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VOL. 15, NO.

15, AUGUST 2020 ISSN 1819-6608


ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2020 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

www.arpnjournals.com

RELATIONSHIP OF WATER PARAMETERS WITH THE OPTIMUM


MOISTURE CONTENT IN CLAY SOILS
Euriel Millan-Romero and Carlos Millan-Paramo
Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia
E-Mail: euriel.millan@unisucre.edu.co

ABSTRACT
A compacted soil shows a deterioration in physical properties, affects the availability of water and the growth of
plants. The amount of useful water in the soil is a characteristic of it that defines its agricultural aptitude and corresponds to
the water that can be absorbed by the plants. This study aims to evaluate the relationship of water parameters, field
capacity (FC) and permanent wilting point (PWP), with the optimum moisture content (OMC) in clay soils. The physical
properties of the soil, such as texture, real and bulk density, maximum dry density (MDD) value and OMC are analyzed.
The Proctor compaction test is used to determine the MDD and its OMC; a Richards Pressure Chamber is utilized to obtain
the FC and PWP and a tension table to acquire other moisture retention parameters. The results indicated that in Latossolos
(oxisols) of Brazil (LV, LVA) soils, the ratio for FC with water retention value of -100 hPa is 100% of OMC, and in
Vertisol soil for -300 hPa is 100% of the OMC. For Latossolos (LV, LVA) soils, the PWP (-15000 hPa) is 80% of the
OMC and for Vertisol soil 80% of the OMC. With statistical analyze a polynomial regression model is obtained to relate
the water contents to OMC. This regression shows that exist a direct relationship between water retention and OMC values.

Keywords: proctor compaction test, compaction index, soil properties, soil water retention.

1. INTRODUCTION established in them. Maintaining adequate levels of water


The growth and development of plants are in the soil is essential to ensure the success of crops in the
influenced by the environment, especially by the field, together with factors of soil management, improved
availability of water because it plays a vital role since it is seeds and fertilizers. According to [6], the availability of
practically involved in all physiological processes [1]. water is the factor that governs the development of crops,
According to [2], the water deficit is due to the drought because it strongly affects the rate of oxygen diffusion,
that triggers metabolic and physiological responses in temperature and mechanical resistance of the soil.
plants affecting breathing, photosynthesis, both anatomical Soil compaction is one of the main problems for
and metabolic reactions, nutrient absorption, development, soil degradation in agriculture, and it is a severe problem
growth, production, among others. The knowledge of the due to the interaction between physical properties and
different ecophysiological strategies in the use of water by plant growth and productivity, which leads to the need to
the species of the diverse communities is vital to be able to have a parameter that integrates soil-plant interactions.
predict their response to fluctuations in the hydrological When the compaction increases to excessive levels, the
cycle susceptible to change by human activities, to aeration can be affected if the humidity is high and on the
establish programs of sustainable forest and livestock other hand, in dry soil conditions, the soil resistance can
management [3]. restrict the growth of the plants [7]. Significant changes
Field capacity (FC) is the water content that is that occur in the soil structure in response to compaction,
retained in the soil after being saturated with water [4]. In among others, will cause changes in the soil-water-air
the case of non-saline soils, the water potential at field relationship and the mechanical resistance and,
capacity varies between -0.1 to -0.3 bar. Water content is consequently, in the growth of plants in response to the
more significant than field capacity in fine textures with physical characteristics of the soil [8].
high clay and organic matter content [4]. In contrast to the The moisture content is important in compaction
field capacity, the permanent wilting point (PWP) is the since it depends on the amount of water in the soil mass so
most negative soil water potential at which the leaves of that the particles and group of mineral particles can be
the plants do not recover their turgidity. The PWP is close rearranged under specific compaction energy, also
to -15 bar (pF 4.2), although it depends on the type of determines the properties of the soil. Compaction humidity
plant [5]. has a dominant effect on many properties of compacted
Globally, the water potential of many plants has soils [9] and dramatically affects soil infiltration. The
been investigated and related to the moisture present in the compaction test, given its relative simplicity concerning
soil to properly plan irrigation, which allows the rational equipment and procedures, represents a potential
use of water. The amount of useful water in the soil is a methodology to estimate the susceptibility or risks of soil
characteristic of it that defines its agricultural aptitude and compaction in the agricultural field [10]. Studies related to
corresponds to the water that can be absorbed by the the compaction process have used tests frequently
plants. Its limit is located between the field capacity (CC) developed for use in soil mechanics [11]. An example of
and the wilting point (PM). The behavior of these clayey this is the application of the Proctor compaction test that is
soils, with their mineralogy, determines the development still rarely used in studies of tropical agricultural soils.
and distribution of the root system of the crops that are

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VOL. 15, NO. 15, AUGUST 2020 ISSN 1819-6608
ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2020 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

www.arpnjournals.com

It is necessary to develop estimators to predict moisture retention was also determined with equipment
soil compaction processes to take the required preventive tension table and pressure chamber (Table-1).
measures to reduce risks and avoid the adverse effects of Mineralogical characterization of the clay fraction
this degradative process [12]. In this context, there is a evidenced predominance of kaolinite and minor
need to develop indicators and methodologies that allow proportions of gibbsite, goethite and hematite.
soil parameters to be related, so that knowing the optimum The third soil type Vertisol (Vert) -Typic
moisture content (OMC), the CC and PWP can be Haplustert, is located in the municipality of Sincelejo
determined quickly and efficiently or vice versa, to department of Sucre-Colombia, on the premises of the
maintain adequate levels of water in the soil for the good University of Sucre, at the headquarters "Red Door". The
development and growth of crops. This study aims to georeferencing is 9°19’6.84’’ N & Long: -75°23’35.52’’
evaluate the relationship of water retention, such as field E, and an elevation of 184 m.a.s.l. The climate of the area
capacity (CC) and permanent wilting point (PWP) in clay belongs to the classification of the tropical dry forest [13],
soils, with the optimum moisture content (OMC). has an annual rainfall of 1086.1 mm., and an average
annual temperature of 27.5 °C. Geologically, in the study
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS area, clay sedimentary materials have presented that
A study area of 5000 m2 was worked for each alternate in some cases with sandstones and
soil. Three types of soil were used. A Latossolo Vermelho conglomerates. The physiography consists of landscapes
(LV) from the municipality of Capinópolis, MG-Brazil, located in colluvium-alluvial valleys surrounded by hills.
and a Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo (LVA), from the Samples were collected from the first 0.2 m of the soil
municipality of Viçosa, MG-Brazil. The samples were profile (Ap). The texture of the study site is clay type 2: 1,
collected at a depth of 0.4 to 0.6 m, and in the sequence, where Montmorillonite clay predominates; Physical
air-dried, passed through a 2 mm sieve (No. 10), characteristics such as moisture retention values are
physically characterized and organic matter (MO), presented in Table-1.

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VOL. 15, NO. 15, AUGUST 2020 ISSN 1819-6608
ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2020 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

www.arpnjournals.com

Table-1. Characterization of soil* samples sieved by 2 mm mesh.

Parameter LV LVA Vertisol


-1 1/
Gross sand (kg kg ) 0.13 0.14 0.03
-1 1/
Fine sand (kg kg ) 0.12 0.06 0.02
-1 2/
Silt (kg kg ) 0.16 0.06 0.38
-1 2/
Clay (kg kg ) 0.59 0.74 0.57
-3 3/
Bulk density (kg dm ) 1.16 0.97 1.22
-3 4/
Particle density (kg dm ) 2.83 2.66 2.59
3 -3 5/
Porosity (m m ) 0.590 0.635 0.529
3 -3 5/
Macroporosity (m m ) 0.188 0.209 0.069
3 -3 6/
Microporosity (m m ) 0.402 0.426 0.460
-3 7/
Maximum Dry Density (kg dm ) 1.64 1.37 1.42
3 -3 5/
Porosity in the Maximum Dry Density (m m ) 0.421 0.485 0.452
-1 7/
Optimum moisture content, gravimetric base (kg kg ) 0.244 0.324 0.266
3 -3 5
Optimum moisture content, volumetric base (m m ) 0.400 0.444 0.377
3 -3 5
Degree of saturation in the Optimum moisture content (m m ) 0.950 0.915 0.834
-1 8/
Water retention (kg kg )
-60 hPa 0.346 0.417 0.380
-100 hPa 0.276 0.359 0.341
-300 hPa 0.206 0.278 0.299
-1.000 hPa 0.186 0.256 0.246
-5.000 hPa 0.176 0.249 0.223
-15.000 hPa 0.170 0.235 0.214
9/
Organic matter (dag/kg) 1.39 2.99 1.27
*
LV - Latossolo Vermelho (Red Oxisol Soil; LVA - Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo (Red - Yellow Oxisol Soil);
Vert - Vertisol Soil.
1/
By sieve [18]. 2/ Pipette method [18]. 3/ Test tube method [18]. 4/ Volumetric Balloon Method [18]. 5/ [18]. 6/
Tension table [19]. 7/ Test NBR 7182 [20]. 8/ [21]. 9/ Modified Walkley-Black Method [22].

The Proctor test was used to determine the From the known OMC of the Proctor test for each
maximum dry density (MDD), concerning the amount of soil, six (6) OMC Indexes (OMC-I) were worked: 1.0
water. The samples were subjected to natural drying in the (100% OMC value), 0.9 (90% OMC value), 0.8 ( 80%
laboratory. Subsequently, the lumps crumbled and finally OMC value), 0.7 (70% OMC value), 0.6 (60% OMC
passed through sieve number four (# 4) of 4.75 mm. value), 0.5 (50% OMC value); to compare them
Samples of 3 kg of each soil material were taken and respectively with the different water retention values
subsequently moistened with different moisture values; (matrix potentials): -60 hPa, -100 hPa, -300 hPa, -1000
Then the soil was placed inside the Proctor cylinder so that hPa, -5000 hPa, -15000 hPa, obtained in tension table and
it occupies a third of the volume of the test body (The pressure cookers (Table-2).
three layers of the soil must have approximately the same
height). The material received 25 blows from a 2.5 kg
hammer at the height of 0.30 m, representing a compaction
energy of 60.5 kg m m-3. The excess soil was removed
with a spatula, and finally, the whole was weighed, the
density and humidity of a sample taken from the center of
the mold were measured. The procedure was repeated five
(5) times per test to obtain the 5 points of each graph
(Density Vs. Humidity). The water content under which
the maximum dry specific gravity is reached is called the
optimum moisture content (OMC).

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VOL. 15, NO. 15, AUGUST 2020 ISSN 1819-6608
ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2020 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

www.arpnjournals.com

Table-2. Water retention and optimum moisture content Through the regression analysis, a polynomial
index for the three (3) soils. equation of degree 2 was determined, together with the
corresponding correlation coefficient, which quantified the
Water Retention OMC-I
Soil type degree of association between variables. The relationship
(kg kg-1) (kg kg-1)
between the variables was calculated using Statgraphics
1 LV 0.346 0.244 statistical software, variation (ANOVA) with a 5% level of
1 LV 0.276 0.219 significance and the comparison of means with the Tukey
test was applied. A completely randomized block design
1 LV 0.206 0.195 was used, with a factorial arrangement and four
1 LV 0.186 0.171 repetitions.
1 LV 0.176 0.146
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
1 LV 0.17 0.122 There is a direct proportionality between the soil
2 LVA 0.417 0.324 water retention variables and the OMC-I. The best fit is
the polynomial equation of degree 2, with a significant and
2 LVA 0.359 0.291 positive value determination coefficient (0.84), and a
2 LVA 0.278 0.259 correlation coefficient 0.92 denoting a high degree of
association between the two variables as can be seen in
2 LVA 0.256 0.226 Figure-1 (Water retention vs. OMC-I) for the three types
2 LVA 0.249 0.194 of soils. The determined equation can be used to find the
2 LVA 0.235 0.162 critical compaction humidity or moisture retention, in the
kinds of soil studied.
3 Vert 0.38 0.266 According to Figure-1, in Latossolos (oxisols) of
3 Vert 0.341 0.239 Brazil (LV, LVA) soils, the ratio for FC with water
retention value of -100 hPa is 100% of OMC, and in
3 Vert 0.299 0.212 Vertisol soil for -300 hPa is 100% of the OMC. For
3 Vert 0.246 0.186 Latossolos (LV, LVA) soils, the PWP (-15000 hPa) is
80% of the OMC and for Vertisol soil 80% of the OMC.
3 Vert 0.223 0.159
3 Vert 0.214 0.133

Water retention vs Optimun moisture content


0.35
y = -0.0413x2 + 0.7192x + 0.0174
0.3 R² = 0.8378
OMC-I (kg kg‒1)

0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45
Water retention (kg kg‒1)

Figure-1. Characteristic curve of soil water retention and optimum moisture content.

The values of OMC obtained in this investigation than these values because they would increase the risks of
can be considered as referents for the preparation of the compaction [13].
soil with the purpose of not introducing agricultural In Figure-2, it is observed that the water retention
machinery when the soil moisture is close to or higher values are more distributed below the average than above

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VOL. 15, NO. 15, AUGUST 2020 ISSN 1819-6608
ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2020 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

www.arpnjournals.com

it. For the OMC, the opposite occurs, which can be noted 100% of OMC, and in Vertisol soil for -300 hPa is 100%
that a concentration of the OMC values generates of the OMC. For Latossolos (LV, LVA) soils, the PWP (-
concentration in water retention values. 15000 hPa) is 80% of the OMC and for Vertisol soil 80%
of the OMC.
It is recommended to extend the research to a
more significant number of soils to increase the amount of
Water retention kg kg‒1 compaction and moisture retention analyzes, and to
determine the association between these soil
characteristics, to make the obtaining of results more
representative, and to have greater acceptance of the
Optimum moisture content
kg kg‒1
producers and professionals in the area.

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VOL. 15, NO. 15, AUGUST 2020 ISSN 1819-6608
ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2020 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

www.arpnjournals.com

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