Water Phase Inclination Theory for Hydraulic Conductivity Determination of Vadose Zones in Shallow Water Table Systems

• Main Author: Arkan Radi Ali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Union of Iraqi Geologists (UIG) 2021-08-01
• Series: Iraqi Geological Journal
• Online Access: http://igj-iraq.org/igj/index.php/igj/article/view/660
• ISSN: 2414-6064; 2663-8754

Water Phase Inclination is an innovative theory for hydraulic conductivity and determination of vadose zone overlying shallow water table systems. It was originated and analytically derived from Darcy's Law and based on some physio-mechanical properties of soil. Al-Musayab area of 176 Km2 at Mesopotamian region, mid-Iraq was undertaken as a case study. It consists of unconsolidated quaternary deposits and is usually finer-grained than the underlying pebbly sandstone with Mediterranean weather. The Experimental part was divided into field tests which include double ring infiltrometer tests, water table depth measurements and sampling of 32 undisturbed soil samples of surface layers scattered over the study area Whereas lab tests include; the falling and constant head permeability, grain size distribution (sieve and hydrometer analysis), soil specific gravity, direct shear tests and the measuring of Water Phase Inclinations. Angle \emptyset a glassy infiltration box is an experimental device that was manufactured to measure the Water Phase Inclination angle and aquifer simulation. It is found a generalized linear relationship between  and the angle of internal friction which is valid for   23.37 with correlation factor R² = 0.99 and both angles depend on soil texture. The k values estimated by WPI theory and that measured by traditional techniques offer a linear relationship with acceptable Root Mean Square Error equals 0.0642 < 0.1 the max allowable limit and correlation factor R² = 0.96, pointing out to the reliability and stability of the Water Phase Inclination results.