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- Title
Theoretical Relationship between Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity and Air Permeability under Dry Conditions: Continuum Percolation Theory.
- Authors
Ghanbarian, Behzad; Hunt, Allen G.; Ewing, Robert P.; Skinner, Thomas E.
- Abstract
Power-law scaling from continuum percolation theory is applied to relate two soil properties: saturated hydraulic conductivity and air permeability under completely dry conditions. Combining the effective porosity-dependent models provides a physical interpretation for a previously published logarithmic relationship between the two properties. The saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks, is a fundamental characteristic of subsurface flow and the hydrologic cycle. However, direct measurement of Ks is time consuming. Recently, air permeability measurements at 50 and 100 cm of H2O tension, a relatively dry condition in coarse and medium-textured soils, have been used to estimate Ks. In this short communication, we present a theoretical framework for relating Ks to ka(...), the air permeability as a function of porosity, ..., under completely dry conditions. We used powerlaw scaling from continuum percolation theory to develop a theoretical relationship between Ks and ka(...). Our result, similar in form to a published logarithmic equation with empirical coefficients, gives a physical interpretation to these empirical coefficients.
- Subjects
SOIL permeability; POROSITY; HYDROLOGIC cycle; POWER law (Mathematics); PERCOLATION theory; LOGARITHMS
- Publication
Vadose Zone Journal, 2014, Vol 13, p9
- ISSN
1539-1663
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2136/vzj2014.03.0029