SOIL PHYSICS

SOLID PHASE

The solid phase is the only permanent component of the soil.

The solid phase is made up of:


Mineral particles: have various shapes and sizes

Organic matter: has no definite shape (amorphous)

Particles size and mineral composition determine the nature
and behavior of the soil:

Surface area
Porosity
Interactions with fluids
Thermal regime


SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Soil particles can be classified according to

Size
Shape or geometry
Density
Mineral composition

Size

Based on size

50 m < sand < 2,000 m
2 m < silt < 50 m
clay < 2 m

SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface






Soil Texture: Defined as the relative proportions of sand, silt &
clay fractions.
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Soil Texture carries both quantitative and qualitative terms:

Qualitatively: refers to the feel (e.g. coarse, gritty, smooth)

Quantitatively: refers to the measured distribution of particle
sizes and the proportions of the relative size ranges of particles
comprising a soil.

Soil texture is thus an intrinsic attribute of a soil and the most
often used to characterize a soil.
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Textural fractions
Traditional method involved dividing the separates (sand, silt,
and clay) based on particle diameter.

The current procedure involves the use of a standard method
called mechanical analysis.

Unfortunately, there is still no universally accepted scheme of
classifying particle sizes.

The conventional definition of soil material is particles < 2 mm.
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface


SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Soil Classes

Textural class is determined on the basis of the mass ratios of
three fractions: sand, silt, and clay.

Soils with different proportions are assigned to different
classes.

These classes are based on soil textural triangle.

We use mainly the USDA triangle which has 12 classes.
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface













Soil Textural Triangle
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Particle Size Distribution

Since soil is a continuous array of particle sizes, division into
discrete fractions is arbitrary.

Although textural triangle is widely followed and useful in
many ways, it is important to evaluate the complete array and
distribution of particle sizes.

This can be achieved use of particle size distribution curves.

These curves are a plot of the % of soil particles vs the
diameters smaller than a denoted diameter.
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Particle Size Distribution


SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Mechanical Analysis

Mechanical analysis is the procedure to determine the particle
size distribution of soil samples.

Dispersion of soil aggregates. Soil is often aggregated and must
be separated into discrete particles.

The main cementing agents are organic matter, CaCO3 and
iron oxides.

Deflocculation is carried out by chemical dispersants and
mechanical methods.


SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Mechanical Analysis

Steps:

Dispersion of soil aggregates:
Oxidative dispersion : by use of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)
Chemical dispersion: using calgon (Na hexametaphosphate)
Mechanical dispersion: by use of a mechanical stirrer

Settling in sedimentation cylinder based on Stokes law.


q

2
9
2
r g
t
L
v
F p
) (
= =
4 2
9
2
2
d
r
t g
L
F p
= =
) (
q
d
t
A
=
2 1/
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Mechanical Analysis

Steps:


Measurement of particle distribution using:

pipette method

hydrometer method.
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Mechanical Analysis

Question 7: Using Stokes law, calculate the time needed
for all sand particles to settle out of a depth of 0.2 m in an
aqueous suspension at 30C.

How long would it take for all silt particles to settle out?
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Mechanical Analysis
Question 7: Using Stokes law, calculate the time needed
for all sand particles to settle out of a depth of 0.2 m in an
aqueous suspension. How long would it take for all silt
particles to settle out?

Given:
Radius of sand particles > 25 m
Dynamic viscosity = 1.110
-3
kg m
-1
s
-1
Density of water = 9.81

kg m
-3
Particle Density = 2650

kg m
-3






SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Mechanical Analysis











2
2
9
r g
L
t
F p
) (
q

=
s
m m kg s m .
m . s m kg .
t
sand

) ( ) (
97
10 25 981 2650 81 9 2
2 0 10 1 1 9
2 2 6 3
2
1
1
3
=


=

hr
m m kg s m .
m . s m kg .
t
silt

) ( ) (
17
10 1 981 2650 81 9 2
2 0 10 1 1 9
2 2 6 3
2
1
1
3
=


=

SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Shape
The property and behavior of the soil in bulk is affected by:
Particle size
Mineral composition
Particle shape
Regular shape
Irregular shape

Sand and silt particles are spherical or cubical shape.

Clay are platelet-like or lath-like shaped.






SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Specific Surface
The specific surface of a soil mineral is defined as the surface
area A
s
of particles per unit mass (a
m
) or per unit volume (a
v
) or
per unit bulk volume of soil (a
b
).


where M
s
is the mass of particles of volume V
s
contained in a
bulk volume V
t
of soil.

The units are traditionally expressed in m
2
g
-1
or m
2
cm
-3
Convert to SI units: m
2
g
-1
= 10
3
m
2
kg
-1
and m
2
cm
-3
= 10
6
m
2
m
-3






s s m
M A a / =
s s v
V A a / =
t s b
V A a / =
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Specific Surface
Specific surface is related to:
Size
Shape

Many physical, chemical and biological reactions occur at
surfaces.

Determination of specific surface is based on:

Particle geometry
Adsorption characteristics
Heat of immersion

SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface
Particle Geometry
a) Cube with size, L


b) Sphere with diameter, d


c) Regular polyhedron with diameter, d

L L
L
S
s s

6 6
3
2
= =
2
6L area =
3
L mass
s
=
2
4 r area t =
s
r mass t
3

3
4
=
d r
r
S
s s
t
t 6 3
4
4
3
2
=

=

(s) nA ) area (S
k n
=
6
s k
(s)d nA
mass =
d
S
s

6
=
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface
Particle Geometry
d) lath and rod shaped clay particles



a area surface 4 2
2
+ =
a

2
o a volume= s
a mass o
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
+
=
o o
o o 2 1 2 4 2
2
2
a a
a
S
s s
) (
a <<
o o
s s
S
4 2 2
=

~

a
1 1
>>
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface
Particle Geometry
e) plate-like clay particles



) 2 b a (ab area surface + + =
b
a

o ab volume= s
ab mass o =
|
.
|

\
|
+ + =
+ +
=
a b ab
b a ab
S
s s
1 1 1 2 ) ( 2
o o
o o
b a , <<
o
s
S
2
~
SOIL PHYSICS
SOLID PHASE: Particle Sizes, Shapes and Specific Surface

Question 8: Estimate the approximate specific surface of a
soil composed of :
10% coarse sand: 1,000m (av. diameter)
20% fine sand: 100m (av. diameter)
30% silt: 20m (av. diameter)
20% kaolinite clay: 40 nm (av. platelet thickness)
10% illite clay: 5 nm (av. thickness)
10% montmorillonite: 1 nm (av. thickness).