Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of runoff and sediment yield in a small agricultural watershed with KINEROS2 / Analyse d'incertitude et de sensibilité des simulations d'écoulement et de transport solide de KINEROS2 dans un petit bassin versant agricole

Abstract

Using the Monte Carlo (MC) method, this paper derives arithmetic and geometric means and associated variances of the net capillary drive parameter, G, that appears in the Parlange infiltration model, as a function of soil texture and antecedent soil moisture content. Approximate expressions for the arithmetic and geometric statistics of G are also obtained, which compare favourably with MC generated ones. This paper also applies the MC method to evaluate parameter sensitivity and predictive uncertainty of the distributed runoff and erosion model KINEROS2 in a small experimental watershed. The MC simulations of flow and sediment related variables show that those parameters which impart the greatest uncertainty to KINEROS2 model outputs are not necessarily the most sensitive ones. Soil hydraulic conductivity and wetting front net capillary drive, followed by initial effective relative saturation, dominated uncertainties of flow and sediment discharge model outputs at the watershed outlet. Model predictive uncertainty measured by the coefficient of variation decreased with rainfall intensity, thus implying improved model reliability for larger rainfall events. The antecedent relative saturation was the most sensitive parameter in all but the peak arrival times, followed by the overland plane roughness coefficient. Among the sediment related parameters, the median particle size and hydraulic erosion parameters dominated sediment model output uncertainty and sensitivity. Effect of rain splash erosion coefficient was negligible. Comparison of medians from MC simulations and simulations by direct substitution of average parameters with observed flow rates and sediment discharges indicates that KINEROS2 can be applied to ungauged watersheds and still produce runoff and sediment yield predictions within order of magnitude of accuracy.     

Energy considerations in groundwater‐ridging mechanism of streamflow generation

Groundwater ridging is the rapid rise of a shallow water table during a rainfall event, in an environment where, in the pre‐event period, the capillary fringe extends to the ground surface. Groundwater ridging is widely cited to account for the observed significant appearance of pre‐event water in a stream stormflow hydrograph. Various hypotheses have been advanced to explain the groundwater‐ridging mechanism; and most recently, from a field study site in South Africa, an energy hypothesis was proposed, which explains that groundwater‐ridging water‐table rise is a result of rapid introduction and transmission of additional pressure head into the capillary fringe from an intense rainfall at the ground surface. However, there is a need for further analysis and evidence from other field study sites to confirm and support this newly proposed energy hypothesis. The objectives of this paper are, therefore, as follows: to review previous observations on groundwater ridging, from other study sites, in order to deduce evidence of the newly proposed energy hypothesis; to present and evaluate a one‐dimensional diffusion mathematical model that can simulate groundwater‐ridging water‐table rise, based on the newly proposed energy hypothesis; and to evaluate the importance of a capillary fringe in streamflow generation. Analysis of previous observations from other study sites generally indicated that the rate of groundwater‐ridging water‐table rise is directly related to the rainfall intensity, hence confirming and agreeing with the newly proposed energy hypothesis. Additionally, theoretical results by the mathematical model agreed fairly well with the field results observed under natural rainfall, confirming that the rapidly rainfall‐induced energy is diffusively transmitted downwards through pore water, elevating the pressure head at every depth. The results in this study also support the concept of a three‐end‐member stream stormflow hydrograph and contribute to the explanation of how catchments can store water for long periods but then release it rapidly during storm events. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Micromechanics of saturated and unsaturated porous media

The homogenization method is used to determine the formulation of the behaviour of both saturated and unsaturated porous media. This approach makes it possible to assess the validity of the effective stress concept as a function of the properties of the porous media at the microscopic scale. Furthermore, the influence of the morphologies of the solid and fluid phases on the macroscopic behaviour is studied. The strain induced by drying is examined as a function of the morphological properties. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Engineering Characteristics of the Lightweight Air-Mixed Soil (LWS) Containing Silty Marine Sediment

This study was conducted to find out the characteristics of the lightweight air-mixed soil (LWS) used for a road embankment. Compressive strength, permeability, and capillary height of the LWS were studied, and to support these studies, its inside structure was analyzed in detail. Various size air pores exist in the LWS, and their distribution with a location is almost constant. Numerous tiny cracks formed by different grain sizes between in-situ soil (silty marine sediment) and solidificator exist inside the air pores so that the LWS can be affected by water. Peak strength of the LWS is found to be less dependent on the water, but the behavior of strength-strain was affected by water. Permeability is a little bit higher than clay's permeability. Capillary rise is rapid in the beginning of the test, and then slows down. The capillary rise can increase the density of the LWS, and thus requires special attention during design and maintenance of the structures, which were constructed with the LWS.     

Morphed block-crack preferential sedimentation in a reservoir bed: a smart design and evolution in nature

Abstract

A pedological study of the reservoir bed of Al-Khoud Dam, Oman, revealed an unusual sedimentation pattern which evolved into an intricate composition of silt blocks surrounded by vertical cracks and horizontal layers filled with a “proppant” sand. The discovered soil morphology reflects the complex topology of water motion (infiltration–seepage–evaporation) through the sand-filled cracks/layers and blocks during both the rare flood events and ensuing periods of ponding, and the long, intervening dry periods. These naturally formed soils demonstrate an ability to preserve a large quantity of water inside the silty blocks at depths of 0.5 to 1.5 m, despite the high temperature and dryness of the topsoil. The hydrological optimality and “smartness” of these soils is attributed to the unique block-crack system. Natural, lush vegetation was found in adjacent zones of the reservoir bed, and acted as a footprint of the shallow “fractured perched aquifer”. Planted “ivy” (Convolvulaceae) in the vertical face of one pedon showed intensive growth without irrigation. Soil moisture content data confirmed the hydrological immobility of water in the blocks if not depleted by transpiration. The novel phenomena reported unveil the possible alteration of soil heterogeneity for optimization of the soil–water system in arid zone soils.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor F.F. Hattermann

Citation Al-Ismaily, S.S., Al-Maktoumi, A.K., Kacimov, A.R., Al-Saqri, S.M., Al-Busaidi, H.A., and Al-Haddabi, M.H., 2013. Morphed block-crack preferential sedimentation in a reservoir bed: a smart design and evolution in nature. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (8), 1779–1788.     

核磁共振谱的岩石孔喉结构分析

岩心核磁共振T2谱和压汞分析数据均在一定程度上反映了岩石的孔喉结构,理论分析表明,这两组数据具有相关性.应用岩心核磁共振T2谱研究岩石孔喉结构,关键是确定T2与Pc的转换系数.但以前的方法在T2与Pc的转化过程中,需要涉及某些岩石特性参数,实用中有一定困难.本次研究,直接利用岩心核磁共振T2谱和压汞分析数据之间的相关性,可以客观地确定T2与Pc之间的转换系数,避免了确定岩石特性参数的困难.应用本方法,对6块岩心的多种核磁共振分析数据进行了对比分析,作出了NMR(nuolearmagneticresonance)T2毛管力曲线和孔喉半径分布,并将这些结果与压汞分析的结果作了对比.研究结果表明,岩心NMRT2谱在实用性和评价精度上均略显有优势;至少是在饱含油的条件下,岩心的NMRT2谱可以用于研究孔喉结构分布,油气的驰豫特性作为影响背景值存在,对于评价结果没有明显的影响;全部6块岩心中,T2与Pc的转换系数位于2500～4000μs·MPa之间.     

Capillary Pressure Curves from Centrifuge Data: A Semi-Iterative Approach

The problem of determining capillary pressure functions from centrifuge data leads to an integral equation of the form _a ^x K(x,t)f(t)dt=g(x),x[a,b],(1)where the kernel K is known exactly and given by the underlying mathematical model. g is only known with a limited degree of accuracy in a finite and discrete set of points x ₁,...,x _M . However, the sought function f(t) is continuous. By the nature of the right-hand side, g(x), equation (1) is a discrete inverse problem which is ill-posed in the sense of Hadamard [9]. By a parameterization of the sought function, equation (1) reduces to a system of linear equations of the form Ac=b+ ,where b is the observation vector and A arises from discretization of the forward problem. is the error vector associated with b, and c contains the model parameters. The matrix A is usually ill-conditioned. The ill-conditioning is closely connected to the parameterization of the problem [23].In this paper a semi-iterative regularization method for solving the Volterra integral equation in the ₂-norm, namely, Brakhage's -method [2], is investigated. The iterative method is tested on synthetically generated, and on experimental data.     

A model of capillary cohesion for numerical simulations of 3D polydisperse granular media

We present a 3D discrete‐element approach for numerical investigation of wet granular media. This approach relies on the basic laws of contact and Coulomb friction enriched by a capillary force law between particles. We show that the latter can be expressed as a simple explicit function of the gap and volume of the liquid bridge connecting a pair of spherical particles. The length scales involved in this expression are analyzed by comparing with direct integration of the Laplace–Young equation. We illustrate and validate this approach by application to direct shear and simple compression loadings. The shear and compression strengths obtained from simulations reproduce well the experimental measurements under similar material and boundary conditions. Our findings clearly show that the number density of liquid bonds in the bulk is a decisive parameter for the overall cohesion of wet granular materials. A homogeneous distribution of the liquid within the bridge debonding distance, even at low volume contents, leads to the highest cohesion. The latter is independent of the liquid content as far as the liquid remains in the pendular state and the number density of liquid bonds remains constant. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of numerical simulations of capillary barrier field tests

This paper presents a comparison of numerical simulations to the measured response of capillary barrier field tests. The simulations were of pilot-scale tests of four 7 m long, 1.2 m thick capillary barriers, two with 5% slopes and two with 10% slopes, with and without an included unsaturated drainage layers. The unsaturated drainage layer was included to encourage lateral drainage. The 5% sloped barriers were subjected to a period of constant infiltration for a period of 74 days, while the 10% system with the drainage layer had water added for 26 days and the conventional capillary barrier with a 10% slope was subjected to 43 days of infiltration. The numerical modelling was conducted using both drying and wetting soil moisture characteristic curves to determine their influence on the results. Differences between the field test and the model data were found, but in general the simulations appeared to adequately reproduce the response of the test systems. It was found that the use of wetting curve data provided a better fit to the field data, more accurately predicting the amount and timing of the percolate produced. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

Dynamic capillary effects in heterogeneous porous media

In standard multi-phase flow models on porous media, a capillary pressure saturation relationship developed under static conditions is assumed. Recent experiments have shown that this static relationship cannot explain dynamic effects as seen for example in outflow experiments. In this paper, we use a static capillary pressure model and a dynamic capillary pressure model based on the concept of Hassanizadeh and Gray and examine the behavior with respect to material interfaces. We introduce a new numerical scheme for the one-dimensional case using a Lagrange multiplier approach and develop a suitable interface condition. The behavior at the interface is discussed and verified by various numerical simulations.