ABSTRACT
The objective of this work was to study the dynamics of water movement in soils under subsurface drip irrigation, using numeric simulation procedures with the development of a interactive computational model. The main objective was to estimate, using soil-water retention parameters (initial soil-water content, soil-water retention curve and saturated hydraulic conductivity) and emitter parameters (emitter flow), the spatial distribution of moisture in soil after a time increment. To calibrate the model, tests were made under field conditions in a Ultisol "intergrade" to typic Oxisol (texturel medium/clay). Four tests were performed under a flow of 5.6t.h-1 and 3.3t.h-1 to a single emitter, and a flow of 4.3t.h-1 and 2.2t.h-1 when two emitters worked simultaneously. Simulated and observed data showed good agreement when the Student's t-Test for mean comparision was used. Also performed was a simulation error analysis (spatial deviation coefficient), expressed as a relation between the simulated and observed soil-water content. Results showed that deviations ranged from -14% to +18%.
Key words:
water; simulation; subsurface drip irrigation