Track: Reliability and Maintenance

Abstract

The automatic Beerkan Assessment of soil Transfer Parameter procedure of soil hydraulic classification was adopted to evaluate in-situ saturated hydraulic conductivity of a sandy loam alfisol, also known as fertile soil. The study adopted an experimental site of about 22m long and 20m wide with 2m by 2m grid points staked out. The required infiltration tests were carried at 25 randomly selected grid points at 20cm depth interval to 100cm depth except where limiting dense concentration sublayer was encountered. The infiltrometer was a 2.3mm thick steel ring of 8.4cm internal diameter and height 8cm driven to a depth of 3cm. The tests lasted until steady state rate was achieved. Bulk soil samples were obtained from each test point for the determination of initial gravimetric content, a hydrometer experimental method was used to obtain the particle size distribution and core samples where used for the determination of post infiltration of the soil water content and the respective bulk density of the initial gravimetric soil moisture content were determined at different ranges.