Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Comparative analysis of two infiltration models for application in a physically based overland flow model

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the prediction of overland flow, infiltration is an essential component, which should be modeled accurately to achieve optimum runoff rates. Many mathematical models that simulate the details of runoff and erosion process in hillslopes, where the rill-interrill configuration significantly affects overland flow, employ Horton’s model for infiltration due to its simplicity. However, Horton’s model does not handle adequately antecedent moisture condition (AMC) of soil. In this study, the Green-Ampt infiltration model is incorporated into a physically based overland flow model, which was originally coupled with Horton’s equation in an effort to improve the overland flow model’s prediction ability. In so doing, the model used the Horton and Green-Ampt model as an infiltration component separately and simulated flow to directly compare which infiltration equation performs better with the overland flow model. Calibration using laboratory data produced good results for both Horton with NSE = 0.88 and r 2 = 0.92 and Green-Ampt with NSE = 0.90 and r 2 = 0.95 while in validation, the Horton-coupled model produced lower NSE = 0.64 and r 2 = 0.84 than the Green-Ampt which produced NSE = 0.85 and r 2 = 0.85. The results suggest that the Green-Ampt equation can improve the performance of the overland flow model with its ability to account more accurately the AMC and flow processes in the soil.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aksoy H, Erdem Unal N, Cokgor S, Gedikli A, Yoon J, Koca K, Boran Inci S, Eris E (2012) A rainfall simulator for a laboratory-scale assessment of rainfall-runoff-sediment transport processes over a two-dimensional flume. Catena 98:63–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arguelles ACC, Jung M, Pak G, Aksoy H, Kavvas ML, Yoon J (2013) Evaluation of overland flow model for a hillslope using laboratory flume data. Water Sci Technol 68:1188–1194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beven K (2004) Robert E. Horton’s perceptual model of infiltration processes. Hydrol Process 18:3447–3460

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chahinian N, Moussa R, Andrieux P, Voltz M (2005) Comparison of infiltration models to simulate flood events at the field scale. J Hydrol 306:191–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapra SC (1997) Surface water quality modeling. McGraw-Hill Book Co, Singapore

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen CL, Chow VT (1971) Formulation of mathematical watershed-flow model. J Eng Mech Div 97:809–828

    Google Scholar 

  • Chow VT (1959) Open channel hydraulics. McGraw-Hill Book Co, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Chow VT, Maidment DR, Mays LW (1988) Applied hydrology. McGraw-Hill Book Co, Singapore

    Google Scholar 

  • Daluz Vieira JH (1983) Conditions governing the use of approximations for the Saint Venant equations for shallow surface water flow. J Hydrol 60:43–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Lima JLMP, Van der Molen WH (1988) An analytical kinematic model for the rising limb of overland flow on infiltrating parabolic shaped surfaces. J Hydrol 104:363–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Roo APJ, Jetten VG (1999) Calibrating and validating the LISEM model for two data sets from the Netherlands and South Africa. Catena 37:477–493

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deng ZQ, De Lima JLMP, Singh VP (2005) Transport rate-based model for overland flow and solute transport: parameter estimation and process simulation. J Hydrol 315:220–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emmett WE (1970) The hydraulics of overland flow on hillslopes. http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0662a/report.pdf. Accessed 5 Dec 2013

  • Esteves M, Faucher X, Galle S, Vauclin M (2000) Overland flow and infiltration modelling for small plots during unsteady rain: numerical results versus observed values. J Hydrol 228:265–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilley JE, Kottwitz ER, Simanton JR (1990) Hydraulic characteristics of rills. Trans ASAE 33:1900–1906

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Govindaraju RS, Jones SE, Kavvas ML (1988a) On the diffusion wave model for overland flow, 1. Solution for steep slopes. Water Resour Res 24:734–744

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Govindaraju RS, Jones SE, Kavvas ML (1988b) On the diffusion wave model for overland flow, 2. Steady state analysis. Water Resour Res 24:745–754

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Govindaraju RS, Kavvas ML, Tayfur G, Krone RB (1992) Erosion control of decomposed granite at Buckhorn Summit. Final report, California Department of Transportation, USA

  • Gronsten HA, Lundekvam H (2006) Prediction of surface runoff and soil loss in southeastern Norway using the WEPP hillslope model. Soil Tillage Res 85:186–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta HV, Kling H, Yilmaz KK, Martinez GF (2009) Decomposition of the mean squared error and NSE performance criteria: Implications for improving hydrological modelling. J Hydrol 377:80–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kavvas ML, Govindaraju RS (1992) Hydrodynamic averaging of overland flow and soil erosion over rilled hillslopes. In: Walling DE, Davies TR, Hasholt B (eds) Chengdu symposium, 1992, erosion, debris flows and environment in mountain regions, IAHS Publ., Wallingford, pp 101–111

  • Lee KT, Huang JK (2013) Runoff simulation considering time-varying partial contributing area based on current precipitation index. J Hydrol 486:443–454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu QQ, Chen L, Li JC, Singh VP (2004) Two-dimensional kinematic wave model of overland flow. J Hydrol 291:28–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu D, Tian F, Hu H, Hu H (2012) The role of run-on for overland flow and the characteristics of runoff generation in the Loess Plateau, China. Hydrol Sci J 57:1107–1117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mein RG, Larson CL (1973) Modeling infiltration during a steady rain. Water Resour Res 9:384–394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra SK, Tyagi JV, Singh VP (2003) Comparison of infiltration models. Hydrol Process 17:2629–2652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moriasi DN, Arnold JG, Van Liew MW, Bingner RL, Harmel RD, Veith TL (2007) Model evaluation guidelines for systematic quantification of accuracy in watershed simulations. Trans ASABE 50:885–900

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morris EM (1978) The effect of the small-slope approximation and lower boundary condition on the solutions of the Saint Venant equations. J Hydrol 40:31–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morris EM, Woolhiser DA (1980) Unsteady one-dimensional flow over a plane: partial equilibrium and recession hydrographs. Water Resour Res 16:355–360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nahar N, Govindaraju RS, Corradini C, Morbidelli R (2004) Role of run-on for describing field-scale infiltration and overland flow over spatially variable soils. J Hydrol 286:36–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pit R, Lantrip J, Harrison R, Henry C, Xue D (1999) Infiltration through disturbed urban soils and compost-amended soil effects on runoff quality and quantity. U.S. EPA Publications. http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/600r00016.html. Accessed 5 Dec 2013

  • Ponce VM, Li RM, Simons DB (1978) Applicability of kinematic and diffusion models. J Hydraul Eng 104:353–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Rawls W, Brakensiek D, Miller N (1983) Green-Ampt infiltration parameters from soils data. J Hydraul Eng 109:62–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rossman LA (2009) Storm water management model user’s manual version 5.0. U.S. EPA Publications. http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/600r05040.html. Accessed 5 Dec 2013

  • Tayfur G (2007) Modelling sediment transport from bare rilled hillslopes by areally averaged transport equations. Catena 70:25–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tayfur G, Kavvas ML (1994) Spatially averaged conservation equations for interacting rill-interrill area overland flows. J Hydraul Eng 120:1426–1448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tayfur G, Kavvas ML (1998) Areally-averaged overland flow equations at hillslope scale. Hydrol Sci J 43:361–378

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner ER (2006) Comparison of infiltration equations and their field validation with rainfall simulation. Master thesis, University of Maryland, College Park

  • Xu CY (2003) Hydrologic models. Uppsala University Department of Earth, Air and Water Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoon J, Kavvas ML (2000) Spatial averaging of overland flow equations for the hillslope with rill-interrill configuration. In: Proc. of the 4th Int. Conf. on Hydro-Science and Eng. (ICHE). Seoul

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2013R1A1A4A01007676) and a research grant from Korea University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Program in Environmental Technology and Policy, Korea University, Sejong, 339-700, South Korea

    Kristine Joy B. Mallari, Hwansuk Kim & Jaeyoung Yoon

  2. Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea University, Sejong, 339-700, South Korea

    Anya Catherine C. Arguelles & Jaeyoung Yoon

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 34469, Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey

    Hafzullah Aksoy

  4. Hydrologic Research Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    M. Levent Kavvas

Authors
  1. Kristine Joy B. Mallari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anya Catherine C. Arguelles
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hwansuk Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hafzullah Aksoy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. M. Levent Kavvas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jaeyoung Yoon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jaeyoung Yoon.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mallari, K.J.B., Arguelles, A.C.C., Kim, H. et al. Comparative analysis of two infiltration models for application in a physically based overland flow model. Environ Earth Sci 74, 1579–1587 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4155-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4155-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation