HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kijne, J. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Kijne, J. W. Agricola Articles by Kijne, J. W.

Influence of Soil Conditioners on Infiltration and Water Movement in Soils¹

ABSTRACT

The infiltration of water at 2mbar suction into horizontal columns of two soil materials of different textures was studied. The columns had been treated with two soil conditioners, Krilium and poly(vinyl alcohol). The soil-water diffusivities were calculated from the water content distribution data. Treatment of a clay loam with the soil conditioners caused 1.5-fold to 3-fold increases in soil-water diffusivity over the whole range of volumetric water contents. When expressed as a function of soil water potential, soil-water diffusivity increased by this treatment more than 10-fold at the lower soil-water potentials. The same treatment had far less effect on the soil-water diffusivity of a loamy sand. For both soils the rate of movement of the wetting front increased as a result of treatment with the soil conditioners.

The calculated mean diffusivity and rate of movement of the wetting front in these soils was greater for n-heptane than for water. The intrinsic diffusivity and penetrability differed for the two permeants. Changes in viscosity, surface tension, and apparent contact angle did not account fully for this dependence of diffusivity and penetrability on the permeating liquid.

¹ Department of Agricultural Biochemistry and Soil Science, The Waite Agricultural Research Institute, University of Adelaide, South Australia.

² Lecturer in Soil Physics.

Received for publication May 30, 1966. Accepted for publication November 3, 1966.