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Improved Apparatus for Measuring Hydraulic Conductivity at Low Water Content

Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, MS-421, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025

*Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

A modification of the steady-state centrifuge method (SSCM) for unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (K) measurement improves the range and adjustability of this method. The modified apparatus allows mechanical adjustments to vary the measured K by a factor of 360. In addition, the use of different flow-regulating ceramic materials can give a total K range covering about six orders of magnitude. The increment of K adjustment is a factor of about 1.6. This makes it potentially useful for measuring targeted values of K or, through a trial and error procedure, of water content (). The range extension afforded by this modification has led to the lowest steady-state K measurement to date: 1.1 x 10^–11 m/s at of 0.068 m³ water/m³ for a sandy soil of the Delhi series (mixed, thermic Typic Xeropsamment).

Received for publication July 8, 1991.

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