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Automation and Use of Mini Disk Infiltrometers
Author(s) -
Madsen Matthew D.,
Chandler David G.
Publication year - 2007
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/sssaj2007.0009n
Subject(s) - loam , hydraulic conductivity , water content , lateral earth pressure , soil science , pressure head , geotechnical engineering , sorptivity , silt , environmental science , materials science , soil water , geology , engineering , mechanical engineering , porosity , geomorphology
Measurement replication and objectivity of field soil hydraulic properties can be increased through automation. The goals of this study were to test two automated mini disk infiltrometers (AMDI). Both devices were fitted with differential pressure transducers connected to compact data loggers. Instrument design, method of calculation, and soil moisture condition all affected measured unsaturated hydraulic conductivity [ K(h )] and sorptivity ( S ) at pressure head h = −2.0 cm. We found that the type of AMDI with a capillary tube head control can be operated at inclination angles up to 25° and returned the least variance in K ( h ) and S if data were not partitioned for calculation. Changing the initial soil moisture content from 0.07 to 0.26 m 3 m −3 , however, was found to influence K ( h ) calculation by up to 50% for a silt loam soil. The K ( h ) measured by the type of AMDI with a bubble chamber head control and larger disk diameter was less dependent on soil moisture content, but more sensitive to inclination.