Green-Ampt approximations

The solution to the Green and Ampt infiltration equation is expressible in terms of the Lambert W−1 function. Approximations for Green and Ampt infiltration are thus derivable from approximations for the W−1 function and vice versa. An infinite family of asymptotic expansions to W−1 is presented. Although these expansions do not converge near the branch point of the W function (corresponds to Green-Ampt infiltration with immediate ponding), a method is presented for approximating W−1 that is exact at the branch point and asymptotically, with interpolation between these limits. Some existing and several new simple and compact yet robust approximations applicable to Green-Ampt infiltration and flux are presented, the most accurate of which has a maximum relative error of 5 × 10−5%. This error is orders of magnitude lower than any existing analytical approximations.