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Calculation of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Some Pedal Clay Soils Using Micromorphometric Data¹

ABSTRACT

The saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_sat) was calculated for undisturbed freeze-dried samples of seven clay soils, by using micromorphometric Quantimet data. Voids were characterized in terms of quantity (number and length), type and directly measured size. Methylene blue was used to indicate flow patterns. A statistical planar and tubular void-interaction model was used to estimate sizes of "necks" in the flow system, which were assumed to determine K_sat. Measured K_sat values were within the calculated K_sat range, when relatively large, vertically continuous tubular voids were not present. Very small variations of the width of planar "necks" had a strong effect on the magnitude of K_sat. Soil which was moist when sampled had larger planar "necks" and higher K_sat values than soil which had been in wet condition for several months. This difference was attributed to the effects of soil swelling. In general, volumetric percentages of active (stained) voids (estimated by % surface area) were <1. This illustrates the basic difficulty of estimating K_sat in clay soils by methods which use relative volumes of voids.

¹ Contribution from the Neth. Soil Survey Institute, Box 98, Wageningen.

² Soil Scientist, Dep. of Soil Physics and Soil Scientists, Dep. of Micropedology, respectively.

Received for publication June 2, 1978. Accepted for publication October 24, 1978.

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