Fractal radiation model for agricultural drainage based on the Richards and Boussinesq equations.

The movement of water in an agricultural subsurface drainage system is analyzed using a model based on the coupling of the Richards equation and the Boussinesq equation, with variable storage capacity subject to the drain fractal boundary radiation condition. The model is used to describe the hydrau...

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Main Authors: Manuel Zavala, Heber Saucedo, Carlos Fuentes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua 2011-08-01
Series:Tecnología y ciencias del agua
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.revistatyca.org.mx/ojs/index.php/tyca/article/view/36
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author Manuel Zavala
Heber Saucedo
Carlos Fuentes
author_facet Manuel Zavala
Heber Saucedo
Carlos Fuentes
author_sort Manuel Zavala
collection DOAJ
description The movement of water in an agricultural subsurface drainage system is analyzed using a model based on the coupling of the Richards equation and the Boussinesq equation, with variable storage capacity subject to the drain fractal boundary radiation condition. The model is used to describe the hydraulic operation of a drainage system installed in the field, which allows for studying drain separations of 40 m and 25 m. Most of the hydraulic characterization of the system is conducted independently of drainage tests using a methodology based on the granulometric curve and total porosity of the soil. The experimental evolutions of the drained depth and the decrease in the hydraulic head associated with a 40 m separation between drains allow for calibrating two parameters of the proposed model: the pressure scale related to the soil-water retention curve and the scale parameter of the fractal radiation. The experimental evidence corresponding to a 25 m separation between drains enables showing that the scale parameter of fractal radiation is independent of the drain separation, and that it can be assumed to be proportional to the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil. It is shown that the classical hypotheses regarding agricultural drainage represent, in a simplified manner, the transfers developed in the partially-saturated zone, considering the recharge term in the Boussinesq equation to be null and or equal to the evapotranspiration rate; transferring uncertainty about what happens in the zone to the parameters estimated based on drainage tests.
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spelling doaj.art-f3d1ede606c149d1a1d690b609df8ad92023-12-14T17:11:03ZengInstituto Mexicano de Tecnología del AguaTecnología y ciencias del agua0187-83362007-24222011-08-012314115732Fractal radiation model for agricultural drainage based on the Richards and Boussinesq equations.Manuel Zavala0Heber Saucedo1Carlos Fuentes2Universidad Autónoma de ZacatecasInstituto Mexicano de Tecnología del AguaUniversidad Autónoma de QuerétaroThe movement of water in an agricultural subsurface drainage system is analyzed using a model based on the coupling of the Richards equation and the Boussinesq equation, with variable storage capacity subject to the drain fractal boundary radiation condition. The model is used to describe the hydraulic operation of a drainage system installed in the field, which allows for studying drain separations of 40 m and 25 m. Most of the hydraulic characterization of the system is conducted independently of drainage tests using a methodology based on the granulometric curve and total porosity of the soil. The experimental evolutions of the drained depth and the decrease in the hydraulic head associated with a 40 m separation between drains allow for calibrating two parameters of the proposed model: the pressure scale related to the soil-water retention curve and the scale parameter of the fractal radiation. The experimental evidence corresponding to a 25 m separation between drains enables showing that the scale parameter of fractal radiation is independent of the drain separation, and that it can be assumed to be proportional to the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil. It is shown that the classical hypotheses regarding agricultural drainage represent, in a simplified manner, the transfers developed in the partially-saturated zone, considering the recharge term in the Boussinesq equation to be null and or equal to the evapotranspiration rate; transferring uncertainty about what happens in the zone to the parameters estimated based on drainage tests.https://www.revistatyca.org.mx/ojs/index.php/tyca/article/view/36zona vadosa, zona saturada, acuífero libre somero, recarga, descarga
spellingShingle Manuel Zavala
Heber Saucedo
Carlos Fuentes
Fractal radiation model for agricultural drainage based on the Richards and Boussinesq equations.
Tecnología y ciencias del agua
zona vadosa, zona saturada, acuífero libre somero, recarga, descarga
title Fractal radiation model for agricultural drainage based on the Richards and Boussinesq equations.
title_full Fractal radiation model for agricultural drainage based on the Richards and Boussinesq equations.
title_fullStr Fractal radiation model for agricultural drainage based on the Richards and Boussinesq equations.
title_full_unstemmed Fractal radiation model for agricultural drainage based on the Richards and Boussinesq equations.
title_short Fractal radiation model for agricultural drainage based on the Richards and Boussinesq equations.
title_sort fractal radiation model for agricultural drainage based on the richards and boussinesq equations
topic zona vadosa, zona saturada, acuífero libre somero, recarga, descarga
url https://www.revistatyca.org.mx/ojs/index.php/tyca/article/view/36
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AT hebersaucedo fractalradiationmodelforagriculturaldrainagebasedontherichardsandboussinesqequations
AT carlosfuentes fractalradiationmodelforagriculturaldrainagebasedontherichardsandboussinesqequations