Determination of the Soil Water Retention Curve with Tensiometers

Summary

An alternative technique for the determination of the soil water retention curve has recently been proposed whereby a tensiometer is used to measure soil suction and a balance to record the water content variations. The soil water retention curve is obtained by drying the soil either continuously or by stages (i.e. each drying stage is followed by an equalization period). Initial results from tests on compacted soil suggest that the relatively fast evaporation rate during continuous drying affects the water retention curve whereas the stage drying procedure provides more accurate results. Factors such as sample geometry and tensiometer position (relative to the sample) are also likely to affect the response obtained during continuous drying. These are the object of future investigation.