Experimental and numerical investigation of laboratory scale sheetpipe-typed automatic subsurface irrigation

Satyanto Krido Saptomo,Rudiyanto Rudiyanto,Koremasa Tamura,Willy Bayuardi Suwarno,Hiroshi Matsuda,Rusianto Rusianto,Muhamad Askari,Budi Indra Setiawan,Chusnul Arif,Adlan Adlan

doi:10.21924/cst.6.2.2021.604

Abstract

Sheet pipe is a type of perforated pipe used for drainage designed initially for drainage but has the potential for sub-surface irrigation. The objectives of this study were to experiment and observe the performance of the sub-surface irrigation control system with sheet pipe. This investigation covered the observation of water table control and its effect on soil moisture. The detailed process of water flow during the setting of the water table was numerically modeled in 2 dimensions to observe the distribution of soil moisture, soil pressure, and flux. The results showed that the system successfully controlled the water table at the desired level in the experiment. The developed two-dimensional numerical simulation showed the distribution of soil moisture in the model center as a response to the water table increase, represented by the variable head. The soil wetting advances toward soil surface driven by the water table, which was increased gradually and reached saturation at the height of water table setpoint.

Highlights

Sheet pipe is a type of perforated pipe used for drainage with mole drain
Based on the event received by the server, the system's success rate in maintaining the water level was analyzed as 90 % of the total 17046 events and had an RMSE error control of 0.86cm, indicating that the system was reliable in providing water table at a certain level in the soil
Subsurface automatic irrigation systems with sheet pipes can work well in providing a certain level water table according to a specified setpoint

Summary

Introduction

Sheet pipe is a type of perforated pipe used for drainage with mole drain. Its installation does not require the excavation of the line, but it can be carried out using a mole plow pulled by agricultural machinery to make a mole drain and, at the same time, to pull the sheet pipe. Sheet-pipe installations are usually at a depth of 30-50 cm from the soil surface and have the original function to assist land drainage. The sheet-pipe installation significantly affects the soil's physical, hydraulics, and chemical properties. Some of the positive impacts on soil properties that determine the improvement of rice fields installed by perforated sheet pipes are soil bulk density, organic content, permeability, and airfield capacity [1]. Significant improvement in soil organic matter occurs due to the sheet-pipe installation, which contributes to increased soil porosity, air-filled capacity, and lower soil bulk density

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion