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Influence of Water Content on Electrical Conductivity of the Soil
Author(s) -
Gupta S. C.,
Hanks R. J.
Publication year - 1972
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/sssaj1972.03615995003600060011x
Subject(s) - soil water , water content , salinity , conductivity , saturation (graph theory) , electrical resistivity and conductivity , soil salinity , soil science , correlation coefficient , chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , environmental science , environmental chemistry , mathematics , geology , geotechnical engineering , physics , oceanography , statistics , combinatorics , quantum mechanics
Measurement of dynamic salinity and water content profiles under laboratory conditions were needed to test a model developed to characterize the simultaneous flow of water and salts in soils. Methods were needed for measuring salinity in place in a system where rapid water movement occurred. Because of the time lag in salinity sensors, other methods were considered for evaluating salinity. The four‐probe system of measuring electrical conductivity of soil eliminates the time lag error, but introduces the problem of correcting the changes in conductivity caused by water content. Units were constructed and samples prepared to evaluate the influence of water content, and salt concentrations on the four‐probe conductivity (K4P). Two soils were studied. Regression equations developed to estimate saturation or 1:5 extract electrical conductivity from four‐probe conductivity and water content (π) gave correlation coefficients of 0.75 and 0.90, respectively. Correlations for individual soils were generally higher than the combined soils. The regression equation relating the ratio of K 4 P to four‐probe conductivity at saturation ( K 4 PS ) with water content was 4 K 4 P / K 4 PS = − 0.26 + 2.49π with a correlation coefficient of 0.88 for the combined soil data.