v1.4.0

This is a release of version 1.4.0 of the HYPAGS program.

Note that HYPAGS is incorporated into the pedon package (Python package for (unsaturated) soil properties including pedotransfer functions) by Martin Vonk:

https://github.com/martinvonk/pedon

An example of the usage within pedon can be found here:

https://martinvonk.github.io/pedon/examples/04_hypags.html

The methods note about the approximation of hydraulic parameters and virtual sieve curves is published as:
Peche, A. and Houben, G.J. (2023), Estimating Characteristic Grain Sizes and Effective Porosity from Hydraulic Conductivity Data. Groundwater, 61: 574-585. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwat.13266
The methods note about approximating van Genuchten parameter ranges is published as:
Peche, A., Houben, G. and Altfelder, S. (2024), Approximation of van Genuchten Parameter Ranges from Hydraulic Conductivity Data. Groundwater. 62(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/gwat.13365

Novelty of this version 1.4.0 is the estimation of mean van Genuchten (1980) parameters $\alpha$ and n and corresponding ranges based on a single input value of hydraulic conductivity. Results can be used to e.g. defining the paramter space for a calibration of a numerical model.

For that purpose, a novel mathematical model describing van Genuchten parameter $\alpha$ as a function of hydraulic conductivity and van Genuchten parameter n as a function of $\alpha$ was developed using a data set of 1729 measured pedotransfer functions.

For information about the model, please contact aaron.peche@bgr.de

For use of HYPAGS v1.4.0, please download executeable and store it in the same folder as 'HYPAGS_dependencies' (also available for download below - note that 'HYPAGS_dependencies.7z' has to be unzipped before use). No installation required - double clicking the executeable starts the program. Please note that this stand-alone executeable is still relatively big (~90 MB) in its current form. Please be patient upon download and starting the program. A smaller executeable of HYPAGS v1.4.0 will be published soon.

A screenshot of the new version 1.4.0 including result output and the new features 'plot retention curve' and 'plot relative conductivity curve' is given below.

Note that a video tutorial about donwload, installation and functionalities of the previous version of HYPAGS can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikfyq0YEe2Y

For the use of the HYPAGS executeable do the following steps:

(1) Download HYPAGS.exe and Source code (zip) from here:
for version 1.4.0 : https://github.com/APeche/HYPAGS/releases/tag/HYPAGSv1.4.0
for version 1.2.2 : https://github.com/APeche/HYPAGS/releases/tag/Version1.2.2
(2) In source code (zip), you will find a folder HYPAGS_dependencies
(3) Store HYPAGS.exe somewhere on your computer and store folder HYPAGS_dependencies in the same directory as HYPAGS.exe
(4) Simply click on HYPAGS.exe. It should open.

--> Please note that starting HYPAGS may take several dozens of seconds. Feel free to program this in a more effective fashion.

The executeble may also be started directly out of your IDE (i.e. spyder (https://docs.spyder-ide.org/current/index.html)) using the python code for GUI generation HYPAGS_1.4.0.py provided below. Again, please save the file HYPAGS_1.4.0.py in the same directory as the unzipped folder HYPAGS_dependencies.7z.

References used above: Van Genuchten, M. T. (1980). A closed‐form equation for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils. Soil science society of America journal, 44(5), 892-898.