Abstract
In this chapter, the probabilistic porous network model is employed to
establish a fully analytical equation for the relative hydraulic conductivity of soils.
From this approach, a parameter accounting for the proportion of pores of different
sizes forming continuous paths of saturated elements between the boundaries is used
to compute the hydraulic conductivity. This approach avoids the effect of the size of
the network on the results and the necessity of the pore-scale model approach required
by computational networks to obtain the hydraulic conductivity of soils. Similarly,
constraints related to computing time and memory size are avoided. In addition,
single, double, or triple structured soil can be considered for the network. The
theoretical and experimental comparisons indicate that capillary flow can account for
the hydraulic conductivity of soils for the full range of suction of sandy and silty soils.
Finally, all parameters required in the relative conductivity equation can be obtained
by fitting the numerical with the experimental retention curves.