Preliminary remarks on porosity of soil aggregates in air-dry state and at pF 2.

Authors

  • H. Kuipers

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18174/njas.v9i3.17617

Abstract

In pycnometer determinations of the pore volume of 2-5-mm air-dry aggregates from various soils of 1.5-2.5 and 2.6-3.5% organic-matter levels and various clay contents, the use of kerosene (S. & F. XVII [1897]) gave as good values as, and was more convenient than, the use of sand or mercury (the latter giving low porosities). The pore-space percentage of aggregates could be calculated from the water content at pF 2, when no air voids in the small aggregates are likely to occur and water between the aggregates is of no importance. Dry aggregates were only slightly denser in cores of light soils than under field conditions, and swelling was small; dry aggregates were very dense in heavy soils in which moisture content and density of aggregates appeared so closely related that it was difficult to distinguish between the effect of either on the strength of aggregates. Swelling properties and aggregate size are likely to be important factors in the structure of heavy soils. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)

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Published

1961-08-01

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Section

Papers