TY - JOUR
T1 - Laboratory Comparison of Field Infiltrometers
AU - Nestingen, Rebecca
AU - Asleson, Brooke C.
AU - Gulliver, John S
AU - Hozalski, Raymond M.
AU - Nieber, John L.
PY - 2018/8/1
Y1 - 2018/8/1
N2 - Three devices for measuring hydraulic conductivity of soil in the field were tested under controlled conditions in the laboratory using three types of media to compare their accuracy and precision: modified Philip-Dunne infiltrometer, double-ring infiltrometer, and minidisk infiltrometer. Accuracy was determined by comparing the hydraulic conductivity values obtained by using these devices with those obtained by reference falling-head tests. Of the three devices, the modified Philip-Dunne infiltrometer had the lowest relative error and the double-ring infiltrometer was the most precise. The minidisk infiltrometer had a higher relative error for the coarsest media, suggesting it is not appropriate for use on coarse sands and gravels. Compared with the double-ring infiltrometer, the modified Philip-Dunne and minidisk infiltrometers require less water and testing time, facilitating more measurements at a given site. The modified Philip-Dunne infiltrometer, however, requires measuring or estimating the initial and final soil moisture content, whereas the minidisk infiltrometer requires the media grain-size distribution to estimate the van Genuchten parameters of the media.
AB - Three devices for measuring hydraulic conductivity of soil in the field were tested under controlled conditions in the laboratory using three types of media to compare their accuracy and precision: modified Philip-Dunne infiltrometer, double-ring infiltrometer, and minidisk infiltrometer. Accuracy was determined by comparing the hydraulic conductivity values obtained by using these devices with those obtained by reference falling-head tests. Of the three devices, the modified Philip-Dunne infiltrometer had the lowest relative error and the double-ring infiltrometer was the most precise. The minidisk infiltrometer had a higher relative error for the coarsest media, suggesting it is not appropriate for use on coarse sands and gravels. Compared with the double-ring infiltrometer, the modified Philip-Dunne and minidisk infiltrometers require less water and testing time, facilitating more measurements at a given site. The modified Philip-Dunne infiltrometer, however, requires measuring or estimating the initial and final soil moisture content, whereas the minidisk infiltrometer requires the media grain-size distribution to estimate the van Genuchten parameters of the media.
KW - Double-ring infiltrometer
KW - Falling-head test
KW - Hydraulic conductivity
KW - Infiltration
KW - Infiltrometer
KW - Minidisk infiltrometer
KW - Modified Philip-Dunne infiltrometer
KW - Permeability
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U2 - 10.1061/JSWBAY.0000857
DO - 10.1061/JSWBAY.0000857
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85058170911
SN - 2379-6111
VL - 4
JO - Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment
JF - Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment
IS - 3
M1 - 04018005
ER -