The use of soil conditioners in conjunction with brackish water irrigation is critical for the efficient development and use of brackish water as well as the enhancement of the structure of saline soil and stimulating crop growth. This study investigated the effects of different polyacrylamide (PAM) dosages (0, 0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.06%) on the water flow properties of sandy loam during brackish water infiltration using one-dimensional vertical and horizontal soil column infiltration experiments. The results showed that: (1) PAM could lower the soil infiltration rate and increase soil water retention performance under brackish water infiltration conditions. (2) PAM had a significant effect on the parameters of the Philip and Kostiakov infiltration models. The soil sorption rate S and the empirical coefficient λ were the smallest, and the empirical index β was the largest when the PAM dosage was 0.04%. (3) PAM dosage displayed a quadratic polynomial connection with the soil saturated water content and the saturated hydraulic conductivity. The soil saturated water content was highest when the PAM dosage was 0.04%, the intake suction hd of the Brooks-Corey model increased by 15.30%, and the soil water holding capacity was greatly improved. (4) Soil treated with PAM could absorb more water under the same soil water suction, whereas the soil unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and its growth rate decreased. The soil saturated diffusion rate Ds, as well as the soil water diffusion threshold, rose. Finally, the 0.04% PAM dosage could improve soil hydrodynamic characteristics under brackish water infiltration, which is beneficial for the efficient utilization of brackish water.
Keywords: brackish water; polyacrylamide; sandy loam soil; soil hydraulic parameters; soil water infiltration.