Measurement of Soil–Water Characteristic Curve of Vegetative Soil Using Polymer-Based Tensiometer for Maintaining Environmental Sustainability

Widjojo Adi Prakoso, Abdul Halim Hamdany, Martin Wijaya, Rabbani Isya Ramadhan, Aldo Wirastana Adinegara, Alfrendo Satyanaga, Glenn Adriel Adiguna, Jong Ryeol Kim

2024

Full text Open access: Gold Metadata (CSL-JSON)
DOI 10.3390/su17010218
Data confidence 70 medium
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Abstract

The interaction between moisture content and soil suction is commonly represented by a soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC). The direct measurement of water content can be easily achieved, but it usually requires a destructive method where the soil sample needs to be oven-dried. Hence, indirect measurement is commonly employed for monitoring purposes. The limitation of this approach is the variability in water content at the wilting point, particularly for plants in different types of soil. While the moisture content at the wilting point varies greatly, suction at the wilting point is typically around 1500 kPa despite varying slightly depending on the type of plant. However, suction measurement using a normal tensiometer is limited to 100 kPa due to cavitation. Hence, it is not sufficient to cover up to the wilting point. The focus of this paper is the establishment of a polymer-based tensiometer utilizing a 15 bar ceramic disc for the measurement of high suction. The suitability of the polymer-based tensiometer in measuring the soil suction of vegetative soil is conducted by performing a soil–water characteristic curve test on vegetative soil. The SWCC produced from the polymer-based tensiometer is verified using SWCC produced from a centrifuge test. The results show that the SWCCs from both polymer-based tensiometer and centrifuge tests are comparable. Hence, suction measurement using a polymer-based tensiometer is deemed reliable. This advancement in suction measurement technology is crucial for improving irrigation practices, optimizing water use, and enhancing agricultural productivity, which in turn contributes to environmental sustainability by minimizing water waste and ensuring efficient soil management.