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 HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bronswijk, J. J. B. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Bronswijk, J. J. B. Agricola Articles by Bronswijk, J. J. B.

Relation between Vertical Soil Movements and Water-Content Changes in Cracking Clays

DLO-The Winand Staring Centre for Integrated Land, Soil and Water Research, P.O. Box 125, 6700 AC Wageningen, the Netherlands

*Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

Field studies on swelling and shrinkage in clay soils are scarce, due to the lack of sound experimental methods and suitable mathematical equations. This study was aimed at developing such methods and equations. Disks were positioned at various depths in the soil in order to measure vertical movements in undisturbed soil. Newly developed equations were applied to convert these vertical soil movements into three-dimensional volume changes and crack volume and to relate them to water-content changes. These equations are unique in that they are valid for water loss in the structural-, normal-, residual-, and zero-shrinkage phases, and for both isotropic and anisotropic shrinkage. Methods and equations were successfully tested in a 1-yr field experiment in a heavy marine clay soil in the Netherlands. The use of seven rotating disks for measuring soil volume changes was about 10% more accurate than two other less laborious methods. An interesting application of this method and equations is the determination of soil water-content changes by measuring vertical soil movements.

Received for publication April 9, 1990.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. R. Ahuja, L. Ma, and D. J. Timlin Trans-Disciplinary Soil Physics Research Critical to Synthesis and Modeling of Agricultural Systems Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., February 2, 2006; 70(2): 311 - 326. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Y. Chertkov The Shrinkage Geometry Factor of a Soil Layer Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., September 29, 2005; 69(6): 1671 - 1683. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Y. Chertkov, I. Ravina, and V. Zadoenko An Approach for Estimating the Shrinkage Geometry Factor at a Moisture Content Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., November 1, 2004; 68(6): 1807 - 1817. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]