Soil Moisture and Groundwater Rechargecv.nctu.edu.tw/chinese/teacher/Ppt-pdf/03Soil... · loam soil...
Transcript of Soil Moisture and Groundwater Rechargecv.nctu.edu.tw/chinese/teacher/Ppt-pdf/03Soil... · loam soil...
Soil Moisture and Groundwater Recharge
Hsin-yu ShanDepartment of Civil EngineeringNational Chiao Tung University
Soil PhysicsA scientific field that focus on the water in the vadose zoneMajor concern of agricultural engineeringRelationship between water content and pressureHydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soil
Soil in the Vadose Zone
Solids:Soil particles/AggregatesOrganic materials
Fluids:Water (Aqueous solution)AirOther liquid
Porosity and Water Content of Soil
WeightVolume
AirWater
Solids
Va Air
Water
Solids
waVvVw ww
Vs ws
Porosity: ratio of volume of the void to the total volume
ee
VVV
VVn
sv
vv
+=
+==
1Void ratio: volume of the voids to the volume of the solids
s
v
VVe =
Bulk density:
s
sb V
wρ =
Gravimetric water content: ratio of weight of water to the dry weight of solids
%x www
s
w 100=
Volumetric water content: ratio of pore water to the total volume
VVw=θ
Degree of saturation: ratio of the volume of pore water to the total volume of voids
%x VVS
v
wr 100=
Capillary and the Capillary Fringe
Capillary: water molecules at the water table subject to an upward attraction due to surface tension of the air-water interface and the molecular attraction of the liquid and the solid phases.
Tension
If fluid pressures are measured above the water table, they will be found to be negative with respect to local atmospheric pressure
Air Pressure
If air in the pores is connected, the air pressure is equal to the local atmospheric pressureIf air in the pores is not connected and is in the forms of air bubbles such as in the capillary fringe, the air pressure is equal to the pressure of water, which is negative.
Capillary rise in a tube
i f
s
λR
λσ
σcosλ
r
λ=0
gRh
wc ρ
λσ cos2=R=r
hc
water
Fig. 6.2 IDEALIZED pore diameter in a sediment with cubic packing. The equivalent capillary tube has a radius of 0.2 the diameter of the grains
Patm
0
0.4 (=0)hψ
ψψp g0.3
0.2
0.1
z (m)
Patm
water
y-4 -2 0 2 4 (J /kg)
-4 -2 0 2 4 yr l (kJ /cu.m = kP a)
-0.2 0 0.2 0.4 y /g (J /N = m)-0.4
z (m)
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4ψp
ψh
ψg =gz
ψ
water
(J/Kg)-1 0 1 2 3 4
z (m)
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8-0.2
-1.0
-0.2
-0.8
-0.4
h
ψg= gz
heads (m)
0
-0.4-0.6-0.8
H
-0.6
-1.2
1 2
Height of Capillary Rise
1.50.1000.50Fine gravel40.0400.20Very coarse sand150.0100.05Coarse sand250.0060.03Medium sand500.0030.0150Fine sand1000.00150.0075Very fine sand3000.00050.0025Coarse silt7500.00020.0008Fine silt
Capillary Rise (cm)
Pore Radius (cm)
Grain Diameter
(cm)
Sediments
Capillary Fringe
Capillary pores in the vadose zone can draw up water from beneath the water table below which the pores are saturated with water.The zone above the water table, in which the pores are saturated is termed capillary fringe
The liquid pressure in the capillary zone is negativeCapillary fringe is a part of vadose zoneThe zone of aeration is best defined as the zone where the soil moisture is under tension
The capillary fringe is higher in fine-grained soils than in a coarse-grained soilsSmaller pore opening creates greater tension
Pore-Water Tension in the Vadose Zone
Fluid pressures in the vadose zone are negativeThe negative pressure head is measured in the field with a tensiometer
TensiometerA tube that is closed at the top and filled with waterThe tube is connected to a pressure gaugeA ceramic cup at the bottom of the tube to provide a porous membraneThe ceramic cup should be saturated with water before use
b
d
a
c
∆ z 1
∆ z 2
Soil Surface
Tensiometer (1)
D A∆ z 1
∆ z 2
Soil Surface
l
E
C B
Tensiometer (2)
If the suction is lower than the entry pressure of the membrane, only water can go through itWhen the suction in the soil pulls water out from the tensiometer, the water in the tube is under tension and will cause the pressure gauge to indicate the magnitude of such a tension
z (m)
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0-0.1
-0.2
Air Entry Pressure
Soil Water
Water in the vadose zone that is available to growing plants.This is not a very exact definition. Avoid using it.
Field CapacityThe soil moisture content of a layer at which the the force of gravity acting on the water equals the surface tension.Related to the specific retentionDepends on specific retention, evaporation depth, and the unsaturated permeability characteristic curve of the soil.
Field capacity is related to specific retention but has different unitsIt depends upon specific retention, evaporation depth, and the unsaturated permeability characteristic curve of the soil
The concept is vagueGravity drainage may take a long period to occurSome definitions:
Water content of soil after 48 hours of gravity drainageWater content of soil under a suction of 0.3 bar
Moisture content of a silt loam as a function of time since saturation
13.6156
14.760
15.930
17.57
20.21
θ (%)Time (days)
Wilting PointThe soil moisture content below which the plant roots cannot withdraw water from the soil.Some defined it to be the soil moisture content under a suction of 15 bars.The available water capacity of a soil is the difference between the field capacity and the wilting point.
Fig. 6.5 Hypothetical fluctuation of soil moisture for a sandy loam soil through an annual cycle in a region with a moderate amount of rainfall (500 to 750 mm per year) and heavy rains in the spring
Fig. 6.6 Water-holding properties of soils based on texture. The available water supply for a soil is the difference between field capacity and wilting point
Water Potential
The potential energy, or force potential of ground water consists of two parts: elevation and pressure (velocity related kinetic energy is neglected)
Suction of Water in Soils
Fluid pressures in the vadose zone are negative, owing to tension of the soil-surface-water contactThe negative pressure head is measured in the field with a tensiometer
a
c∆z2
d
b∆z1 Soil Surface
Suction – Calibrate Before Use
Suction
Matric suctionElevation headPressure head
Osmotic suction
Head (Water Potential)
Gravity potential, ZElevation head
Moisture potential, ψSuction headCan be several orders of magnitude greater than the gravity potential1 bar ≈ 10 m of water column
Soil Water Characteristics
Defines the relationship between water content and water potential (suction)
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1.0
hm (m)
θ
SWCC of a Coarse Sand
SWCC of various soils
Soil Water Characteristic Curve
Absorption and desorption characteristics with primary scanning curves
-1 0 6
-1 0 4
-1 0 2
-1 0 0
0 0 .1 0 .2 0 .3 0 .4
W a te r c o n te n t,θ
P re ssu re h e a d(cm )
h b
-1 0 7
-1 0 5
-1 0 3
-1 0 1
P o o r ly so r ted
W ell so r ted
Entry pressure hb
Volumetric water content,
ψMain drying curve
Main wetting curve
Drying scanning curve
Wetting scanning curve
θ
Absorption and desorption characteristics with primary scanning curves
Hysteresis
Ink bottle effectTrapping of airAdvancing and receding contact angle
Determination of SWCCLaboratory
Pressure plate apparatusFilter paperThermocouple PsychrometerCentrifuge
FieldTensiometerWater content measurement
z (m)
0 0.4-0.4
-1.0
-0.2
-0.8
-0.4
hψ g= gz
heads (m)
0
-0.8-1.2-1.6
H
-0.6
-1.2
Effluent port that can vary elevation
water
Ceramic plate
soil
Theory of Unsaturated FlowGravity potential, ZMoisture potential, ψ(θv)
Negative value – suction resulted from soil-water attraction
At moisture contents close to specific retention, the gravity potential is greaterWhen the soil is very dry, the moisture potential may be several orders of magnitude greater than gravity potential
Darcy’s law is valid for flow in the unsaturated zoneFlow in water saturated pores
Larger cross-sectional area to conduct flow
Flow in pores with air in themSmaller cross-sectional area to conduct flow
Total potential φ
Zv += )(θψφ
Fig. 6.7 The relationship between hydraulic conductivity and volumetric water content
1 432Hydraulic conductivity (10-4
0
-50
-100
-150
-200
-250
-300
ψcm water
Drying
Wetting
Relationship between hydraulic conductivity and soil-moisture head
Fig. 6.9 Idealized curves showing relationships of volumetric water content, hydraulic conductivity, and soil-moisture head
Fig. 6.10 Moisture profiles showing the downward passage of a wave of infiltrated water. The soil is saturated at a water content of 0.29 and has a field capacity water content of 0.06
Coarse vs. Fine-Grained Materials
At lower volumetric water content:Coarse material may have very few saturated poresFine-grained soils may have most of the pores still saturatedThus, the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of a clay may be greater than that of a sand or gravel
Fig. 6.11 Typical soil-moisture-potential-hydraulic conductivity curves for a sandy soil showing the crossover effect for increasing moisture potential
Water-Table Recharge
When the front of infiltrating water reaches the capillary fringe, it displaces air in the pore spaces and cause the water table to rise.
Fig. 6.12 Hydrograph of a shallow well in a water-table aquifer in Long Island.
Rate of Recharge
The rate of water-table recharge depends on:
Thickness of the unsaturated zoneThe thinner the zone, the faster the rise of water tableMay generate a localized ground-water mound
Fluctuation of Ground-Water Table
Water table shows a seasonal fluctuationRising during periods of rechargeFalling when there is no precipitation or when evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation
Fig. 6.13 Monthly hydrograph of water levels in a water-table monitoring well on eastern Long Island, New York
Dep
th t
o w
ater
(fe
et)
Fig. 6.14 Hydrograph of a water-table monitoring well showing effect of discharge by evaporation on the water table elevation
Dep
th t
o w
ater
(fe
et)