ORCID

0009-0003-6545-4388

Keywords

Stormwater, organic matter, soil texture, preferential flow, bioretention cells, HYDRUS-1D

Subject Categories

Environmental Engineering | Water Resources Engineering

Abstract

Stormwater infiltration systems are widely used to improve urban stormwater management by promoting drainage and groundwater recharge while treating nonpoint source pollution such as nutrients in surface runoff. Nutrient removal and hydrologic performance of these systems are closely coupled and both are dependent on characteristics of underlying soils. In this study, laboratory flow-through experiments were conducted using 30 intact cores taken from six soil types with different textures (0.99-16.63% clay content) and organic matter contents (OMC 0.44-93.3%). Measured cumulative fluxes from laboratory experiments were used to calibrate numerical models simulating flow through porous media (HYDRUS-1D). Calibrated models were used to simulate vertical flow under different moisture conditions during an extreme rainfall event with depth of 7.62 cm. Large differences in drainage were observed across soils with different textures and OMC. High OMC soil exhibited the highest infiltration performance under near-saturated conditions, whereas the sandy soil exhibited the greatest hydraulic performance under field-capacity and dry conditions. Depending on soil type and antecedent moisture condition, the 7.62 cm design storm was infiltrated in approximately 4 to 145 hours. Under moist conditions (h= 0 to −15 cm), cumulative infiltration after 24 hours ranged from approximately 0.45 cm to 8.38 cm, representing more than 16-fold difference in infiltration performance across soils. Although antecedent moisture conditions affected simulated infiltration responses, uncertainty in unsaturated hydraulic parameters limited interpretation of absolute infiltration behavior under field-capacity and dry conditions. Nevertheless, the relative ranking of soil performance remained consistent across simulations. Overall, the results indicate that soil texture was the dominant control on hydraulic performance, while OMC modified infiltration behavior by influencing porosity and water transmission. These findings improve understanding of how soil properties affect stormwater infiltration system performance and provide information that can support the design and management of stormwater best management practices.

Completion Date

2026

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

Kelly Kibler

Degree

Master of Science in Civil Engineering (M.S.C.E.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

CECS

Format

PDF

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Download

Share

COinS
 

Accessibility Statement

This item was created or digitized prior to April 24, 2027, or is a reproduction of legacy media created before that date. It is preserved in its original, unmodified state specifically for research, reference, or historical recordkeeping. In accordance with the ADA Title II Final Rule, the University Libraries provides accessible versions of archival materials upon request. To request an accommodation for this item, please submit an accessibility request form.