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Porosity is a fraction between 0 and 1, typically ranging from less than 0.005 for solid granite to more than 0.5 for peat and clay. The porosity of a rock, or sedimentary layer, is an important consideration when attempting to evaluate the potential volume of water or hydrocarbons it may contain.
Most soils have a dry bulk density between 1.0 and 1.6 g/cm 3 but organic soil and some porous clays may have a dry bulk density well below 1 g/cm 3. Core samples are taken by pushing a metallic cutting edge into the soil at the desired depth or soil horizon. The soil samples are then oven dried (often at 105 °C) until constant weight.
The pore size can be determined based on the external pressure needed to force the liquid into a pore against the opposing force of the liquid's surface tension. A force balance equation known as Washburn's equation for the above material having cylindrical pores is given as: [1]
Soil bulk density, when determined at standardized moisture conditions, is an estimate of soil compaction. [3] Soil porosity consists of the void part of the soil volume and is occupied by gases or water. Soil consistency is the ability of soil materials to stick together. Soil temperature and colour are self-defining.
For a given soil, the greater the void ratio, the higher the value of the coefficient of permeability. Here 'e' is the void ratio. Based on other concepts it has been established that the permeability of a soil varies as e 2 or e 3 /(1+e). Whatever may be the exact relationship, all soils have e versus log k plot as a straight line. [2]
The opposite situation, i. e. when the void ratio is relatively small (dense soils), indicates that the volume of the soil is vulnerable to increase (swelling) under unloading – the smectite (montmorillonite, bentonite) partially dry clay particles present in an unsaturated soil can swell due to their hydration after contact with water (when ...
The table below displays the deal bulk densities that both allow and restrict root growth for the three main texture classifications. The porosity of a soil is an important factor that determines the amount of water a soil can hold, how much air it can hold, and subsequently how well plant roots can grow within the soil. [14] Soil porosity is ...
The Plasticity Index of a particular soil specimen is defined as the difference between the Liquid Limit and the Plastic Limit of the specimen; it is an indicator of how much water the soil particles in the specimen can absorb, and correlates with many engineering properties like permeability, compressibility, shear strength and others ...