A Closed-Form Equation for Predicting the Hydraulic Conductivity of Unsaturated Soils

Notes

A scientific paper by M. Th. van Genuchten presenting a new equation for the soil-water content-pressure head curve that enables derivation of closed-form analytical expressions for relative hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils. The paper derives expressions based on the Mualem model and compares results with observed hydraulic conductivity data for five soils with widely varying hydraulic properties. Results indicate that accurate description of the soil-water retention curve at low water contents is important for predicting unsaturated hydraulic conductivity.

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