Soil Science Society of America Journal · 1976 · 112 citations · 0 references
EngineeringCivil EngineeringHydraulic EngineeringHydraulicsSubsurface Fluid FlowFlow MeasurementFluid-flow In Porous MediaHydraulic ConductivityHydraulic ModelingPorous Media FlowWater ContentGamma-ray AttenuationPorous Material CharacterizationPorous MediaPressure HeadPressure Transducer TechnologyWettingWetting PhenomenaWetting Processes
Abstract The hysteretic water content‐pressure head relationship and the hydraulic conductivity‐water content relationship for a porous material are needed in the solution of the water flow equation to predict behavior of a given flow system. These hydraulic properties were measured in an unsteady‐state manner using gamma ray attenuation for the water content and strain gauge pressure transducer tensiometery for the pressure head. Envelope curves and four to six primary wetting and drying scanning curves of the water content‐pressure relationship were determined. A convenient method of representation of the scanning curves by an empirical function was developed for use in computer solutions of the water flow equation.