Field evaluation of infiltrometer geometry and of soil conditions on i
nfiltration measurements is difficult because of the spatial and tempo
ral variability of soil properties and the disturbance of soil by infi
ltrometer installation, Numerical simulation experiments provide a use
ful tool for evaluating the infiltration rates measured by various con
figurations of infiltrometers and soil conditions, We used an axisymme
tric 3-dimensional (3D) numerical model to simulate water infiltration
in single-and double-ring infiltrometers, as well as one-dimensional
(1-D) infiltration for three well studied soil types representing diff
erent textures and hydraulic properties, We found that the infiltratio
n rates of a single-ring infiltrometer were f times greater than the 1
-D infiltration, where f is a correction factor dependent on soil init
ial and boundary conditions and ring geometry, When the configuration
of a typical double-ring infiltrometer was used in simulation (inner a
nd outer rings were 20 and 30 cm in diameter, respectively), the simul
ated infiltration rates were about 80% of the single-ring rates, When
the outer-ring diameter was increased to 120 cm (inner-ring diameter k
ept at 20 cm), the double-ring method-measured infiltration rates were
120 to 133% of the 1-D infiltration rates for the three test soils, C
ompared with the constant head method, falling head infiltration rates
dropped as much as 30% as the ponded head dropped from 5 to 1 cm in t
he sandy clay loam, Layered soil can significantly affect infiltration
rates, depending on the position of the wetting front relative to the
textural discontinuity and the time of measurement, Time at which the
layering starts playing the role can be estimated from f and the cumu
lative infiltration.