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New Methods of Studying Soil Detachment due to Waterdrop Impact
Author(s) -
AlDurrah M.,
Bradford J. M.
Publication year - 1981
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/sssaj1981.03615995004500050026x
Subject(s) - splash , loam , soil science , silt , shear strength (soil) , geotechnical engineering , environmental science , soil water , materials science , geology , geomorphology , physics , meteorology
An improved and inexpensive raindrop tower 8.9 m in height was designed so that a single drop will hit a soil target area 1.6 cm in diameter. The soil used in this study was taken from the surface 15 cm of an Ida silt loam (mesic Typic Udorthents). The surface shear strength was altered by remolding the soil to three bulk densities and by equilibrating the cores to matric potentials of −5, −19, −38, and −62 mbars. The weight of soil detached from the impact of single water‐drops 3.0, 4.6, and 5.6 mm in diameter was closely correlated with the undrained soil shear strength as measured by the Swedish fall‐cone device. A correlation coefficient of 0.97 was found between splash weight and a linear function of the ratio of waterdrop kinetic energy to the soil shear strength. The fall‐cone method of determining soil shearing strength is rapid, inexpensive, and could be easily adapted to field use.