Soil physics laboratory
Last changed: 09 September 2020
Laboratory for soil physical properties such as particle size distribution, water retention properties and saturated hydraulic conductivity.
At this laboratory we prepare soil samples and determine their soil physical properties. Soil samples can be brought or sent to us as loose soil or in cylinders depending on what analyses should be performed. The methods we use are:
- Particle size distribution; between 0.002 and 2 mm particle size by pipette sedimentation method and wet sieving, and between 2 and 6 mm by dry sieving,
- Organic matter from measurements of loss on ignition,
- Water content by oven drying to 105 degrees C,
- Water retention properties by suction table (-0.5 to -60kPa) and pressure chamber (-60 to -1500 kPa, the latter is the wilting point),
- Saturated hydraulic conductivity by constant head permeameter,
- Dry bulk density by oven drying of cylinder samples, compact density by
volume measurements of loose soil in etanol, and porosity as derived from dry bulk density and compact density.
There is no other laboratory in the country that routinely make all of these
analyzes. The laboratory has participated in a European evaluation with top results.