulate wetted soil width and
depth, under subsurface drip irrigation system.
The model applicability and dependability is tested by
comparing the simulated and experimental values. It is
concluded that there exists a good coincidence in
observed values and model simulated ones. This coinci-
dence implies that the models can be a useful tool in
predicting the components of the wetting fronts
throughout the soil profile under subsurface drip irriga-
tion, which can be used in design to check the percolation
losses. By employing these methods, position of the
wetting front can be computed, and thus the extent of the
wetted soil mass under a range of soil, water application
rate and geometric properties can be worked out.
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