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In-tandem methodology and recommendations for measuring soil hydraulic properties from saturation to dryness in laboratory conditions
 
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1
Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile
 
2
Facultad de Agronomía y Sistemas Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile
 
3
Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable ANID/FONDAP/1523A0004, El Comendador 1916, Providencia, Santiago, Chile
 
4
Department of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State University,109 Crop Science Building, Corvallis, OR 97331-3002, United States
 
5
Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Oregon State University, 2121 S 1st St, Hermiston, OR 97838, United States
 
These authors had equal contribution to this work
 
 
Final revision date: 2025-02-03
 
 
Acceptance date: 2025-02-07
 
 
Publication date: 2025-04-10
 
 
Corresponding author
Carlos A Bonilla   

Department of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State University, 2121 S 1st St, 97838, Hermiston, OR, United States
 
 
Int. Agrophys. 2025, 39(2): 203-208
 
HIGHLIGHTS
  • A combination of methods is recommended to measure the entire suction range
  • The in-tandem method allows us to read the whole range using the same sample
  • Data management is a crucial step in obtaining good- quality curves
  • Laboratory conditions are key for setup to obtain hydraulic properties
  • A set of ten recommendations is given to ensure data reproducibility
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ABSTRACT
Laboratory determination of soil water retentions and hydraulic conductivity curves requires different techniques, depending on the number of data points needed. An important consideration in technique selection is soil sampling, particularly the distinction between disturbed and undisturbed samples, as laboratory methods can differ significantly for each kind of soil sample. This work addressed the increasing interest within soil physics in using methodologies that cover a wide range of water content and suction to determine soil hydraulic properties accurately. Achieving soil samples representative of physical processes is challenging due to the time required for measurements and the combination of techniques necessary to characterize soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity curves. A detailed workflow in-tandem for soil hydraulic curve measurements is presented, comprising more than 4 500 measurements to describe both curves from saturation to dryness. To enhance reproducibility and reduce uncertainty in laboratory measurement, this work offers ten best practice recommendations focused on sample preparation, instrument handling, and data management. This work aims to contribute to improved methodologies in soil physics laboratories and promote standardized practices. This work also contributes to advancing the reliability and accuracy of soil hydraulic properties assessment, thereby supporting improved research and application in soil science.
FUNDING
This work was supported by funding from the National Agency for Research and Development, Chile, grant ANID/FONDECYT/REGULAR 1161045 and 1191166.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Declaration of competing interest. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
eISSN:2300-8725
ISSN:0236-8722
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