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Measuring Hydrologic Properties of Soil with a Double‐ring Infiltrometer and Multiple‐depth Tensiometers
Author(s) -
Ahuja L. R.,
ElSwaify S. A.,
Rahman A.
Publication year - 1976
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/sssaj1976.03615995004000040016x
Subject(s) - infiltrometer , infiltration (hvac) , loam , soil science , hydraulic conductivity , geology , saturation (graph theory) , hydrology (agriculture) , geotechnical engineering , soil water , materials science , mathematics , combinatorics , composite material
A ring infiltrometer with varying width of buffer zone in combination with multiple‐depth tensiometers was tested for determining the hydrologic properties of a Typic Dystrandept (Tantalus silty clay loam) soil profile on a Hawaii forested watershed. With location of one multiple‐depth tensiometer at the vertical axis of the axi‐symmetric flow system and one or more at a given radius outside the inner ring, both vertical and radial hydraulic gradients could be simultaneously measured. It was thus possible to estimate the lateral flow components and determine vertical infiltration rates and hydraulic conductivities (at field saturation) of the different soil horizons. Lateral flow decreased with time during infiltration. Under the moist to wet conditions of the soil under study, lateral flow was not appreciable. From an inner ring of 30‐cm diameter, the latter was practically eliminated when a buffer ring of 90‐cm diameter was employed. Its effect on the final infiltration rate was negligible even when a buffer ring of 60‐cm diameter was used.