CIV 442

HYDROLOGY
LECTURE 5B: INFILTRATION-PART 2

Prof. Evan K. Paleologos

Civil Engineering
INFILTRATION CALCULATIONS:
1. HORTON’S METHOD
2. PHI-INDEX METHOD
1. HORTON’S METHOD
 HORTON’S INFILTRATION MODEL
The infiltration process was studied by Horton in the 1930s,
who developed the expression:

-k t
f c =f  + (f 0  f  ) e
fc = the infiltration capacity (depth per time: mm/hr) at
some time t.
f  = the final or equilibrium infiltration capacity attained at
some big t (mm/hr).
f0 = the initial infiltration at t=0.
k = a constant representing the rate of decrease in f(min-1).
 HORTON’S INFILTRATION MODEL

-k t
f c =f  + (f 0 -f  ) e
f

The equation show that fc decays exponentially with time. As t goes to infinity f c
goes to the equilibrium value f  . As t goes to 0 then fc goes to f0.

The area under the curve for any time interval represents the total depth of
water that infiltrated during that interval.
 HORTON’S INFILTRATION MODEL
-k t
f c =f  + (f 0 -f  ) e

f

Finding f0 and k.
The equilibrium f  is about 120mm/hr. To find the initial infiltration and –k- select
two sets of fc and t from the curve, which we created after measuring a soil. Enter
into the equation above and you have two equations with two unknowns. Now you can
solve to find f and k.
 EXAMPLE
Given an initial infiltration capacity of 2.9in/hr and a time constant k of 0.28 hr -1
derive an infiltration capacity versus time curve if the ultimate infiltration capacity is
0.50in/hr. For the first 8 hours, estimate the total volume of water infiltrated in
inches over the watershed.
Solution:
-k t
Horton’s equation is: f = f  + (f 0 -f  ) e
Substituting the appropriate values Time(hr) f (in/hr) Time(hr) f (in/hr)
into the equation yields: 0 2.90 5.0 1.09
f = 0.50 + (2.9- 0.50)e-0.28t 0.10 2.83 6.0 0.95
0.25 2.74 7.0 0.84
Based on this we can calculate f 0.50 2.59 8.0 0.76
for different times in the Table: 1.0 2.31 9.0 0.69
2.0 1.87 10.0 0.65
3.0 1.54 15.0 0.54
4.0 1.28 20.0 0.51
 EXAMPLE (Continued)
4
f (in/hr)

The area under the curve for any

time interval represents the total
f=0.50 + (2.9-0.50) e-0.28t depth of water that infiltrated
during that interval.

0 20 (hr)
To find the volume of water infiltrated during the first 8 hours, the equation can
be integrated over the range of 0-8:
8
0.50 + (2.9-0.50) e-0.28t dt 
V= 
t 0

 11.84 in
The volume over the watershed is 11.84in3 per square inch of ground surface.
 HORTON’S INFILTRATION MODEL

ON THE HYETOGRAPH:
Horton’s curve is used to differentiate which part of the rain is utilized as
infiltration, and subsequently recharges aquifers, and which becomes surface
runoff.
FACTORS AFFECTING f
(Continued)
 FACTORS AFFECTING f
Parameter k in the exponent (controls how fast the
exponential is dropping) depends on soil coverage:
 Vegetation: small value of k (small drop in infiltration)
 Bare soil: large values of k (fast drop in infiltration)

f0, f∞ : They depend on type of soil and surface coverage:

 Bare sandy or gravel soil: large values
 Bare clay: small values

In both cases values increase when there is vegetation

coverage.
SOIL TYPE EFFECTS ON INFILTRATION
 Sandy soils have the highest infiltration rates
 Clay soils have the lowest infiltration rates
 High organic matter improves infiltration rates
FACTORS AFFECTING f
 ENGINEERING MEASURES TO REDUCE
SLOPE FAILURE OF SATURATED SOILS
 ENGINEERING MEASURES TO REDUCE
SLOPE FAILURE OF SATURATED SOILS
ENGINEERING MEASURES: MODIFYING THE
GROUNDWATER FIELD
2. PHI (Φ) INDEX METHOD
 Intensity (mm/hr) Φ-INDEX METHOD
net rain: runoff

index phi losses: infiltration

time (hrs)

A simpler method than Horton’s that estimates an index phi:

 An average value of the rain intensity, which separates the

hyetograph in two parts: above the phi-index the volume of
precipitation equals the runoff volume (both given per unit area), and
below the volume of water from the rain is the losses.

 Notice that Horton’s separates the hyetograph using an exponential

expression, whereas the index-phi method uses a constant line.
Φ-INDEX METHOD: 2 EXAMPLES
total rain: 75mm total rain: 75mm

Intensity (mm/hr)
Intensity (mm/hr)
runoff=33mm runoff=33mm

Φ =8mm/hr Φ =9 mm/hr

time (hrs) time (hrs)

You are given the hyetograph from a storm (different

examples left and right). Calculate the Φ-index for a
watershed when the total precipitation is 75 mm and
runoff is 33 mm.

Solution:
Notice that: 7+18+25+12+10+3=75mm (left example); or
5+15+20+20+14+1=75mm (right example), that is the sum
of all precipitation depths corresponds to what is given.
Check!
Φ-INDEX METHOD: 2 EXAMPLES
total rain: 75mm total rain: 75mm

Intensity (mm/hr)
Intensity (mm/hr)
runoff=33mm runoff=33mm

Φ =8mm/hr Φ =9 mm/hr

time (hrs) time (hrs)

We try different lines trying to get a phi-value that will

gives above the line a total runoff of 33 mm.

Left example: the Φ-line for Φ=8 mm/hr gives (shaded

area): (18-8) + (25-8) + (12-8) + (10-8) = 33 mm, which
is the runoff given.
So Φ=8 mm/hr.
 Φ-INDEX METHOD: 2 EXAMPLES
total rain: 75mm total rain: 75mm

Intensity (mm/hr)
Intensity (mm/hr)
Let us assume that runoff=33mm runoff=33mm
for the same
watershed a Φ =9 mm/hr
different storm Φ =8mm/hr

(different duration)
had resulted in the time (hrs) time (hrs)
same total
precipitation depth
and runoff (right Right example:
picture). If we use the same, Φ=8 mm/hr, will give: 7+13+13+6=39 NOT
GOOD
If Φ=9 mm/hr (shaded area): (15-9) + (20-9) + (20-9) + (14-9) =
33 mm, which is the runoff given.
So Φ=9 mm/hr.

Then as the final Φ-index for the watershed is used the average
of many calculations from several storms..
 ESTIMATING EXCESS PRECIPITATION
Both Horton’s and the
phi-index are used
to calculate the net
0.8
precipitation that is
contributing only 0.7 1.65 inches of
to the runoff
0.6 excess
precipitation
Precipitation (inches)

0.5

Uniform loss rate of

0.4 0.2 inches per hour.

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Time (hrs.)
 PHI-INDEX SUMMARY: WEAKNESS

 The phi-index for this storm was 0.2 inches per

hour.
 This is a uniform loss rate.
 If the precipitation stops for a time period, the
infiltration will still be considered to be 0.2
inches per hour when the precipitation starts
again.
 Regardless of this weakness, this is still very
powerful information to have regarding the
response of a watershed.
End Lecture Notes