Empirical equations for some soil hydraulic properties

TLDR

Soil moisture characteristics can be modeled by a power curve with a short parabolic section near saturation to capture gradual air entry. The study aims to derive a formula for wetting front suction in the Green‑Ampt equation using a two‑part moisture function and a power relation between moisture and hydraulic conductivity. Parameters for the moisture characteristic, wetting front suction, and sorptivity are estimated from Holtan et al. desorption data and summarized with averages and standard deviations across 11 soil textural classes. The exponent of the moisture power curve can be predicted reasonably from soil texture, and gradual air entry significantly influences wetting front suction.

Abstract

The soil moisture characteristic may be modeled as a power curve combined with a short parabolic section near saturation to represent gradual air entry. This two‐part function—together with a power function relating soil moisture and hydraulic conductivity—is used to derive a formula for the wetting front suction required by the Green‐Ampt equation. Representative parameters for the moisture characteristic, the wetting front suction, and the sorptivity, a parameter in the infiltration equation derived by Philip (1957), are computed by using the desorption data of Holtan et al. (1968). Average values of the parameters, and associated standard deviations, are calculated for 11 soil textural classes. The results of this study indicate that the exponent of the moisture characteristic power curve can be predicted reasonably well from soil texture and that gradual air entry may have a considerable effect on a soil's wetting front suction.