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Soil Tensile Strength by Centrifugation¹

ABSTRACT

Tensile stress was applied to soil samples by the body force developed when they were rotated in a specially designed centrifuge head. Cylinders or briquets of soil were positioned in the head with their long axes perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The magnitude of applied tensile stress was calculated from sample dimensions, sample mass and speed of rotation. Tensile strength was defined as the applied tensile stress when the sample failed.

Tests were made on samples prepared from five soil types. Three methods of preparation were used that produced samples with water contents ranging from oven-dry to that corresponding to approximately -atm. suction. The method proved satisfactory over this range of water contents. Experience and calculations indicated it could be used over a range of strengths from 15 to 4000 millibars. Reproducibility varied with the method of sample preparation. The coefficient of variation ranged from 10 to 25%.

¹ Contribution from the Departments of Soils and Plant Nutrition, and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis.

² Assistant Soil Physicist, Laboratory Technician II, and Assistant Agricultural Engineer, respectively.

Received for publication July 14, 1960. Accepted for publication February 24, 1961.