Surface infiltration formula (Water Overlay)

Surface infiltration is the amount of water that infiltrates from the surface to the unsaturated zone below the surface.

Surface infiltration is calculated per grid cell. First, the infiltration capacities are calculated:

${\overline{I}}_{top}=\{\begin{array}{cc}{\overline{I}}_{building},& \text{if building are present on top of the surface}\\ {\overline{I}}_{terrain},& \text{otherwise}\end{array}$

${\overline{I}}_{surface}=min({\overline{I}}_{ground},{\overline{I}}_{top})$

Then the actual infiltration:

$\Delta w_t=min(h_t,{\overline{I}}_{surface}\cdot \Delta t\cdot f_{i,t})$

Where:

${\overline{I}}_{building}$ = The average infiltration capacity based on buildings on top of the surface, based on GROUND_INFILTRATION_MD defined in either the building or function.

${\overline{I}}_{terrain}$ = The average infiltration capacity based on the surface terrain, defined by GROUND_INFILTRATION_MD. This value should be interpreted as the vertical conductivity (Kv) of the sub-soil.

${\overline{I}}_{top}$ = The average infiltration capacity on top of the surface.

${\overline{I}}_{ground}$ = The average infiltration capacity below the surface.

${\overline{I}}_{surface}$ = The infiltration capacity from surface to the unsaturated zone.

$\Delta w_t$ = The surface infiltration which takes place at time $t$.

$h_t$ = The amount of water on the surface at time $t$. Also known as the water column.

$\Delta t$ = Computational timestep.

$f_{i,t}$ = The interpolated infiltration factor at time $t$. Configured using INFILTRATION_FACTOR_S.

Related

The following topics are related to this formula.

Formulas

Surface water level formula (Water Overlay)

Groundwater level formula (Water Overlay)

Ground infiltration formula (Water Overlay)

Models

Surface model (Water Overlay)

Ground model (Water Overlay)

Infiltration model (Water Overlay)

Tracer flow model

Attributes

GROUND_INFILTRATION_MD

Notes

• When Surface infiltration Only is active, the maximum amount of water that can infiltrate into the unsaturated zone can be configured. See Infiltration Model: Surface infiltration Only for more details.

How-to's

• How to configure a dynamic infiltration factor for a Water Overlay

---

Water Module

Water Module

Tutorials

Overview

Theory

Benchmarks

Models

Surface • Ground • Rain • Evapotranspiration • Infiltration • Elevation • Breach • Sewer • Storage • Tracer flow • Border • Order

Model formulas

Timestep • Season • Surface water level • Groundwater level

Flow formulas

Surface flow • Surface infiltration • Ground flow • Ground infiltration • Surface evaporation • Ground evaporation • Ground bottom flow

Hydraulic structure formulas

Culvert • Weir • Breach growth • Breach flow • Pump • Sewer Overflow • Inlet • Drainage

Related

Building attributes • Hydrological features • Hydraulic structures •  Terrain attributes • Model attributes • Prequels • Results • Simulation data