Numerical Evaluation of Embedded Smart Irrigation System for Deep-Rooted Desert Trees

Abstract

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's green initiative program aims to plant ten million trees across the country. The kingdom mostly has a desert climate with constrained water resources. The sand dunes and sheets spread across hundreds of square kilometers in the country. The plantation of trees and saplings in these harsh conditions cannot be achieved without an efficient irrigation system. Native desert trees have deep roots and smart irrigation techniques can be intrinsically applied to irrigate these plants, even in the wild. In this study, a smart irrigation system for deep-rooted trees has been numerically assessed for the sandy desert conditions. The partially saturated, subsurface flow analysis has been done by using FEM modeling. The study results exhibit the possible placement of smart irrigation diffusers along with the depth. The method can be used to irrigate only the target root zone and oblige in water conservation. The field installation of a smart irrigation system in deep strata and its long-term maintenance will be some of the prospective challenges for field engineers.