EFFECT OF BULK ON MOISTURE CHARACTERISTICS IN SOLIDS

SOIL BULK DENSITY CHANGES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE MARKED BUT SPECIFIC EFFECTS ON THE MOISTURE CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT SOILS. IN MOST SOILS IN THE PLANT AVAILABLE MOISTURE RANGE, MODERATE COMPACTION RESULTS IN AN INCREASE IN MOISTURE CONTENT AT CONSTANT MATRIC SUCTION. HOWEVER, SEVERE COMPACTION, WHICH IS READILY ACHIEVED IN SANDY LOAMS, RESULTS IN A DECREASE IN MOISTURE CONTENT AT CONSTANT MATRIC SUCTION, AND THIS EFFECT IS MORE NOTICEABLE AT HIGH SOIL MOISTURE CONTENTS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT DIFFERENCES IN VOID GEOMETRY AND DISTRIBUTION BETWEEN SOIL TYPES CAN ACCOUNT FOR THE VARIED EFFECT OF BULK DENSITY CHANGES MOISTURE CONTENT. /AUTHOR/