A parametric expression for estimating infiltration into frozen soils

Abstract

This paper uses a numerical simulation to develop an expression for predicting infiltration of water into a frozen soil. The simulation is based on the continuity, energy and momentum equations, and uses well-known and accepted procedures to define the transport phenomena and the thermophysical properties of frozen soil. A parametric equation describing the variation in cumulative infiltration with time during quasi-steady-state flow in medium- and fine-textured soils is presented. The expression relates infiltration to initial soil saturation, soil surface saturation, soil hydraulic conductivity, initial soil temperature and infiltration opportunity time. Infiltration estimates by the expression demonstrate reasonable agreement with those determined by field measurement. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.