Two‐Dimensional Water Infiltration from a Trench in Unsaturated Soils

Abstract Two‐dimensional infiltration of water from finite trenches was observed in three soil samples with different textures. The vertical infiltration is slowed by the lateral infiltration and the slowing is inversely proportional to the width of the trench. Furthermore, the vertical infiltration is about twice as fast as the lateral infiltration for all soils tesed. At the same relative distance from the trench, the soil was drier beside than below the trench. Our observations and interpretations agree with numerical simulations of Selim and Kirkham.