STOCHASTIC SKETCHING OF INFILTRATION-ADVANCE ISOCHRONES

A technique has been developed for predicting the irregular advance pa ttern often observed as water spreads on the surface of the ground. Th e technique is a combination of stochastic sketching, potential theory , probability theory, and a mass balance equation in the form of an ad vance equation. The technique can be used on flat as well as sloping t errain and addresses any form of obstructions or constraints to the fl ow of the water. The stochastic sketching portion of the technique use s cellular automata with transition probability movement rules to sket ch the dynamics of small volume water elements in the defined environm ent. Randomly selected small volume flow path segments are computed an d plotted. The envelope of these segments defines the wetted area and the advance front. Several examples are presented showing the patterns produced for various situations.