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

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Walker, C. Articles by Fritton, D. D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Walker, C. Articles by Fritton, D. D. GeoRef GeoRef Citation Agricola Articles by Walker, C. Articles by Fritton, D. D. Related Collections Soil Methods/Instrumentation Soil Hydrology Infiltration

NOTES

Is the Tension Beneath a Tension Infiltrometer What We Think It Is?

Dep. of Crop and Soil Sciences, 116 ASI Building, The Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA 16802
^* Corresponding author (henrylin{at}psu.edu)

Received 14 January 2005.

The tension infiltrometer has become a standard tool for measuring near-saturated soil hydraulic properties. The objective of this study was to examine the dynamics of the supply tension at the interface between the tension infiltrometer and the measured soil using a pressure transducer under different soil conditions and to raise some cautions needed for proper use of this standard device. Infiltration experiments were conducted on a tension table, a large sand column, and in two field soils of contrasting textures and structures to test the performance of the standard two-piece infiltrometer. Results showed that during high flow rates (>200 cm³ min^–1) the tension at the infiltrometer–soil interface started to deviate by as much as 15 mm from the desired tension. However, during field experiments the high flow rates were not experienced, and thus no deviation was observed between the preset desired tension and the actual measured tension at the infiltrometer–soil interface. To alleviate the problem of tension deviation under high flow, the water supply tubing and fitting diameters of the standard infiltrometer were successfully increased to yield a higher flow rate (300–400 cm³ min^–1) without elevated tensions.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. D. Reynolds Tension Infiltrometer Measurements: Implications of Pressure Head Offset due to Contact Sand Vadose Zone J., November 20, 2006; 5(4): 1287 - 1292. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]