Mathematical study of a lysimeter.

Abstract

In studies of the rehabilitation of mine overburden heaps at Rum Jungle in the Northern Territory of Australia simple buried water collectors have been used as lysimeters to measure the infiltration into the heaps. This report describes the development and results of a study state finite difference computer code which calculates the movement of water in such systems. It is shown that the water collection efficiency of this type of lysimeter depends strongly on the hydraulic properties of the soil in which it is buried as does the rate of capillary loss during periods of zero infiltration.