HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Selker, J. S. Articles by Steenhuis, T. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Selker, J. S. Articles by Steenhuis, T. Agricola Articles by Selker, J. S. Articles by Steenhuis, T.

Noninvasive Time Domain Reflectometry Moisture Measurement Probe

Dep. of Bioresource Engineering, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR 97331-3906

Lynette Graff and Tammo Steenhuis

Dep. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Cornell Univ.

*Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

Time domain reflectometry (TDR) has been shown to be a widely applicable method for determination of moisture content in soils and other geological and engineering materials. All TDR probes used to date have required penetration of the sample under study, which severely limits the utility of the method. We demonstrated that, by simply placing the probe wires against the surface of a sample and recalibrating the dielectric vs. moisture content response, the TDR method may be used to obtain moisture content without sample penetration. This expands the range of applicability of the TDR technique to such critical areas as hard rock drill cores and pavement measurements, as well as endurated soils. An example of such a noninvasive probe is shown to have the accuracy of previous probe designs (i.e., ± 2% m³ m^–3 moisture content), without requiring penetration of the sample, with additional advantages including the ability to miniaturize the probe.

Received for publication February 19, 1992.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. A. Robinson, D. A. Robinson, S. B. Jones, J. M. Wraith, D. Or, and S. P. Friedman A Review of Advances in Dielectric and Electrical Conductivity Measurement in Soils Using Time Domain Reflectometry Vadose Zone J., November 1, 2003; 2(4): 444 - 475. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Dahan, O. Dahan, E. V. McDonald, and M. H. Young Flexible Time Domain Reflectometry Probe for Deep Vadose Zone Monitoring Vadose Zone J., May 1, 2003; 2(2): 270 - 275. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. P. Vaz, J. W. Hopmans, A. Macedo, L. H. Bassoi, and D. Wildenschild Soil Water Retention Measurements Using a Combined Tensiometer-Coiled Time Domain Reflectometry Probe Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., November 1, 2002; 66(6): 1752 - 1759. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. P. Vaz and J. W. Hopmans Simultaneous Measurement of Soil Penetration Resistance and Water Content with a Combined Penetrometer-TDR Moisture Probe Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., January 1, 2001; 65(1): 4 - 12. [Abstract] [Full Text]