A Closed‐form Equation for Predicting the Hydraulic Conductivity of Unsaturated Soils
Abstract
A new and relatively simple equation for the soil‐water content‐pressure head curve, θ( h ), is described in this paper. The particular form of the equation enables one to derive closed‐form analytical expressions for the relative hydraulic conductivity, K r , when substituted in the predictive conductivity models of N.T. Burdine or Y. Mualem. The resulting expressions for K r ( h ) contain three independent parameters which may be obtained by fitting the proposed soil‐water retention model to experimental data. Results obtained with the closed‐form analytical expressions based on the Mualem theory are compared with observed hydraulic conductivity data for five soils with a wide range of hydraulic properties. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity is predicted well in four out of five cases. It is found that a reasonable description of the soil‐water retention curve at low water contents is important for an accurated prediction of the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The model implemented the soil hydraulic functions proposed by Van Genuchten and Mualem to describe the soil water retention curve.
“The model implemented the soil hydraulic functions proposed by Van Genuchten and Mualem [46,47] to describe the soil water retention curve using the following formulae, Equations ( 4)-(8):”
From Application of Biochar in Stormwater Treatment: Experimental and Modeling Investigation (2021) · cites this paper as [47]
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Impact of biochar and hydrochar addition on water retention and water repellency of sandy soil
Abel, S., Peters, A., Trinks, S., Schonsky, H., Facklam, M., & Wessolek, G. (2013) · Geoderma · doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.03.003 · Cited by 785 · see citing works
Quantification of compaction effects on soil physical properties and crop growth
Lipiec, J., & Hatano, R. (2003) · Geoderma · doi:10.1016/s0016-7061(03)00097-1 · Cited by 551 · see citing works
Assessing potential of biochar for increasing water-holding capacity of sandy soils
Basso, A. S., Miguez, F. E., Laird, D. A., Horton, R., & Westgate, M. (2013) · GCB Bioenergy · doi:10.1111/gcbb.12026 · Cited by 552 · see citing works
Sivamani, E., Bahieldin, A., Wraith, J. M., Al-Niemi, T., Dyer, W. E., Ho, T.-H. D., & Qu, R. (2000) · Plant Science · doi:10.1016/s0168-9452(99)00247-2 · Cited by 500 · see citing works
Obia, A., Mulder, J., Martinsen, V., Cornelissen, G., & Børresen, T. (2016) · Soil and Tillage Research · doi:10.1016/j.still.2015.08.002 · Cited by 488 · see citing works
Spycher, N., & Pruess, K. (2010) · Transport in Porous Media · doi:10.1007/s11242-009-9425-y · Cited by 315 · see citing works
Armenise, E., Redmile-Gordon, M. A., Stellacci, A. M., Ciccarese, A., & Rubino, P. (2013) · Soil and Tillage Research · doi:10.1016/j.still.2013.02.013 · Cited by 294 · see citing works
Lei, O., & Zhang, R. (2013) · Journal of Soils and Sediments · doi:10.1007/s11368-013-0738-7 · Cited by 260 · see citing works
Mechanisms and pathways of trace element mobility in soils
Carrillo‐González, R., Šimůnek, J., Sauvé, S., & Adriano, D. (2006) · Advances in Agronomy · doi:10.1016/s0065-2113(06)91003-7 · Cited by 236 · see citing works
Guo, B., Zeng, J., & Brusseau, M. L. (2020) · Water Resources Research · doi:10.1029/2019wr026667 · Cited by 224 · see citing works
Welcker, C., Boussuge, B., Bencivenni, C., Ribaut, J.-M., & Tardieu, F. (2006) · Journal of Experimental Botany · doi:10.1093/jxb/erl227 · Cited by 174 · see citing works
Liu, C., Wang, H., Tang, X., Guan, Z., Reid, B. J., Rajapaksha, A. U., Ok, Y. S., & Sun, H. (2016) · Environmental Science and Pollution Research · doi:10.1007/s11356-015-4885-9 · Cited by 175 · see citing works
A root zone modelling approach to estimating groundwater recharge from irrigated areas
Jiménez-Martínez, J., Skaggs, T. H., van Genuchten, M. T., & Candela, L. (2009) · Journal of Hydrology · doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2009.01.002 · Cited by 161 · see citing works
Self-citationBauer, J., Herbst, M., Huisman, J. A., Weihermüller, L., & Vereecken, H. (2008) · Geoderma · doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2008.01.026 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Parameterization and evaluation of predictions of DSSAT/CANEGRO for Brazilian sugarcane
Marin, F. R., Jones, J. W., Royce, F., Suguitani, C., Donzeli, J. L., Filho, W. J. P., & Nassif, D. S. P. (2011) · Agronomy Journal · doi:10.2134/agronj2010.0302 · Cited by 118 · see citing works
A modified HYDRUS model for simulating PFAS transport in the vadose zone
Silva, J. A. K., Šimůnek, J., & McCray, J. E. (2020) · Water · doi:10.3390/w12102758 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Modeling the phenomena of dehydration and flooding of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell
Gerteisen, D., Heilmann, T., & Ziegler, C. (2009) · Journal of Power Sources · doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2008.10.102 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
Impacts of biochar on physical properties and erosion potential of a mudstone slopeland soil
Hseu, Z.-Y., Jien, S.-H., Chien, W.-H., & Liou, R.-C. (2014) · The Scientific World JOURNAL · doi:10.1155/2014/602197 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Bandai, T., & Ghezzehei, T. A. (2022) · Hydrology and Earth System Sciences · doi:10.5194/hess-26-4469-2022 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Bayabil, H. K., Stoof, C. R., Lehmann, J. C., Yitaferu, B., & Steenhuis, T. S. (2015) · Geoderma · doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2014.12.015 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Guber, A. K., Pachepsky, Y. A., van Genuchten, M. T., Rawls, W. J., Simunek, J., Jacques, D., Nicholson, T. J., & Cady, R. E. (2006) · Vadose Zone Journal · doi:10.2136/vzj2005.0111 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Self-citationWöhling, T., & Vrugt, J. A. (2008) · Water Resources Research · doi:10.1029/2008wr007154 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Herbst, M., Hellebrand, H. J., Bauer, J., Huisman, J. A., Šimůnek, J., Weihermüller, L., Graf, A., Vanderborght, J., & Vereecken, H. (2008) · Ecological Modelling · doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2008.02.007 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
McGarr, J. T., Mbonimpa, E. G., McAvoy, D. C., & Soltanian, M. R. (2023) · Soil Systems · doi:10.3390/soilsystems7020053 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Ebel, B. A., Rengers, F. K., & Tucker, G. E. (2016) · Water Resources Research · doi:10.1002/2016wr019110 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Zeng, J., Brusseau, M. L., & Guo, B. (2021) · Journal of Hydrology · doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.127172 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Multiphase flow and reactive transport model in vadose tailings
Acero, P., Ayora, C., Carrera, J., Saaltink, M. W., & Olivella, S. (2009) · Applied Geochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2009.03.008 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Henke, J., Böttcher, U., Neukam, D., Sieling, K., & Kage, H. (2008) · Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems · doi:10.1007/s10705-008-9192-0 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Asghari, S., Abbasi, F., & Neyshabouri, M. R. (2011) · Biosystems Engineering · doi:10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2011.02.005 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Biesek, B. J., Szymkiewicz, A., Šimůnek, J., Gumuła-Kawęcka, A., & Jaworska-Szulc, B. (2024) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173252 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Modifying the LEACHM model for process-based prediction of nitrate leaching from cropped Andosols
Asada, K., Eguchi, S., Urakawa, R., Itahashi, S., Matsumaru, T., Nagasawa, T., Aoki, K., Nakamura, K., & Katou, H. (2013) · Plant and Soil · doi:10.1007/s11104-013-1809-7 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Application of Biochar in Stormwater Treatment: Experimental and Modeling Investigation
Hasan, M. S., Vasquez, R., & Geza, M. (2021) · Processes · doi:10.3390/pr9050860 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Contamination of roadside soils by runoff pollutants: A numerical study
Pan, T., & Miao, T. (2015) · Transportation Geotechnics · doi:10.1016/j.trgeo.2014.07.006 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
- Authors
- van Genuchten, M. T.
- Venue
- Soil Science Society of America Journal
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1980-09
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 892-898
- ISSN
- 0361-5995 (ISSN-L)
- 1435-0661
- OpenAlex
- W2162604832
- Cited by
- 27,578
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1375 · 2025: 1518 · 2024: 1586 · 2023: 1611 · 2022: 1662 · 2021: 1623 · 2020: 1418 · 2019: 1424 · 2018: 1245 · 2017: 1062 · 2016: 1127 · 2015: 985 · 2014: 1122 · 2013: 984 · 2012: 906
- FWCI
- 35.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Soil Science Society of America Journal (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Civil and Structural Engineering › Soil and Unsaturated Flow
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Groundwater flow and contamination studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Soil Moisture and Remote Sensing
- Keywords
- unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, soil water retention curve, closed-form expressions, relative hydraulic conductivity, Mualem model
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review