Performance Evaluation of Profile Probe for Continuous Monitoring of Volumetric Water Content in Multilayered Cover System
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 144, Issue 9
Abstract
A profile probe (PP) is a handy instrument for simultaneously measuring volumetric water content () at shallow multiple depths in the field. The accuracy of the measurement is important for moisture migration and water balance studies associated with the multilayered cover system (MLCS) provided over nonoperational landfills. There are no guidelines or controlled procedure for evaluating the accuracy of a PP for varying layers of an MLCS. A simple laboratory setup is developed in this study to evaluate all six sensors of a PP simultaneously for a particular soil type and compaction state. The results obtained from this study were used to improve the accuracy of PP measurements for the type of soils generally used in MLCSs. The validity of the proposed procedure was further evaluated based on a new set of PP measurements. The procedure adopted in this study improved the accuracy of PP measurement from to . The most interesting observation is the parity in sensor readings by following the proposed procedure, which was initially found to be different. The results from this study indicated that improper measurements can result in an error as high as 18% in the determination of change in soil water storage for different layers of a trial MLCS. Adopting the procedure proposed in this study ensures reliable and precise measurements for the materials used in MLCS for all the sensors of PP. In the absence of soil-specific calibration for PP, the equations proposed in this study can be used for the type of soils used in MLCSs.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thankfully acknowledge Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India, for the financial support provided for the work reported in this paper via Project No. 2013/36/06-BRNS.
References
Albright, W. C., C. H. Benson, G. W. Gee, A. C. Roesler, T. Abichou, P. Apiwantragoon, B. F. Lyles, and S. A. Rock. 2004. “Field water balance of landfill final covers.” J. Environ. Qual. 33 (6): 2317–2332. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2004.2317.
Albright, W. H., C. H. Benson, G. W. Gee, T. Abichou, and S. A. Rock. 2006. “Field performance of three compacted clay landfill covers.” Vadose Zone J. 5 (2): 1157–1171. https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2005.0134.
ASTM. 2004. Standard test methods for particle size distribution of soils using sieve analysis. ASTM D6913. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2006. Standard test method for permeability of granular soils (constant head). ASTM D2434. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2010. Standard test methods for liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index of soils. ASTM D4318. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2011. Standard practice for classification of soils for engineering purposes (unified soil classification system). ASTM D2487. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2012a. Standard test method for measuring pH of soil for use in corrosion testing. ASTM G51-95. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2012b. Standard test methods for laboratory compaction characteristics of soil using standard effort ( ()). ASTM D698. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2014a. Standard test methods for moisture, ash, and organic matter of peat and other organic soils. ASTM D2974. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2014b. Standard test methods for one-dimensional swell or collapse of soils. ASTM D4546. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2014c. Standard test methods for specific gravity of soil solids by water pycnometer. ASTM D854. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2016. Standard test method for particle-size distribution (gradation) of fine-grained soils using the sedimentation (hydrometer) analysis. ASTM D7928, West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2018. Standard test method for measuring the exchange complex and cation exchange capacity of inorganic fine-grained soils. ASTM D7503. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Baumhardt, R. L., R. J. Lascano, and S. R. Evett. 2000. “Soil material, temperature, and salinity effects on calibration of multisensor capacitance probes.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 64 (6): 1940–1946. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2000.6461940x.
Bell, J. P., T. J. Dean, and M. G. Hodnett. 1987. “Soil moisture measurement by an improved capacitance technique. II: Field techniques, evaluation and calibration.” J. Hydrol. 93 (1–2): 79–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(87)90195-8.
Bell, J. P., and J. S. G. McCulloch. 1966. “Soil moisture estimation by neutron scattering method in Britain.” J. Hydrol. 4: 254–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(66)90083-7.
Bonaparte, R., D. E. Daniel, and R. M. Koerner. 2002. Assessment and recommendations for improving the performance of waste containment systems. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency.
Bradford, S. A., S. R. Yates, M. Bettahar, and J. Simunek. 2002. “Physical factors affecting the transport and fate of colloids in saturated porous media.” Water Resour. Res. 38 (63): 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1029/2002WR001340.
Campbell, J. E. 1990. “Dielectric-properties and influence of conductivity in soils at one to 50 megahertz.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 54 (2): 332–341. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1990.03615995005400020006x.
Chernyak, G. Y. 1964. Dielectric methods for investigating moist soils. Jerusalem: Israel Program for Scientific Translations.
Cosh, M. H., J. J. Thomas, B. Rajat, S. J. Famiglietti, and D. Ryu. 2005. “Calibration of impedance probe for estimation of soil water content over large regions.” J. Hydrol. 311 (1–4): 49–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2005.01.003.
Czarnomski, N., M. G. W. Moore, T. G. Pypker, J. Licata, and B. J. Bond. 2005. “Precision and accuracy of three alternative instruments for measuring soil water content in two forest soils of the Pacific Northwest.” Can. J. Res. 35 (8): 1867–1876. https://doi.org/10.1139/x05-121.
Dane, J. H., and G. C. Topp. 2002. Methods of soils analysis. Part 4: Physical methods. Fitchburg, WI: Soil Science Society of America.
Dean, T. J., J. P. Bell, and A. J. B. Baty. 1987. “Soil moisture measurement by an improved capacitance technique. I: Sensor design and performance.” J. Hydrol. 93 (1–2): 67–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(87)90194-6.
Delta-T Devices Ltd. 2008. User manual for the profile probe. Version PR2-UM-3.0. Cambridge UK: Delta-T Devices Ltd.
Eller, H., and A. Denoth. 1996. “A capacitive soil moisture sensor.” J. Hydrol. 185 (1–4): 137–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(95)03003-4.
Evett, S. R., and J. L. Steiner. 1995. “Precision of neutron scattering and capacitance type soil water content gauges from field calibration.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 59 (4): 961–968. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1995.03615995005900040001x.
Evett, S. R., J. A. Tolk, and T. A. Howell. 2006. “Soil profile water content determination: Sensor accuracy, axial response, calibration, temperature dependence and precision.” Vadose Zone J. 5 (3): 894–907. https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2005.0149.
Friedman, S. P. 1998. “A saturation degree-dependent composite spheres model for describing the effective dielectric constant of unsaturated porous media.” Water Resour. Res. 34 (11): 2949–2961. https://doi.org/10.1029/98WR01923.
Friedman, S. P. 2005. “Soil properties influencing apparent electrical conductivity: A review.” Comput. Electron. Agric. 46 (1–3): 45–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2004.11.001.
Friedman, S. P., and D. A. Robinson. 2002. “Particle shape characterization using angle of repose measurements for predicting the effective permittivity and electrical conductivity of saturated granular media.” Water Resour. Res. 38 (18): 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1029/2001WR000746.
Gardner, C. M. K., T. J. Dean, and J. D. Cooper. 1998. “Soil water content measurement with a high frequency capacitance sensor.” J. Agr. Eng. Res. 71 (4): 395–403. https://doi.org/10.1006/jaer.1998.0338.
Gaskin, G. J., and J. D. Miller. 1996. “Measurement of soil water content using a simplified impedance measuring technique.” J. Agr. Eng. Res. 63 (2): 153–159. https://doi.org/10.1006/jaer.1996.0017.
Hillel, D. 1998. Environmental soil physics. San Diego: Academic Press.
Huang, Q., O. O. Akinremi, R. Sri Rajan, and P. Bullock. 2004. “Laboratory and field evaluation of five soil water sensors.” Can. J. Soil. Sci. 84 (4): 431–438. https://doi.org/10.4141/S03-097.
Kelleners, T. J., R. W. O. Soppe, J. E. Ayars, and T. H. Skaggs. 2004. “Calibration of capacitance probe sensors in a saline silty clay soil.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 68 (3): 770–778. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2004.7700.
Kodešová, R., V. Kodeš, and A. Mraz. 2011. “Comparison of two sensors O EC-5 and SM200 for measuring soil water content.” Soil Water Res. 6 (2): 102–110.
Ledieu, J., P. de Ridder, P. de Clerck, and S. Dautrebande. 1986. “A method of measuring soil moisture by time-domain reflectometry.” J. Hydrol. 88 (3–4): 319–328. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(86)90097-1.
Li, X., T. Lei, W. Wang, Q. Xu, and J. Zhao. 2005. “Capacitance sensors for measuring suspended sediment concentration.” J. Catena 60 (3): 227–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2005.01.001.
Loiskandl, W., G. D. Buchan, W. Sokol, V. Novak, and M. Himmelbauer. 2010. “Calibrating electromagnetic short soil water sensors.” J. Hydrol. Hydromech. 58 (2): 114–125. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10098-010-0011-3.
Lukanu, G., and M. J. Savage. 2006. “Calibration of a frequency-domain reflectometer for determining soil-water content in a clay loam soil.” Water SA 32 (1): 37–42. https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v32i1.5237.
Merlin, O., J. P. Walker, R. Panciera, R. Young, J. D. Kalma, and E. J. Kim. 2007. “Calibration of a soil moisture sensor in heterogeneous terrain with the national airborne field experiment (NAFE) data.” In Proc., MODSIM 2007 Int. Congress on Modelling and Simulation. Canberra ACT, Australia: Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand.
Morgan, K. T., L. R. Parsons, T. A. Wheaton, D. J. Pitts, and T. A. Obreza. 1999. “Field calibration of a capacitance water content probe in fine sand soils.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 63 (4): 987–989. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1999.634987x.
Mwale, S. S., S. N. Azam-Ali, and D. L. Sparkes. 2005. “Can the PR1 capacitance probe replace the neutron probe for routine soil-water measurement.” Soil Use Manage. 21 (3): 340–347. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-2743.2005.tb00408.x.
Noborio, K. 2001. “Measurement of soil water content and electrical conductivity by time domain reflectometry: A review.” Comput. Electron. Agric. 31 (3): 213–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1699(00)00184-8.
Paltineanu, I. C., and J. L. Starr. 1997. “Real-time soil water dynamic using multi sensor capacitance probes: Laboratory calibration.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 61 (6): 1576–1585. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1997.03615995006100060006x.
Polyakov, V., A. Fares, and M. H. Ryder. 2005. “Calibration of a capacitance system for measuring water content of tropical soil.” Vadose Zone J. 4 (4): 1004–1010. https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2005.0028.
Qi, Z., and M. J. Helmers. 2008. “Field calibration of a multisensor capacitance probe for Des Moines lobe soils.” In Proc., Conf. on Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. Ames, IA: Iowa State Univ.
Robinson, D. A., and S. P. Friedman. 2001. “Effect of particle size distribution on the effective dielectric permittivity of saturated granular media.” Water Resour. Res. 37 (1): 33–40. https://doi.org/10.1029/2000WR900227.
Robinson, D. A., C. M. K. Gardner, and J. D. Cooper. 1999. “Measurement of relative permittivity in sandy soils using TDR, capacitance and theta probes: Comparison, including the effects of bulk soil electrical conductivity.” J. Hydrol. 223 (3–4): 198–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(99)00121-3.
Roseen, R. M., T. P. Ballestero, J. J. Houle, J. F. Briggs, and K. M. Houle. 2012. “Water quality and hydrologic performance of a porous asphalt pavement as a storm-water treatment strategy in a cold climate.” J. Environ. Eng. 138 (1): 81–89. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0000459.
Roth, C. H., M. A. Malicki, and R. Plagge. 1992. “Empirical evaluation of the relationship between soil dielectric constant and volumetric water content as the basis for calibrating soil moisture measurements.” J. Soil Sci. 43 (1): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2389.1992.tb00115.x.
Saito, T., H. Fujimaki, H. Yasuda, and M. Inoue. 2009. “Empirical temperature calibration of capacitance probes to measure soil water.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 73 (6): 1931–1937. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2008.0128.
Scanlon, B. R., D. G. Levitt, R. C. Reddy, K. E. Keese, and M. J. Sully. 2005. “Ecological controls on water-cycle response to climate variability in deserts.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 102 (17): 6033–6038. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0408571102.
Thompson, R. B., M. Gallardo, M. D. Valdez, and M. D. Fernandez. 2007. “Determination of lower limits for irrigation management using in situ assessments of apparent crop water uptake made with volumetric soil water content sensors.” Agric. Water Manage. 92 (1–2): 13–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2007.04.009.
Topp, G. C., J. L. Davis, and A. P. Annan. 1980. “Electromagnetic determination of soil water content: Measurements in coaxial transmission lines.” Water Resour. Res. 16 (3): 574–582. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR016i003p00574.
van Genuchten, M. T. 1980. “A closed form equation for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 44 (5): 892–898. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1980.03615995004400050002x.
Whalley, J. R., T. J. Dean, and P. J. Izzard. 1992. “Evaluation of the capacitance technique as a method for dynamically measuring soil water content.” J. Agr. Eng. Res. 52: 147–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-8634(92)80056-X.
Whalley, W. R., R. E. Cope, C. J. Nicholl, and A. P. Whitmore. 2004. “In-field calibration of a dielectric soil moisture meter designed for use in an access tube.” Soil Use Manage. 20 (2): 203–206. https://doi.org/10.1079/SUM2004250.
Wraith, J. M., D. A. Robinson, S. B. Jones, and D. S. Long. 2005. “Spatially characterizing apparent electrical conductivity and water content of surface soils with time domain reflectometry.” Comput. Electron. Agric. 46 (1–3): 239–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2004.11.009.
Yoder, R. E., D. L. Johnson, J. B. Wilkerson, and D. C. Yoder. 1998. “Soil water sensor performance.” Appl. Eng. Agric. 14 (2): 121–133. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.19373.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 144 • Issue 9 • September 2018
Copyright
©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 15, 2017
Accepted: Mar 20, 2018
Published online: Jun 26, 2018
Published in print: Sep 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Nov 26, 2018
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.