Abstract

An extensive series of tests involving reconstructed profiles of spoil and topsoil material from a Western Kentucky surface mine site was conducted with a laboratory infiltrometer system. Infiltration through the reconstructed spoil profiles was very slow despite the coarse nature of the material. Low infiltration rates could be attributed to the material having a well-graded texture and to the high densities of the profiles. Infiltration through topsoil horizons was controlled, for the most part, by conditions at the surface. Following wetting, infiltration rates were primarily controlled by the hydraulic characteristics of the less permeable sub horizon of the spoil material. Except in very early stages, rainfall rate had little effect upon infiltration rate (or volume) through the spoil and topsoil profiles. Infiltration was, however, significantly influenced by initial moisture content and density.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1983

Notes/Citation Information

Published in Transactions of the ASAE, v. 26, issue 3, p. 821-830, 832.

© 1983 American Society of Agricultural Engineers

The copyright holder has granted the permission for posting the article here.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.34030

Funding Information

The work reported in this paper was supported in part by funds provided by the Office of Water Research and Technology, United State Department of Interior, as authorized under the Water Resources Act of 1964, and in part by the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station.

Related Content

Published with the approval of the Director of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station as Journal Article No. 81-2-3-248.

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