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Hydraulic Compaction Device for Making Soil Cores

USDA-ARS National Soil Dynamics Lab., Box 3439, Auburn, AL 36831-3439

* Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

It is now well established that soil compaction of agricultural land used for crop production is a major problem. For basic laboratory investigations of soil compaction, it is important that multiple soil cores of varying bulk densities be reproduced within statistically acceptable ranges. A device was designed, constructed, and tested to consistently compact soil cores of varying dimensions and bulk densities. The device uses two opposing hydraulic cylinders to evenly compress soil samples. The compactor is designed to generate compacted cylinders varying from 50 to 100 mm in diameter and 25 to 150 mm in length. Bulk density values for 10 replications of a 150-mm soil cylinder with a 50-mm diameter did not vary significantly when compacted under a single pressure. Pressures of 0.35, 1.04, and 2.07 MPa produced cores having bulk densities of 1.66, 1.76, and 1.86 g cm^–3, respectively. Approximately 10 cylinders per hour can be prepared with this device.

Received for publication September 29, 1991.