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Validation of a spatial-temporal soil water movement and plant water uptake model

Validation of a spatial-temporal soil water movement and plant water uptake model
Validation of a spatial-temporal soil water movement and plant water uptake model
Management and irrigation of plants increasingly relies on accurate mathematical models for the movement of water within unsaturated soils. Current models often use values for water content and soil parameters that are averaged over the soil profile. However, many applications require models to more accurately represent the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum, in particular, water movement and saturation within specific parts of the soil profile. In this paper a mathematical model for water uptake by a plant root system from unsaturated soil is presented. The model provides an estimate of the water content level within the soil at different depths, and the uptake of water by the root system. The model was validated using field data, which include hourly water content values at five different soil depths under a grass/herb cover over 1 year, to obtain a fully calibrated system for plant water uptake with respect to climate conditions. When compared quantitatively to a simple water balance model, the proposed model achieves a better fit to the experimental data due to its ability to vary water content with depth. To accurately model the water content in the soil profile, the soil water retention curve and saturated hydraulic conductivity needed to vary with depth.
numerical modelling, water flow, soil/structure interaction, embankments
0016-8505
526-539
Heppell, J.
39c5f33d-249f-4e52-9f28-0e7db5116f16
Payvandi, S.
4137c4e4-3cb6-4b9a-9635-f17f03e19d18
Zygalakis, K.C.
a330d719-2ccb-49bd-8cd8-d06b1e6daca6
Smethurst, J.A.
8f30880b-af07-4cc5-a0fe-a73f3dc30ab5
Fliege, J.
54978787-a271-4f70-8494-3c701c893d98
Roose, T.
3581ab5b-71e1-4897-8d88-59f13f3bccfe
Heppell, J.
39c5f33d-249f-4e52-9f28-0e7db5116f16
Payvandi, S.
4137c4e4-3cb6-4b9a-9635-f17f03e19d18
Zygalakis, K.C.
a330d719-2ccb-49bd-8cd8-d06b1e6daca6
Smethurst, J.A.
8f30880b-af07-4cc5-a0fe-a73f3dc30ab5
Fliege, J.
54978787-a271-4f70-8494-3c701c893d98
Roose, T.
3581ab5b-71e1-4897-8d88-59f13f3bccfe

Heppell, J., Payvandi, S., Zygalakis, K.C., Smethurst, J.A., Fliege, J. and Roose, T. (2014) Validation of a spatial-temporal soil water movement and plant water uptake model. Géotechnique, 64 (7), 526-539. (doi:10.1680/geot.13.P.142).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Management and irrigation of plants increasingly relies on accurate mathematical models for the movement of water within unsaturated soils. Current models often use values for water content and soil parameters that are averaged over the soil profile. However, many applications require models to more accurately represent the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum, in particular, water movement and saturation within specific parts of the soil profile. In this paper a mathematical model for water uptake by a plant root system from unsaturated soil is presented. The model provides an estimate of the water content level within the soil at different depths, and the uptake of water by the root system. The model was validated using field data, which include hourly water content values at five different soil depths under a grass/herb cover over 1 year, to obtain a fully calibrated system for plant water uptake with respect to climate conditions. When compared quantitatively to a simple water balance model, the proposed model achieves a better fit to the experimental data due to its ability to vary water content with depth. To accurately model the water content in the soil profile, the soil water retention curve and saturated hydraulic conductivity needed to vary with depth.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 11 April 2014
e-pub ahead of print date: 17 June 2014
Published date: 25 July 2014
Keywords: numerical modelling, water flow, soil/structure interaction, embankments
Organisations: Bioengineering Group, Infrastructure Group, Operational Research

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 358840
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/358840
ISSN: 0016-8505
PURE UUID: e337d04b-cd28-4ac8-8d5b-6991dc7e2a6f
ORCID for J.A. Smethurst: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8175-985X
ORCID for J. Fliege: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4459-5419
ORCID for T. Roose: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8710-1063

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Date deposited: 14 Oct 2013 13:39
Last modified: 12 Aug 2024 01:36

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Contributors

Author: J. Heppell
Author: S. Payvandi
Author: K.C. Zygalakis
Author: J.A. Smethurst ORCID iD
Author: J. Fliege ORCID iD
Author: T. Roose ORCID iD

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