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Structure and Its Influence on Tilth of Soils
Author(s) -
Klingebiel A. A.,
O'Neal A. M.
Publication year - 1952
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1952.03615995001600010023x
Subject(s) - soil water , soil structure , permeability (electromagnetism) , volume (thermodynamics) , porosity , geology , mineralogy , materials science , soil science , geotechnical engineering , chemistry , quantum mechanics , membrane , biochemistry , physics
The purpose of this study was to determine some of the changes that have taken place in the structure of several Corn Belt soils and its influence on tilth, permeability, volume weight, and percent of pores drained. Samples of soil were examined in the field to determine the type, class, and grade of structure, direction of natural fracture when lumps were broken, and size and number of visible pores. Six to twelve undisturbed soil core samples 3 inches thick and 3 inches in diameter were taken at random from each plot and depth to determine permeability, volume weight, and percent of pores drained at 60 centimeters tension. Many surface soils that originally were granular or crumb in structure have changed through cultivation and poor management practices to a fine fragmental or massive structure. With these changes in structure the percolation rate decreased from 8.4 inches to 0.2 of an inch per hour, percent of pores drained was reduced from 9.2 to 3.5, and the volume weight increased from 1.1 to 1.31. The surface crust was the least permeable layer in the upper 18 inches of the soils studied.