Tutorial 3

Infiltration, Phi-index, W-index and Runoff coefficient

Horton’s Equation:
One of the earliest infiltration equations was developed by Horton (1933, 1939), who observed
that infiltration begins at some rate and exponentially decreases until it reaches a constant rate.
𝑓 𝑡 = 𝑓𝑐 + 𝑓0 − 𝑓𝑐 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑡𝑐
Where,
𝑓 𝑡 = infiltration capacity at any time t from the start of the rainfall,
𝑓0 = initial infiltration capacity at time 𝑡 = 0,
𝑓𝑐 = final steady state infiltration capacity occurring at 𝑡 = 𝑡𝑐 , also sometimes it is known as
constant rate or ultimate infiltration capacity,
𝑘 = Horton’s decay coefficient which depends upon soil characteristics and vegetation
cover and having dimensions 𝑇 −1 .
Prob-(1) The infiltration rate of a soil is described by Horton’s equation. The initial
infiltration rate (𝒇𝟎 ​) is 10 mm/hr, the steady-state infiltration rate (𝒇𝒄 ) is 2 mm/hr and the
decay constant (k) is 0.5𝒉𝒓−𝟏 . Calculate the infiltration rate after 1 hr, 3 hrs and 5 hrs.

Solution:
𝑚𝑚 𝑚𝑚
Given data, 𝑓0 = 10 ℎ𝑟 , 𝑓𝑐 = 2 ℎ𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘 = 0.5 ℎ𝑟 −1 .

−(0.5∗1) 𝑚𝑚
 𝑓 1 = 2 + 10 − 2 𝑒 = 6.58 ℎ𝑟

−(0.5∗3) 𝑚𝑚
𝑓 3 = 2 + 10 − 2 𝑒 = 3.562 ℎ𝑟

𝑚𝑚
𝑓 5 = 2 + 10 − 2 𝑒 −(0.5∗5) = 2.656 ℎ𝑟
Prob-(2) A soil has an infiltration rate modeled by Horton’s equation with 𝒇𝟎 =30 mm/hr,
𝒇𝒄 =10 mm/hr​, and k=0.4𝒉𝒓−𝟏 . After t time period the cumulative infiltration is 93.235, now
calculate the time period. Choose an initial guess value 4.9.
Solution:
The cumulative infiltration is calculated using:
𝑓0 − 𝑓𝑐
𝐹 𝑡 = 𝑓𝑐 𝑡 + 1 − 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡
𝑘
Substitute the given values in this equn.
 we get the equn., 𝑓 𝑡 = 10𝑡 − 50𝑒 −0.4𝑡 − 43.235 = 0
Using Newton Raphson method to solve this equation-
𝑓(𝑡𝑛 )
𝑡𝑛+1 = 𝑡𝑛 −
𝑓′(𝑡𝑛 )

𝑓 ′ 𝑡 = 10 + 20𝑒 −0.4𝑡
Choose an initial guess value 𝑡0 = 4.9, first trial we get 𝑡1 = 4.999 and in the 2nd trial solution is
converged at time period nearly t=5 hrs.
Show that the ponding time under rainfall of intensity 𝒊 for a soil described by Horton’s
equation with parameters 𝒇𝟎 , 𝒇𝒄 , and 𝒌 is given by

𝟏 𝒇𝟎 − 𝒇𝒄
𝒕𝒑 = 𝒇𝟎 − 𝒊 + 𝒇𝒄 𝒍𝒏
𝒌𝒊 𝒊 − 𝒇𝒄
Indicate the range of values of rainfall intensity for which this equation is valid and explain
what happens if 𝒊 is outside this range.

Solution:
Horton’s equation- 𝑓 𝑡 = 𝑓𝑐 + (𝑓0 − 𝑓𝑐 )𝑒 −𝑘𝑡
Ponding occurs when the rainfall intensity 𝑖 exceeds the infiltration capacity 𝑓 𝑡 : 𝑖 ≥ 𝑓 𝑡 ,
Now we can write at the ponding time 𝑡𝑝 , the infiltration capacity equals the rainfall intensity-
𝑓 𝑡𝑝 = 𝑖
 𝑖 = 𝑓𝑐 + (𝑓0 − 𝑓𝑐 )𝑒 −𝑘𝑡𝑝
1 𝑓0 −𝑓𝑐
 𝑡𝑝 = ln 𝑖−𝑓
𝑘 𝑐
To find the total volume of water infiltrated before ponding, we need to integrate the infiltration
rate from 0 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑝 .
𝑡𝑝
𝐹 𝑡𝑝 = න 𝑓𝑐 + (𝑓0 − 𝑓𝑐 )𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 . dt
0
𝑓 −𝑓
 𝐹 𝑡𝑝 = 𝑓𝑐 𝑡𝑝 + 0 𝑘 𝑐 (1 − 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡𝑝 )
Now put the value of 𝑡𝑝 in this equation,
𝑓0 −𝑖
 𝐹 𝑡𝑝 = 𝑓𝑐 𝑡𝑝 + 𝑘
𝑓0 −𝑖 1 𝑓0 −𝑓𝑐
 𝑖 ∗ 𝑡𝑝 = + 𝑓𝑐 ln
𝑘 𝑘 𝑖−𝑓𝑐
1 𝑓0 −𝑓𝑐
 𝑡𝑝 = 𝑓0 − 𝑖 + 𝑓𝑐 𝑙𝑛
𝑘𝑖 𝑖−𝑓𝑐

Range of validity, 𝑓0 > 𝑖 > 𝑓𝑐 . If 𝑖 > 𝑓0 ponding occurs immediately, and if 𝑖 ≤ 𝑓𝑐 no ponding
occurs and the equation is not applicable.
A storm with 10.5 cm of precipitation produced a direct runoff of 6.5 cm. The duration of the
rainfall was 16 hours and its time distribution is given below. Estimate the 𝜑-index of the storm.
Time from start (h) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Cumulative Rainfall(cm) 0 0.4 1.6 3.0 5.2 7.35 8.4 9.45 10.50

Solution: Considering time interval, Δ𝑡=2 h, the rainfall intensities are calculated

Intensity of
Time from Cumulative Incremental
Sl.No. rainfall Ii,
start of rainfall(cm) rainfall(cm)
(cm/hr)
rain(h)
1 2 0.4 0.4 0.2
2 4 1.6 1.2 0.6
3 6 3 1.4 0.7
4 8 5.2 2.2 1.1
5 10 7.35 2.15 1.075
6 12 8.40 1.05 0.525
7 14 9.45 1.05 0.525
8 16 10.5 1.05 0.525
𝐷=16 hours, Δ𝑡=2 hours and 𝑁=8 ,
Trial 1
Assuming 𝑀 = 8, 𝑡𝑒= 𝑀×Δ𝑡 = 16 hours
Since 𝑀 = 𝑁, all the pulses are included.
Runoff 𝑅𝑑 = σ81(𝐼𝑖 − 𝜑) ∆𝑡 = σ81(𝐼𝑖 ∆𝑡)-(8× 𝜑 × ∆𝑡)
 6.5 = [(0.2×2) + (0.60×2) + (0.70×2) + (1.10×2) + (1.075×2) + (0.525×2) +
(0.525×2) + (0.525×2)] −16𝜑
10.50−6.5
𝜑= = 0.25 𝑐𝑚/ℎ𝑟
16
Now say 𝑀1 =Number of pluses with rainfall intensity 𝑀1 ≥ 𝜑.
𝑐𝑚
Here, 𝐼𝑖 ≥ 0.25 ℎ𝑟 𝑖𝑠 7, 𝑀1 =7≠ 𝑀, 𝑠𝑜 𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑀 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡, so we have to go for
next trial.
Trial 2
Assuming 𝑀 = 7, 𝑡𝑒 = 𝑀×Δ𝑡 = 14 hrs.
Runoff 𝑅𝑑 = σ71(𝐼𝑖 − 𝜑) ∆𝑡 = σ71(𝐼𝑖 ∆𝑡)-(7× 𝜑 × ∆𝑡)
6.5 = [ (0.60×2) + (0.70×2) + (1.10×2) + (1.075×2) + (0.525×2) + (0.525×2) +
(0.525×2)] −14𝜑
10.1−6.5
𝜑= = 0.257 𝑐𝑚/ℎ𝑟.
14
The 𝜑 -index of the storm is 0.26 cm/h and the duration of rainfall excess, 𝑡𝑒 is 14 hours.
𝑾-Index:
The initial losses are separated from the total abstractions for refining the 𝜑-index, and the
average value of infiltration rate is called W-index. Thus, W-index is the average rate of
infiltration after separating the initial loss.

𝑃 − 𝑅 − 𝐼𝑎
𝑊=
𝑡𝑒
Where, 𝑃 = Total precipitation
𝑅 = Total storm runoff
𝐼𝑎 = Initial losses
𝑡𝑒 = Duration of the rainfall excess.
Procedure,
We have to deduct the initial loss (𝐼𝑎 ) from the storm hyetograph and use the resulting
hyetograph. Next step is similar like estimation of Phi-Index.
In 210 minutes, duration storm given rainfall intensities is observed in successive 30 minutes
intervals. Assuming the 𝜑-index value as 3 mm/h and an initial loss of 0.8 mm, determine the
total rainfall, net runoff, and W-index for the storm.
Time 0-30 30-60 60-90 90-120 120-150 150-180 180-210
intervals
(mins)
Rainfall 6 8 18 15 8 2 5
intensity
(mm/hr)
Solution: Given data, ∆𝑡 = 30 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑠 = 0.5 ℎ𝑟, 𝜑 − 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑥 = 3 𝑚𝑚/ℎ𝑟, Initial loss=0.8 mm.
Iinfiltration loss=𝜑 . ∆𝑡=3 × 0.5 = 1.5 𝑚𝑚.
 Intensity of
Sl. No. Total Rainfall(mm) Runoff(mm)
rainfall (mm/hr)
Time interval
(mins)
1 0-30 6 3 1.5
2 30-60 8 4 2.5
3 60-90 18 9 7.5
4 90-120 15 7.5 6
5 120-150 8 4 2.5
6 150-180 2 1 0
7 180-210 5 2.5 1
Total= 31 21
Calculation of W-index:
Deduct initial loss from the rainfall hyetograph. For the first pulse, Incremental rainfall = 3 −
0.8 = 2.2 mm.
Rainfall
intensity
Time interval Total Rainfall-Initial
Data No. for W-
(hr) loss (mm)
index
(mm/hr)
1 0-0.5 2.2 4.4
2 0.5-1.0 4 8
3 1.0-1.5 9 18
4 1.5-2.0 7.5 15
5 2.0-2.5 4 8
6 2.5-3.0 1 2
7 3.0-3.5 2.5 5
Trial 1:
Aassuming 𝑀 = 6, 𝑡𝑒 = 𝑀 × ∆𝑡 = 6 × 0.5 = 3.0 ℎ𝑟𝑠.
Runoff 𝑅𝑑 = σ61(𝐼𝑖 − 𝑊) ∆𝑡 = σ61(𝐼𝑖 ∆𝑡)-(6× 𝑊 × ∆𝑡)
21 =[(4.4× 0.5) + 8 × 0.5 + 18 × 0.5 + 15 × 0.5 + 8 × 0.5 + (5 × 0.5)] − 3 × 𝑊
𝑊 = (29.2-21)/3=2.73 mm/hr
A small watershed has the area 50 hectares, total rainfall during a 4 hr storm is 125 mm and
the Phi- index is 0.35 mm/hr, find out the Runoff coefficient of the watershed.

Runoff coefficient=Runoff volume/Rainfall volume