Scaling of infiltration rate using the similar media theory and dimensional analysis

Year 2018, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 308 - 317, 01.10.2018

Henry Oppong Tuffour Mensah Bonsu Awudu Abubakar Janvier Bigabwa Bashagaluke Murphy Acheampong Opoku Jimmy Clifford Oppong

https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.450299

Abstract

The
infiltration rates of variable soils were scaled using factors derived from the
steady state infiltrability (K_o)
and the saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_s)
based on the similar media theory and dimensional analysis. Infiltration rates
were successfully scaled when the characteristic scaling infiltration rate
equations were formulated through combination of the similar media theory and
dimensional analysis. This study disproved the earlier notion that to
successfully scale variable infiltration measurements, both sorptivity and
steady state infiltrability were required. Thus, the study revealed that using
the saturated hydraulic conductivity as a substitute for the steady state
infiltrability could predict and scale infiltration rates more accurately. The
study further highlighted the importance of the scaling factor (α) in any
characteristic equation supposedly to have been developed from the similar
media theory. Invariably, the ability of any characteristic scaling equation
containing no scaling factor to scale variable infiltration measurements
successfully could be fortuitous and not evolved from the similar media theory.

Keywords

Dimensional analysis, saturated hydraulic conductivity, scaling factor, similar media, steady state infiltrability

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