Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 32 views

    The Use of Wenner Configuration To Monitor Soil Water Content

    Uploaded by

    Vergiane Railasha
    The document summarizes a study that used the Wenner configuration method (WCM) to establish relationships between soil resistivity (Rs) and soil water content (WC). Electrode spacings of 1200, 1300, and 1400 cm were used. Power and linear correlations between Rs and WC were obtained, with the power relationship working better at higher spacings and the linear at lower. The method provides an integrated measure of soil heterogeneity over a larger volume than other methods, though the equipment is bulky and electrode spacing affects spatial variability. The WCM adds an indirect field method to measure WC along with existing techniques.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    The Use of Wenner Configuration To Monitor Soil Water Content

    Uploaded by

    Vergiane Railasha
    32 views5 pages
    The document summarizes a study that used the Wenner configuration method (WCM) to establish relationships between soil resistivity (Rs) and soil water content (WC). Electrode spacings of 1200, 1300, and 1400 cm were used. Power and linear correlations between Rs and WC were obtained, with the power relationship working better at higher spacings and the linear at lower. The method provides an integrated measure of soil heterogeneity over a larger volume than other methods, though the equipment is bulky and electrode spacing affects spatial variability. The WCM adds an indirect field method to measure WC along with existing techniques.

    Original Title

    01Agodzo1.pdf

    Copyright

    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The document summarizes a study that used the Wenner configuration method (WCM) to establish relationships between soil resistivity (Rs) and soil water content (WC). Electrode spacings of 1200, 1300, and 1400 cm were used. Power and linear correlations between Rs and WC were obtained, with the power relationship working better at higher spacings and the linear at lower. The method provides an integrated measure of soil heterogeneity over a larger volume than other methods, though the equipment is bulky and electrode spacing affects spatial variability. The WCM adds an indirect field method to measure WC along with existing techniques.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    32 views5 pages

    The Use of Wenner Configuration To Monitor Soil Water Content

    Uploaded by

    Vergiane Railasha
    The document summarizes a study that used the Wenner configuration method (WCM) to establish relationships between soil resistivity (Rs) and soil water content (WC). Electrode spacings of 1200, 1300, and 1400 cm were used. Power and linear correlations between Rs and WC were obtained, with the power relationship working better at higher spacings and the linear at lower. The method provides an integrated measure of soil heterogeneity over a larger volume than other methods, though the equipment is bulky and electrode spacing affects spatial variability. The WCM adds an indirect field method to measure WC along with existing techniques.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 5

    The Use of Wenner Configuration to Monitor Soil Water Content

    S.K. Agodzo, P.Y. Okyere and K. Kusi-Appiah


    School of Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), Ghana

    Lecture given at the College on Soil Physics Trieste, 3 21 March 2003

    LNS0418001

    agodzo@avuust.africaonline.com.gh

    Abstract A field investigation of the relationship between soil resistivity Rs and soil water content WC was conducted using the 4-probe Wenner Configuration Method WCM. The WMC is traditionally used by electrical engineers for earth testing but was adapted for use as a soil water monitor in this study. Calibration curves were established between Rs and WC, demonstrating that the earth tester can be used for n such measurements. Power correlation (Rs = k WC ) with r2 values of 0.81, 0.83 and 0.97 were obtained for electrode spacing of 1400, 1300 and 1200 cm respectively. Linear correlation (Rs = c WC + d) yielded r2 values 0.68, 0.87 and 0.99 for 1400, 1300 and 1200 cm, respectively. Generally, both the linear and power relationships get weaker with increasing spacing between electrodes. However, the power relationship holds better at higher electrode spacing while the linear relationship holds better at lower electrode spacing. The bulky nature of the equipment rendered the measurements cumbersome. It must be noted that electrode spacing of between 12 to 14 m will affect the spatial variability of the soil. This must have accounted for the weaker correlation as the electrode spacing increased, considering that the theory on which the earth tester is based assumes a homogeneous soil.

    Use of Wenner Configuration to Monitor Soil Water Content

    Introduction and Purpose Engineers, agronomists and other professionals, at a stage in their professional work, need to know the amount of water in the soil and to be able to measure it quite accurately, easily and quickly. Water content determination of the soil is usually accomplished by direct and indirect methods. The purpose of this work is to adapt a method, traditionally used by electrical engineers for earthing landed properties against thunder, for soil water content determination. The method is known as the Wenner configuration method WCM. Approach The method is an indirect one, which measures soil water content WC as a function of soil resistivity Rs. Four metallic probes were driven into the ground with typical orientation (Figure 1). Soil resistivity at site was determined by sending electrical current through the ground via the electrodes. Resistance R was measured by the changes in voltage between horizontal electrode distances within the electrical field created by the current via the electrodes. With a homogeneous soil, Neidle (1975) computed soil resistivity as: Rs = 4aR = 12.6aV/I (1)

    where Rs is the soil resistivity (ohm-cm), R the soil resistance (ohm), V the voltage (V), I the Current (A), a the electrode spacing (cm) = 10b , and b the electrode depth (cm). Soil water contents (weight basis) were determined using the oven method for corresponding resistance measurements for electrode spacing of 1200, 1300 and 1400 cm. Results and Discussion Calibration curves (Table 1) were established between Rs and WC, demonstrating that the earth tester can be used for such measurements. Power correlation (Rs = k WCn) with correlation coefficient r2 values of 0.81, 0.83 and 0.97 were obtained for electrode spacing of 1400, 1300 and 1200 cm, respectively. Linear correlation (Rs = c WC + d) yielded r2 values of 0.68, 0.87 and 0.99 for 1400, 1300 and 1200 cm, respectively. Generally, both the linear and power relationships get weaker with increasing spacing between electrodes. However, the power relationship holds better at higher electrode spacing while the linear relationship holds better at lower electrode spacing.

    S.K. Agodzo, P.Y. Okyere & K. Kusi-Appiah

    Figure 1. Experimental set-up.

    Table 1. Wenner configuration results.

    Electrode spacing, (cm) 1200 1300 1400

    Power Function n Rs = k WC k n r2 -4.75 0.97 2x109 15409 -0.69 0.83 7 -3.24 0.81 8x10

    Linear Function Rs = c WC + d c d r2 -388.21 8772.8 0.99 -45.67 2838.4 0.87 -258.47 8831.2 0.68

    The bulky nature of the equipment rendered the measurements cumbersome. It must be noted that electrode spacing of between 12 to 14 m will affect the spatial variability of the soil. This must have accounted for the weaker correlation as the electrode spacing increased, considering that the theory on which the earth tester is based assumes a homogeneous soil. In fact this could even be an advantage with the method in that the measurement provides an integration of the effects of soil heterogeneity rather than homogeneity, which is in fact what pertains at the field level. Another advantage of the method is that a larger soil volume can be monitored to be representative of a wider area.

    Use of Wenner Configuration to Monitor Soil Water Content

    Conclusion The oven method remains the standard method for the determination of soil water content but field sampling to be representative of a large area is still a problem. The other methods like tensiometry, neutron probing, gamma-ray attenuation and soil resistivity-based monitoring (Cassel and Klute, 1986) have become mainly research tools in understanding soil water behaviour but of limited practical field applicability. The Wenner configuration method, which is soil-resistivity based only adds to the existing procedures, but still with limited field applicability. The main advantage as already mentioned is that the method samples a larger soil volume and provides measurements for an integrated effect of soil heterogeneity rather than soil homogeneity at the field level. Further adaptations could be investigated to make the method more practicable. References Niedle, M. (1970). Electrical installation technology. Butterworths, London. pp380. Cassel, H. and A. Klute (1986). Methods of soil analysis: physical and mineralogical methods, American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. pp1188.

    You might also like