Mathematical model for border irrigation of cracked clay soils

Papadopoulos, Aristotelis (1990) Mathematical model for border irrigation of cracked clay soils. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Abstract

This thesis deals with the border irrigation of cracked clay soils. A deterministic mathematical model is proposed to simulate the border irrigation of VERTISOLS. The proposed model simulates the water advance phase using two submodels namely, one submodel for the unsteady one dimensional water flow through the network of cracks and a second one for the unsteady overland flow in the border. The two flows are coupled using the trial and error method. The end of the field is considered to be diked and the storage, depletion and recession phases are supposed to take place when the cracks are filled with water and therefore these phases are treated as if the soil was an ordinary one. The input data required by the model are the inflow discharge, the field length, the mean topographic slope, the geometrical data of the cracks as well as the coefficients for the Manning and Kostiakov formula. They are introduced in a conversational form from the keyboard. Outputs of the model are the water advance, in the network of cracks and in the border, storage, depletion, recession and the distribution of infiltrated water along the border strip. The outputs are presented numerically or/and in animated graphics. The validity of the model is verified by comparing these simulated outputs against the measured ones. The model can be useful for the practising or designing engineer to select the optimum combination of field length or slope as well as the appropriate inflow discharge and time of water application in order to irrigate these soils adequately. It also gives insight into the processes which occur during the surface irrigation of VERTISOLS and it is hoped it will stimulate further research on this topic.

This record has no associated files available for download.

Contributors

Download statistics