Civil Engineering ETDs

Publication Date

Spring 5-12-2024

Abstract

This study improves flash flood prediction by analyzing the vital role of infiltration models in hydrologic modeling, especially for areas with scarce data. It offers new parameter estimation guidance for three infiltration models—initial-constant (IC), linear-constant (LC), and Green-Ampt (GA)—based on plot-scale rainfall simulations. The research emphasizes the impact of soil texture, moisture, and crust on model parameters. A comparative analysis of four models (curve-number, IC, GA, and LC) using data from Arizona's Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed under different calibration scenarios shows the GA model's superiority in certain conditions, though it faces issues of equifinality in unconstrained calibrations. Meanwhile, the simpler IC model shines in unconstrained scenarios, and the LC model strikes an optimal balance between simplicity, effectiveness, and feasibility, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions.

Keywords

Flash Flood, Hydrologic Modeling, Infiltration Models, Green-Ampt, Curve-Number, Initial-Constant, Linear-Constant

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

Civil Engineering

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Civil Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

Julie Coonrod

Second Committee Member

John Stormont

Third Committee Member

Gerhard Schoener

Fourth Committee Member

Bruce Thomson

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Available for download on Friday, May 15, 2026

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