• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.741-749
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• 1999

This study is to develop a method of measuring the soil water concentration by using TDR, which is based on the relationships between the bulk soil electrical conductivity of soil and the reflected wave of TDR. The proposed monitoring method is combined with two important relationships. One is that between the bulk soil electrical conductivity and the solute concentration, which is known to be linear at a constant volumetric soil water content and the other is that between the relative bulk soil electrical conductivity and the water content at a constant concentration. Some formulas have been proposed to solve the second relationship, but a new formula and the critical water content are proposed to improve the accuracy of measurement. This proposed formula estimates the relative bulk soil electrical conductivity for water contents which is divided to two regions, linear and nonlinear, by the critical water content. As the result of the comparison with other formulas, the proposed formula is proved to be superior to other formulas and to be an available method to apply to the unsaturated transient solute transport.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.751-762
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• 1999

In this study, a 1-D laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the characteristics of transient unsaturated solute transport by using two kinds of soils of which properties were known by test. Especially the TDR method which is proposed in this study was used to measure water content and solute concentration. As results, in the transient flow, the wetting front moves down rapidly, and the distribution of solute concentration near the wetting front showed the similar type of the water content distribution(semi-bell type). A numerical model HYDRUS was used to compare with the experimental results. Numerical results for the water movement are similar to experimental result. However, numerical results of the distribution of solute concentration are more scattered than experimental results. It means that measured dispersivity, numerical dispersion, adsorption coefficient, and soil sample size etc. should be considered in order to determine the dispersivity used in the numerical model. The present measuring method was proved to be superior to other formula and to be an available method to apply to solute transport test. The measuring error of the developed method is estimated smaller than 10% while water content is larger than 0.15.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1044-1053
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• 2022

Time domain reflectometry (TDR) is a diagnostic technique to evaluate the physical integrity of cable and finds application in leak detection and localization of piping system. In this study, a cable-shaped leak detection sensor was proposed using the TDR technique for monitoring leakage detection of ship's engine room seawater piping system. The cable sensor was developed using a twisted pair arrangement and wound by an absorbent material. The availability and performance of the sensor for leak detection and localization were evaluated on a lab-scale pipeline set up. The developed sensor was installed onto the pipes and flanges of the lab-scale set up and various TDR waveforms were acquired and analyzed according to the dif erent variables including the number of twists and sheath thickness. The result indicated that the twisted cable sensor was able to produce clear and smooth signal as compared to the TDR sensor with a parallel arrangement. The optimal number of twist was determined to be above 10 per the unit length. The optimal diameter of sheath thickness that results in the desired sensitivity was determined to be ranging from 80% up to 120% of the diameter of the conductor. The linear regression analysis for estimation of leak localization was carried out to estimate the location of the leakage, and the result was a determination coefficient of 0.9998, indicating a positive relationship with the actual leakage point. The proposed TDR based leak detection method appears to be an effective method for monitoring leakage of ship's seawater piping system.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.292-301
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• 2001

The objectives of this study were to measure the changes in soil moisture regimes and the distribution patterns of inorganic N derived from the fertigated $^{15}N$-labeled urea, and compare them with the results obtained from broadcast-applied soil under the same drip irrigation domain. In fertigated soil, a $^{15}N$-labeled urea solution of $117mg\;N\;L^{-1}$ was applied by surface drip irrigation for 4 weeks. In broadcast-applied soil, no the other hand, 4 g of $^{15}N$-labeled urea(1.87 g N) mixed thoroughly with 5 kg of soil was placed on the surface of packed soil. Soil water status was controlled by drip irrigation scheduled at soil matric potential of -50 kPa. A calibrated time-domain reflectometry probe was installed in the soil vertically 15 cm apart from a drip emitter to control drip irrigation. About 60% of urea-derived inorganic nitrogen was remained in the top zone between 0 and 10 cm depth of fertigated soil, while, most of the inorganic nitrogen (91%) was accumulated in the top zone of broadcast-applied soil. Of inorganic nitrogen derived from urea, the percentage of $NO_3{^-}$ was much higher for fertigation (99%) than for surface application (62%). The relatively lower recovery of urea-derived inorganic nitrogen of broadcast-applied urea-N (51%) than that of fertigated urea-N (89%) was attributable to enhanced $NH_3$ volatilization.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 2015

The objectives of this study were to determine optimal length of off-time between irrigation cycles to improve irrigation efficiency using a frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) sensor-automated irrigation (FAI) system for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivation aimed at minimizing effluent from coir substrate hydroponics. For treatments, the 5-minute off-time length between 3-minute run-times (defined as 3R5F), 10-minute off-time length between 3-minute run-times (defined as 3R10F), or 15-minute off-time length between 5-minute run-times (defined as 5R15F) were set. During the 3-minute or 5-minute run-time, a 60mL or 80mL of nutrient solution was irrigated to each plant, respectively. Until 62 days after transplant (DAT) during the autumn to winter cultivation, daily irrigation volume was in the order of 3R5F (858mL) > 5R15F (409mL) > 3R10F (306mL) treatment, and daily drainage ratio was in the order of 3R5F (44%) > 5R15F (23%) > 3R10F (14%). Between 63 and 102 DAT, daily irrigated volume was in the order of 5R15F (888mL) > 3R5F (695mL) > 3R10F (524mL) with the highest drainage ratio, 19% (${\pm}2.6$), at the 5R15F treatment. During the spring to summer cultivation, daily irrigation volume and drainage ratio per plant was higher in the 3R5F treatment than that of the 3R10F treatment. For both cultivations, a higher water use efficiency (WUE) was observed under the 3R10F treatment. Integrated all the data suggest that the optimal off-time length is 10 minutes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.6
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• pp.496-503
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the influences of sapflow flux on soil water tensions and soil moisture content at the Abies holophylla plots in Gwangneung, Gyeonggido, from September to October 2004. The Abies holophylla had been planted in 1976 and thinning and pruning were carried out in 1996 and 2004. Sapflow flux was measured by the heat pulse method, and soil water tension was measured by tensiometer at hillslope and streamside. Time domain reflectometry probes (TDR) were positioned horizontally at the depth of 10, 30 and 50 cm to measure soil moisture content. All of data were recorded every 30 minutes with the dataloggers. The sapflow flux responded sensitively to rainfall, so little sapflow was detected in rainy days. The average daily sapflow flux of sample trees was 10.16l, a maximum was 15.09l, and a minimum was 0.0l. The sapflow flux's diurnal changes showed that sapflow flux increased from 9 am and up to 0.74 l/30 min. The highest sapflow flux maintained by 3 pm and decreased almost 0.0 l/30 mm after 7 pm. The average soil water tensions were low ($-141.3cmH_2O$, $-52.9cmH_2O$ and $-134.2cmH_2O$) at hillslope and high ($-6.1cmH_2O$, $-18.0cmH_2O$ and $-3.7cmH_2O$) at streamside. When the soil moisture content decreased after rainfall, the soil water tension at hillslope responded sensitively to the sapflow flux. The soil water tension decreased as the sapflow flux increased during the day time, whereas increased during the night time when the sapflow flux was not detected. On the other hand, there was no significant relationship between soil water tension and sapflow flux at streamside. Soil moisture content at hillslope decreased continuously after rain, and showed a negative correlation to sapflow flux like a soil water tension at hillslope. As considered results above, it was confirmed that the response of soil moisture tension to sapflow flux at hillslope and streamside were different.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.133-145
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• 2011

Unsaturated soil column tests were performed for weathered gneiss soil and weathered granite soil to assess the relationship between infiltration velocity and rainfall condition for different rainfall durations and for multiple rainfall events separated by dry periods of various lengths (herein, 'rainfall break duration'). The volumetric water content was measured using TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry) sensors at regular time intervals. For the column tests, rainfall intensity was 20 mm/h and we varied the rainfall duration and rainfall break duration. The unit weight of weathered gneiss soil was designed 1.21 $g/cm^3$, which is lower than the in situ unit weight without overflow in the column. The in situ unit weight for weathered granite soil was designed 1.35 $g/cm^3$. The initial infiltration velocity of precipitation for the two weathered soils under total amount of rainfall as much as 200 mm conditions was $2.090{\times}10^{-3}$ to $2.854{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s and $1.692{\times}10^{-3}$ to $2.012{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s, respectively. These rates are higher than the repeated-infiltration velocities of precipitation under total amount of rainfall as much as 100 mm conditions ($1.309{\times}10^{-3}$ to $1.871{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s and $1.175{\times}10^{-3}$ to $1.581{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s, respectively), because the amount of precipitation under 200 mm conditions is more than that under 100 mm conditions. The repeated-infiltration velocities of weathered gneiss soil and weathered granite soil were $1.309{\times}10^{-3}$ to $2.854{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s and $1.175{\times}10^{-3}$ to $2.012{\times}10^{-3}$ cm/s, respectively, being higher than the first-infiltration velocities ($1.307{\times}10^{-2}$ to $1.718{\times}10^{-2}$ cm/s and $1.789{\times}10^{-2}$ to $2.070{\times}10^{-2}$ cm/s, respectively). The results reflect the effect of reduced matric suction due to a reduction in the amount of air in the soil.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.73-80
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• 2011

To investigate the characteristics of plant growth and flower quality of gerbera 'Sunny Lemon' by amount of nutrient solution, young seedling plants, 'Sunny Lemon' were transplanted to rock-wool and medium of peat moss and perlite mixed with 1 to 2 and they were acclimatized in greenhouse during about 1 month. Nutrient solution supplied to the plants is sonneveld solution of 1/2 concentration and treatments launched June 24, 2010 when average plant height was $20{\pm}1cm$. Nutrient contents as a standard for starting point of irrigation by time domain reflectometry (TDR) were determined with 60-65%, 70-75%, and 80-85%. Results of growth during vegetative growth, plant height, leaf width and leaf number increased by 10% in rockwool, but they were not significantly different. As for plant growth depending on nutrient content, 80-85% treatment showed the highest values. Leaf number increased by 60%, and leaf width and plant height had a about 40% increase than initial growth. Effectiveness for flower quality, yield and days to flowering were superior when nutrient content of media was higher than in the others. Especially, average days to flowering in 80-85% content was advanced by 7-10 days compared to the day in 60-65% treatment. The total amount of nutrient supply per plant was higher in mixed medium than in rockwool, but change patterns of EC and pH were enhanced in rockwool. Based on our results, we recommended that growth, cut flower, and yield of gerbera 'Sunny Lemon' were more effective when nutrient content of mixed medium was maintained at 80-85%.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.804-811
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• 2010

The lower portion of sloping paddy fields normally contains excessive moisture and the higher water table caused by the inflow of ground water from the upper part of the field resulting in non-uniform water content distribution. Four drainage methods namely Open Ditch, Vinyl Barrier, Pipe Drainage and Tube Bundle for multiple land use were installed within 1-m position from the lower edge of the upper embankment of sloping alluvial paddy fields. Knowledge of the spatial variability of soil water properties is of primary importance for management of agricultural lands. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of drainage in the soil on spatial variability of soil water content using the geostatistical analysis. The soil water content was collected by a TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry) sensor after the installation of subsurface drainage on regular square grid of 80 m at 20 m paddy field located at Oesan-ri, Buk-myeon, Changwon-si in alluvial slopping paddy fields ($35^{\circ}22^{\prime}$ N, $128^{\circ}35^{\prime}$). In order to obtain the most accurate field information, the sampling grid was divided 3 m by 3 m unit mesh by four drainage types. The results showed that spatial variance of soil water content by subsurface drainage was reduced, though yield of soybean showed the same trends. Value of "sill" of soil water content with semivariogram was 9.7 in Pipe Drainage, 86.2 in Open Ditch, and 66.8 in Vinyl Barrier and 15.7 in Tube Bundle.