Computational model of one-dimensional flow of water in an unsaturated soil

Study of water flow in the unsaturated soil zone is of great importance for research related to the water availability for crop development. Due to the high cost, the time required and the human effort in the field investigations, mathematical models combined with numerical techniques and computational advances are important tools in the prediction of these studies. This work aimed to solve the Richards's non-linear partial differential equation by applying the Finite Element Method. Adaptability with "h" refinement of the finite element mesh was used in the spatial approximation, while Explicit Euler scheme was applied for the time derivative. The polynomial interpolation function used was of degree two, and ensured the mass conservation of the adaptation strategy. To validate the model, data available in the literature were used. Use of the polynomial interpolation function with degree two and the "h" refinement, with considerable reduction of the computational runtime allowed good agreement in comparison to solutions available in the literature.

unsaturated zone; Richards's equation; finite element method