3.

17 INFILTRATION
CAPACITY VALUES
The infiltration capacity for a
given soil decreases with time
from the start of rainfall.
It decreases with the degree of
saturation and depends upon
the type of soil.
Assume that the time evolution of
the infiltration capacity for a given soil
is governed by Horton’s equation.

Horton (1930) expressed the decay of

the infiltration capacity with time.
Note that this equation assumes an infinite
water supply at the surface, that is, it assumes
saturation conditions at the soil surface.
For this soil, the asymptotic or final equilibrium
infiltration capacity is fc = 1.25 cm/h; and the
initial infiltration capacity is fo = 8 cm/h. The
rate of decay of infiltration capacity parameter
is k = 3 h-1. For the precipitation hyetograph
tabulated below, carry out a complete infiltration
analysis, including evaluation of cumulative
infiltration and rate of production of precipitation
excess, s + v.
Time Precipitatio Time Precipitatio
(min) n (min) n
(cm/h) (cm/h)

0 - 10 1.5 40 - 50 4.0

10 - 20 3.0 50 - 60 3.0

20 - 30 8.0 60 - 70 0.8

30 - 40 5.0
1. Compute accumulated precipitation
volume as a function of time. The
incremental volume over each time
period of 10 minutes is:

ΔP = iΔt
Time Precipitation Cumulative Time Precipitation Cumulative
(min) Intensity, i. Precipitation, P (min) Intensity, i. Precipitation
(cm/h) (cm) (cm/h) , P(cm)

0 - 10 1.5 0.25 40 - 50 4.0 3.583

10 - 20 3.0 0.75 50 - 60 3.0 4.083

20 - 30 8.0 2.083 60 - 70 0.8 4.217

30 - 40 5.0 2.917
2. Compute infiltration capacity using Horton's equation
for conditions of unlimited water supply at the surface
using equation 1 (Table 1 - Column 2).

3. Compute the accumulated infiltration that would

occur under conditions of unlimited water supply at the
surface using the following equation 2 (Table 1 - Column
3).
4. Compare infiltration capacity with precipitation intensity
(Figure 1). Observe that during the first 20 minutes of the
rainstorm, the infiltration capacity exceeds the precipitation
intensity. Thus, during this period, all of the precipitation
infiltrates. The actual infiltration rate is (Table 2 - Column 5)
5. Because the actual infiltration rate is less than the infiltration capacity
during the first 20 minutes, the actual infiltration capacity does not decay
as predicted by Horton's equation. This is because, as indicated above,
Horton's equation assumes that the supply rate exceeds the infiltration
capacity from the start of infiltration. Therefore, we must determine the
true infiltration capacity at t = 20 min. To do so, first determine the
time tp by solving the following equation:
and then evaluate fp(tp) as follows. The left-hand side
of equation 4 represents the accumulated volume of
actual infiltration, while the right hand side of equation
4 represents the volume of infiltration that would have
accumulated up to time tp if the actual rate of
infiltration had been equal to the infiltration capacity.

At t = 20 min the actual volume of accumulated

infiltration is:
F(t = 20 min) = (1.5 + 3.0) cm/h (10 min/60 min/h) = 0.75
cm. Substituting this value for F(t) in equation 4 and solving
for tp obtain: tp = 0.107 h = 6.41 min. Finally, the true
infiltration capacity at 20 minutes is obtained using equation 1
as fp(tp) = 6.15 cm/h = fop. Alternatively, using equations 1 and 2
to eliminate time and express cumulative infiltration as a
function of infiltration capacity obtain the following equation.
6. The rainfall rate at 20 minutes i = 8 cm/h exceeds the corresponding
infiltration capacity fop = 6.15 cm/h. Therefore, the actual infiltration rate
equals the infiltration capacity, and the decay of infiltration capacity
follows Horton's equation with an initial infiltration capacity equal
to fop and starting at time t* = 20 min (Table 1 - Column 5 and Table 2
Column 3).
7. Because the precipitation rate exceeds the infiltration
capacity, there is excess precipitation available for runoff and
depression storage, s + v (Table 2 - Column 6).
1 2 - Eq. 1 3 - Eq. 2 4 5 - Eq. 6
Time Infiltration Cumulative Cumulative Actual Infiltration
(min) Capacity, fp Infiltration, F Precipitation, P Capacity
(cm/h) (cm) (cm) (cm/h)
0 8 0 0
10 5.344082 1.093639 0.25
20 3.733186 1.838938 0.75 6.150306
30 2.756129 2.372957 2.083333 4.222186
40 2.163513 2.778829 2.916667 3.052722
50 1.804074 3.106975 3.583333 2.343406
60 1.586063 3.387979 4.083333 1.913184
70 1.453832 3.640389 4.216667 1.652242
80 1.373631 3.875456 1.493972
90 1.324986 4.100005 1.397976
100 1.295481 4.318173 1.339752
110 1.277586 4.532471 1.304437
120 1.266732 4.744423 1.283018
1 2 - Eq. 1 3 - Eq. 6 4 5 - Eq. 3 6 - Eq. 7
Time Infiltration Actual Precipitation Actual Runoff rate
(min) Capacity, fp Infiltration Intensity, i Infiltration s+v
(cm/h) Capacity (cm/h) Rate, f(t) (cm/h)
(cm/h) (cm/h)
0 8.0 8.0 1.5 1.5 0.0
10 5.344082 > 6.15030 3.0 3.0 0.0
20 3.733186 6.150306 8.0 6.15030 1.849694
30 2.756129 4.222186 5.0 4.22218 0.777814
40 2.163513 3.052722 4.0 3.05272 0.947278
50 1.804074 2.343406 3.0 2.34340 0.656594
60 1.586063 1.913184 0.8 0.8 0
70 1.453832 1.652242
80 1.373631 1.493972
90 1.324986 1.397976
100 1.295481 1.339752
110 1.277586 1.304437
120 1.266732 1.283018
 Infiltrometer - is a device used to measure the rate of water
infiltration into soil or other porous media.

The most common used infiltrometer is flooding type.

 It consists of two concentric rings driven into soil uniformly without
disturbing the soil to the least to a depth of 15 cm.
 The diameter of rings may vary between 25 cm to 60 cm. An inner
ring is driven into the ground, and a second bigger ring around that to
help control the flow of water through the first ring.
 Water is supplied either with a constant or falling head condition,
and the operator records how much water infiltrates from the inner
ring into the soil over a given time period.
3.18 INFILTRATION
INDICES
In hydrological calculations involving flood
it is convenient to use a constant value of
infiltration rate for the duration of the
storm.

The average infiltration rate is called

infiltration index.
 The two commonly used infiltration indices are the
following: o φ – index o W – index There are
extremely used for the analysis of major floods when
the soil is wet and the infiltration rate becomes
constant.

 Thisis defined as the rate of infiltration above which:

rainfall volume = runoff volume(saturation)