Modeling of spatial and vertical variability in soil hydraulic properties is a pervasive dilemma in computational hydrology. In an effort to provide guidance in inverse modeling of soil hydraulic properties, this study (i) calibrated soil hydraulic properties, for different soil layer depths, to measured soil moisture, (ii) identified the best-suited soil thickness through validation, and (iii) post-validated the resulting best-fit soil properties and layer depth to the observed soil stratigraphic conditions. Soil property depths were varied to identify the most important stratigraphic features in soil water modeling. Statistical and graphic goodness-of-fit measures indicated that calibration and validation simulations performed better at shallow depths and generally worsened with depth. A comparison of differences in modeled soil layering at two field sites reflected differences in the observed soil stratigraphic conditions. Comparison with in situ soil stratigraphy indicated the importance of soil horizon changes and human-induced alterations to the near-surface soils. These results indicate that soil moisture dynamics can be effectively modeled using basic soil input data and inverse methods. However, to improve model performance, a site-specific field monitoring campaign is needed to properly account for the effects of soil stratigraphy and boundary conditions.
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Research Article|
February 01, 2017
Inverse Modeling of Soil Hydraulic Properties in a Two-Layer System and Comparisons with Measured Soil Conditions
Nicholas Thomas;
a
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Iowa, 100C Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Lab., Iowa City, IA 52242*
Corresponding author (nicholas-thomas@uiowa.edu).
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K.E. Schilling;
K.E. Schilling
b
Iowa Geological Survey, Univ. of Iowa, 300 Trowbridge Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242
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Antonio Arenas Amado;
Antonio Arenas Amado
a
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Iowa, 100C Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Lab., Iowa City, IA 52242
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Matthew Streeter;
Matthew Streeter
c
IIHR Hydroscience and Engineering, Univ. of Iowa, 340C Trowbridge Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242
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Larry Weber
Larry Weber
a
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Iowa, 100C Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Lab., Iowa City, IA 52242
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Vadose Zone Journal (2017) 16 (2): 1–14.
Article history
received:
22 Aug 2016
accepted:
20 Dec 2016
first online:
03 Jan 2018
Citation
Nicholas Thomas, K.E. Schilling, Antonio Arenas Amado, Matthew Streeter, Larry Weber; Inverse Modeling of Soil Hydraulic Properties in a Two-Layer System and Comparisons with Measured Soil Conditions. Vadose Zone Journal 2017;; 16 (2): 1–14. doi: https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2016.08.0072
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Index Terms/Descriptors
- atmospheric precipitation
- boundary conditions
- clastic sediments
- coupling
- depth
- evapotranspiration
- human activity
- hydrodynamics
- hydrology
- in situ
- infiltration
- inverse problem
- layered materials
- loess
- measurement
- moisture
- monitoring
- numerical models
- sediments
- soils
- systems
- two-dimensional models
- two-layer models
- unsaturated zone
- water
- water content
- northeastern Iowa
Latitude & Longitude
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