• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2014

Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (HC) is integrated theoretically from soil water retention curves (SWRC) by Mualem capillary model, but the prediction of HC is extremely sensitive to small variation of matric suction near saturation. Near saturation, the Mualem HC based on smooth SWRC decreases abruptly and has problems in the reliability of hydraulic behavior and the stability of numerical solutions. To improve van Genuchten-Mualem (VGM) HC, the van Genuchten SWRC model is modified within range of low matric suction (arbitrary air entry pressure). At an arbitrary air entry pressure, the VG SWRC is linearized in log scale until full saturation. The modified VG SWRC does not affect the fit of actual retention behavior and either the parameters of original VG SWRC fit. Using the modified VG SWRC, the VGM HC is modified to integrate for each interval decomposed by arbitrary air entry pressure. An analytical solution on modified VGM HC is proposed each interval, to protect the rapid change in HC near saturation. For silty soils, VGM models of HC function underestimate the unsaturated permeability characteristics and especially show rapid reduction near saturation. The modified VGM model predicts more accurate HC functions for Korean weathered soils. Furthermore, near saturation, the saturated HC is conserved by the modified VGM model. After 2-D infiltration analysis of an actual slope, the hydraulic behaviors are compared for VGM and the modified models. The prediction by the proposed model conserved the convergence of solutions on various rainfall conditions. However, the solution by VGM model did not converge since the conductivity near saturation reduced abruptly for heavy rainfall condition. Using VGM model, the factor of safety is overestimated in both initial and final stage during heavy rainfall. Stability analysis based on infiltration analysis could simulate the actual slope failure by the proposed model on HC.

• Water for future
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.107-113
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• 1994

The analysis of Richards eq. requires data of the soil water retention function and the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. The soil water retention function was measured through the use of the developed apparatus and the saturated hydraulic conductivity was measured by the constant head method for each soil sample corresponding to the A, B, C types of SCS. In order to obtain one water retention function and one unsaturated hydraulic conductivity which represent each soil group, van Genuchten's eq. and Mualem's pore-structure model was chosen respectively. Parameters of van Genuchten's eq. are estimated for each soil group using data obtained in the experiments, and estimated values give a basis to analyze the unsaturated flow in the non-measured region efficiently.

• Water for future
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.215-222
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• 1995

The water retention function which has the hysteresis phenomena is required to analyze the Richards equation which is a governing equation of the unsaturated flow, and its hysteresis phenomena has influence upon the characteristics of the unsaturated flow. The accuracy of the published hysteresis models is compared by using experimental data of the water retention function. The apparatus to experiment the hysteresis phenomena on the soil is developed, and experimental data for the main wetting process and the main drying process of the water retention function are obtained. The parameters of the van Genuchten equation are calibrated by using experimentally obtained data. As a result of the comparison of the selected hysteresis models which simulate the main drying curve from the main wetting curve, the Model I-1(Mualem) overestimates and the Model II-1(Mualem) underestimates but the Model III-2(Park and Sonu) similarly estimates the experimental data of the main drying curve.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.259-267
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• 2006

Hydraulic conductivity is the rate of water flux on hydraulic gradient. The van Genuchten Mualem (VGM) model is frequently used for describing unsaturated state of soils, that is composed with the function of soil water potential and soil water content and requests various parameters. This study is to get the value of VGM parameters used Rosetta computer program based on neural network analysis method and to calculate VGM parameters. VGM parameters included Ko(effective saturated hydraulic conductivity), ${\theta}r$(residual soil water content), ${\theta}s$(saturated soil water content), L, n and m. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity at 10 kPa was calculated by using Rosetta program. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivities of 17 soil series at 1, 3, 5, 7 kPa were also obtained by applying saturated hydraulic conductivity by disk tension infiltrometer based on Gardner and Wooding's equation. Water flow at the water potential of 3 kPa was very low except Namgye, Hagog, Baegsan, Sangju, Seogcheon, Yesan soil series. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity at 1 kPa showed the highest value for Samgag soil series and was in order of Yesan, Hwabong, Hagog and Baegsan soil series. Those of Gacheon, Seocheon and Ugog soil series were very low. When the value by VGM was compared with the value by disc tension infiltrometer, there was a tendency with exponential function to soils without gravel but there was no tendency to soils including gravel. Conclusively, it would be limited that VGM model for unsaturated hydraulic conductivity analysis applies to Korean agricultural land including gravel and having steep slope, shallow soil depth.