Soil piping : detection, hydrological functioning and modeling. A case study in loess-derived soils in Belgium

Hydrological functioning of natural soil pipe networks and their impact on water transfer at the hillslope and small watershed scale are still little documented, in particular in the loess-derived soils of western Europe. This thesis aimed at providing a better understanding of the hydrological behavior of pipe networks at the hillslope scale at two sites in eastern and western Belgium using a variety of experimental and modeling techniques. This study demonstrated the potential of GPR for pipe network investigations. Results also revealed a complex threshold-like relationship between pipe discharge and rainfall, mainly controlled by seasonal differences in groundwater levels and to a lesser extent by antecedent precipitations. Natural soil pipes were shown to provide great hydrological connectivity between the upstream and downstream parts of the hillslope, a by-pass role that has important implications for runoff generation and solute transport.(AGRO - Sciences agronomiques et ingénierie biologique) -- UCL, 201