A new drain spacing formula

A drain spacing formula is derived considering the variation in radial flux and the area above the drain level in the radial flow zone. The extent of the radial flow zone is ascertained by applying a mass balance and differentiability criterion of the water surface profile at the interface of radial and Dupuit-Forchheimer flow zones. The radial flow zone extends from the centre of the tile drain a distance of 2/π times the depth to impervious layer below the drain. For a normal ratio of recharge rate to hydraulic conductivity (R/K ≤ 0.0025), the water surface profile in the radial flow zone computed using Hooghoudt's formula is very different from the profile obtained by the new drain spacing formula; however, Hooghoudt's formula computes the maximum water table height which marginally differs from that found by the present method. For a ratio of high recharge rate to hydraulic conductivity (R/K = 0.1) and close drain spacing (L/D = 2), the difference in the maximum heights is 21%. Hooghoudt's formula overestimates the maximum water table position for L/D < 40. Unlike Hooghoudt's equivalent depth, the equivalent depth obtained using the present method is a function of the ratio of recharge rate to hydraulic conductivity.