Research Journal of Agricultural Science, 42 (3), 2010

CALCULATION OF DISTANCE BETWEEN DRAINS USING ENDRAIN

PROGRAM

Rares HALBAC-COTOARA-ZAMFIR

“Politehnica” University of Timisoara

Hydrotechnical Engineering Faculty, 1A G. Enescu Street, Timisoara,
Corresponding author: raresh_81@[Link]

Abstract: EnDrain program, realized by Prof. are necessary to design a drainage system in the
Oosterbaan (Netherlands), computes the distances frame of an irrigation system for water-table
between drains and also determines shape of control, salts control and respective for soil’s
water-table level of by using the formula of flow’s humidity control. The calculation of distances
energy balance. Oosterbaan, Boonstra and Rao between drains is based on the concept of
(1994) introduced the energy balance of underground flow’s energy balance. There also
groundwater flow. It is based on equating the used the traditional concepts based on theories of
change of hydraulic energy flux over a horizontal Dupuit, water balance and mass conservation. The
distance to the conversion rate of hydraulic energy program allows the utilization of three different
into to friction of flow over that distance. The soil layers, each of them with their own
energy flux is calculated on the basis of a permeability and hydraulic conductivity, on layer
multiplication of the hydraulic potential and the being above and two layers below drains level.
flow velocity, integrated over the total flow depth. This paper will present the results obtained in
The conversion rate is determined in analogy to the computing the distances between drains with
heat loss equation of an electric current. By using EnDrain program for some soils with humidity
EnDrain program we can compute the flow excess from Bihor County, western Romania, and,
discharged by drains, the head losses and the very important, will present graphs with the shape
distance between drains also obtaining the curve of water-table level for the analyzed soils.
described by water-table level. These calculations

Key words: EnDrain, underground’s flow energy balance, water-table level shape

INTRODUCTION
EnDrain program, realized by Prof. Oosterbaan (Netherlands), computes the distances
between drains and also determines shape of water-table level of by using the formula of
flow’s energy balance
Oosterbaan, Boonstra and Rao (1994) introduced the energy balance of groundwater
flow. It is based on equating the change of hydraulic energy flux over a horizontal distance to
the conversion rate of hydraulic energy into to friction of flow over that distance. The energy
flux is calculated on the basis of a multiplication of the hydraulic potential and the flow
velocity, integrated over the total flow depth. The conversion rate is determined in analogy to
the heat loss equation of an electric current. [2, 3]
By using EnDrain program we can compute the flow discharged by drains, the head
losses and the distance between drains also obtaining the curve described by water-table level.
These calculations are necessary to design a drainage system in the frame of an irrigation
system for water-table control, salts control and respective for soil’s humidity control. The
calculation of distances between drains is based on the concept of underground flow’s energy
balance. There also used the traditional concepts based on theories of Dupuit, water balance
and mass conservation. The program allows the utilization of three different soil layers, each of
them with their own permeability and hydraulic conductivity, on layer being above and two
layers below drains level. [2, 3]
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The energy balance of groundwater flow developed by Oosterbaan, Boonstra and Rao
and used for the groundwater flow in unconfined aquifers, is applied to subsurface drainage by
pipes or ditches with the possibility to introduce entrance resistance and/or soils with
anisotropic hydraulic conductivities. Owing to the energy associated with the recharge by
downward percolating water, it is found that use of the energy balance leads to lower water
table elevations than when it is ignored. The energy balance cannot be solved analytically and a
computerized numerical method is needed. An advantage of the numerical method is that the
shape of the water table can be described, which was possible with the traditional methods only
in particular situations, like drains without entrance resistance, resting on an impermeable layer
in isotropic soils. [2]

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Assuming fluxes in permanent regime, two-dimensional vertical flow, the horizontal
component of flow being constant in a vertical cross-section and the fact that the soil has a
constant hydraulic conductivity from place to place, Oosterbaan, Boonstra and Rao (1994)
discover that:
dJ Vx R ( J  Jr )
 
dX Kx Vx  J
where: J is the level of the water table at distance X, taken with respect to the level of
the impermeable base of the aquifer (m); Jr is a reference value of level J (m); X is a distance
in horizontal direction (m); Vx is the apparent flow velocity at X in horizontal X-direction
(m/day); Kx is the horizontal hydraulic conductivity (m/day); R is the steady recharge by
downward percolating water stemming from rain or irrigation water (m/day); dX is a small
increment of distance X (m); dJ is the increment of level J over increment dX (m); dJ/dX is the
gradient of the water table at X (m/m). [2, 3]
The last term of Equation 1 represents the energy associated with the recharge R.
When the recharge R is zero, Equation 1 yields Darcy's equation. The negative sign before Vx
indicates that the flow is positive when the gradient dJ/dX is negative, i.e. the flow follows the
descending gradient, and vice versa. [2, 3]
Figure 1 shows the vertically two-dimensional flow of ground water to parallel pipe
drains with a radius C (m), placed at equal depth in a phreatic aquifer recharged by evenly
distributed percolation from rainfall or irrigation (R>0, m/day). The impermeable base is taken
horizontal with a depth D>C (m) below the centre point of the drains. At the distance X=N (m),
i.e. midway between the drains, there is a water divide. Here the water table is horizontal. [2]

Figure 1. Vertically two-dimensional flow of ground water to parallel pipe drains placed at equal depth in
a phreatic aquifer recharged by evenly distributed percolation from rainfall or irrigation. [2]

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Oosterbaan, Boonstra and Rao considered only the radial flow approaching the drain
at one side, because the flow at the other side is symmetrical, and also only the flow
approaching the drain from below drain level. [2]
According to the principle of Hooghoudt (1940), the ground water near the drains
flows radially towards them. In the area of radial flow, the cross-section of the flow at a
distance X from the drains is formed by the circumference of a quarter circles with a length
½πX. This principle is conceptualized in Figure 1 by letting an imaginary impermeable layer
slope away from the centre of the drain at an angle with a tangent ½π. [2, 3]

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The results obtained for Tileagd area, affected by humidity excess, from Bihor
County, with the help of EnDrain program are:

1.1 Tileagd drain of 5 cm diameter, alluvial soil

Time average recharge or discharge R (m/day) : 0.0070

Bottom depth of 1st layer below s.s. D1 (m) : 2.00
Bottom depth of 2nd layer below s.s. D2 (m) : 2.00
Depth water level in drain below s.s. Dw (m) : 1.42
Depth of drain bottom below s.s Db (m) : 1.45
Entrance resistance at the drain E (day/m) : 0.507
Max. width of water body in the drain W (m) : 0.050
Hydraulic permeability, above drain level Ka (m/day) : 0.011
Horizontal permeability, 1st soil layer Kb1 (m/day) : 0.011
Vertical permeability, 1st soil layer Kv1 (m/day) : 0.011
Horizontal permeability, 2nd soil layer Kb2 (m/day) : 0.0000
Vertical permeability, 2nd soil layer Kv2 (m/day) : 0.0000
Depth water-table midway between drains Dm (m) : 0.80

Output sequence :

X F* G*/p F G/p T1 T2

Output data:
0.03 0.1701 16.1246 0.1650 15.6190 16.1246 -0.5056
0.31 0.5135 0.6037 0.5096 0.6061 0.6061 0.0000
0.62 0.6476 0.3278 0.6442 0.3287 0.3287 0.0278
1.24 0.7451 0.0043 0.7419 0.0043 0.0043 13.1284
#

The drain spacing (energy, m) is: 2.49

Midway hydr. head (energy, m) is: 0.742
Midway hydr. head (Darcy, m) is: 0.745
Midway W.T. depth (energy, m) is: 0.800
Midway W.T. depth (Darcy, m) is: 0.680

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Fig. 2 Water-table level variation according to energy balance equation

1.2 Tileagd drain of 6,5 cm diameter, alluvial soil

Time average recharge or discharge R (m/day) : 0.0070
Bottom depth of 1st layer below s.s. D1 (m) : 2.00
Bottom depth of 2nd layer below s.s. D2 (m) : 2.00
Depth water level in drain below s.s. Dw (m) : 1.43
Depth of drain bottom below s.s Db (m) : 1.47
Entrance resistance at the drain E (day/m) : 0.532
Max. width of water body in the drain W (m) : 0.065
Hydraulic permeability, above drain level Ka (m/day) : 0.011
Horizontal permeability, 1st soil layer Kb1 (m/day) : 0.011
Vertical permeability, 1st soil layer Kv1 (m/day) : 0.011
Horizontal permeability, 2nd soil layer Kb2 (m/day) : 0.0000
Vertical permeability, 2nd soil layer Kv2 (m/day) : 0.0000
Depth water-table midway between drains Dm (m) : 0.80

Output sequence:
X F* G*/p F G/p T1 T2
Output data:
0.04 0.1340 12.4253 0.1291 11.9354 12.4253 -0.4899
0.32 0.5022 0.6358 0.4985 0.6382 0.6382 0.0000
0.65 0.6539 0.3463 0.6507 0.3472 0.3472 0.0230
1.30 0.7621 0.0065 0.7591 0.0066 0.0066 9.1675

The drain spacing (energy, m) is: 2.62

Midway hydr. head (energy, m) is: 0.759

Midway hydr. head (Darcy, m) is: 0.762
Midway W.T. depth (energy, m) is: 0.799
Midway W.T. depth (Darcy, m) is: 0.671
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Fig. 3 Water-table level variation according to energy balance equation

1.3 Tileagd drain of 8 cm diameter, alluvial soil

Time average recharge or discharge R (m/day) : 0.0070
Bottom depth of 1st layer below s.s. D1 (m) : 2.00
Bottom depth of 2nd layer below s.s. D2 (m) : 2.00
Depth water level in drain below s.s. Dw (m) : 1.44
Depth of drain bottom below s.s Db (m) : 1.48
Entrance resistance at the drain E (day/m) : 0.607
Max. width of water body in the drain W (m) : 0.080
Hydraulic permeability, above drain level Ka (m/day) : 0.011
Horizontal permeability, 1st soil layer Kb1 (m/day) : 0.011
Vertical permeability, 1st soil layer Kv1 (m/day) : 0.011
Horizontal permeability, 2nd soil layer Kb2 (m/day) : 0.0000
Vertical permeability, 2nd soil layer Kv2 (m/day) : 0.0000
Depth water-table midway between drains Dm (m) : 0.80

Output sequence:
X F* G*/p F G/p T1 T2
Output data:
0.05 0.1129 10.1364 0.1081 9.6568 10.1364 -0.4796
0.33 0.4937 0.6544 0.4901 0.6567 0.6567 0.0000
0.67 0.6568 0.3611 0.6537 0.3620 0.3620 0.0181
1.35 0.7737 0.0045 0.7709 0.0045 0.0045 13.9605

The drain spacing (energy, m) is: 2.71

Midway hydr. head (energy, m) is: 0.771

Midway hydr. head (Darcy, m) is: 0.774
Midway W.T. depth (energy, m) is: 0.801
Midway W.T. depth (Darcy, m) is: 0.666
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Fig. 4 Water-table level variation according to energy balance equation

CONCLUSIONS
Application of the energy balance of groundwater flow to pipe and ditch drains leads
to lower elevations of the water table or, if the elevation is fixed, to wider drains spacing. Also,
it can give the shape of the water table. Further, it can take entrance resistance and anisotropy
of the soil's hydraulic conductivity into account. Calculations with the energy balance need be
done on a computer because of the cumbersome iterative, numerical procedure required.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. BOUMANS, J.H. (1979). Drainage calculations in stratified soils using the anisotropic soil model to
simulate hydraulic conductivity conditions. In: [Link] (Ed.), Proceedings of the
International Drainage Workshop, p. 108-123. Publ. 25, ILRI, Wageningen, The
Netherlands.
2. OOSTERBAAN, R.J., [Link] AND [Link] (1996). The energy balance of groundwater flow.
In: [Link] and [Link] (Eds., Subsurface-Water Hydrology, p. 153-160. Kluwer
Academic Publishers, The Netherlands. (Reprint available at ILRI, e-mail ilri@[Link])
3. RITZEMA, H.P. (1994). Subsurface flow into drains. In: H.P. Ritzema (Ed.), Drainage Principles and
Applications, p. 263-304. Publ 16, ILRI, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
4. *** Scientific Research Contracts numbers 116/1978, 351/1979, 207/1990, 127/1991, 106/1982,
4004/1995, 5004/1996, 249/1998, 35034/1999, 33501/2002, „Politehnica” University
of Timisoara.

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