• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.377-388
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• 2014

Purpose: Determining the spatial structure of data is important in understanding within-field variability for site-specific crop management. An understanding of the spatial structures present in the data may help illuminate interrelationships that are important in subsequent explanatory analyses, especially when site variables are correlated or are a combined response to multiple causative factors. Methods: In this study, correlation, principal component analysis, and single and nested variogram models were applied to soil electrical conductivity and chemical property data of two fields in central Missouri, USA. Results: Some variables that were highly correlated, or were strongly expressed in the same principal component, exhibited similar spatial ranges when fitted with a single variogram model. However, single variogram results were dependent on the active lag distance used, with short distances (30 m) required to fit short-range variability. Longer active lag distances only revealed long-range spatial components. Nested models generally yielded a better fit than single models for sensor-based conductivity data, where multiple scales of spatial structure were apparent. Gaussian-spherical nested models fit well to the data at both short (30 m) and long (300 m) active lag distances, generally capturing both short-range and long-range spatial components. As soil conductivity relates strongly to profile texture, we hypothesize that the short-range components may relate to the scale of erosion processes, while the long-range components are indicative of the scale of landscape morphology. Conclusion: In this study, we investigated the effect of changing active lag distance on the calculation of the range parameter. Future work investigating scale effects on other variogram parameters, including nugget and sill variances, may lead to better model selection and interpretation. Once this is achieved, separation of nested spatial components by factorial kriging may help to better define the correlations existing between spatial datasets.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.62-73
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• 1997

The application of nutrients and pesticides to agricultural lands has been reported to contribute to groundwater contamination, which can be explained by preferential flow in lieu of convective-dispersive flow. An one-dimensional numerical model depicting preferential water and solute movement was modified to describe multi-layer flows. The model is based on a piecewise linear conductivity function. By combining conservation of mass and Darcy's law and using the method of characteristics a solution is obtained for water flow in which water moves at distinct velocities in different flow regions instead of an average velocity for the whole profile. The model allows transfer ofqr solutes between pore groups. The transfer is characterized by assuming mixing coefficients. The model was applied to undisturbed soil columns and an experiment site with structured sandy clay loam soil. Chloride, bromide, and 2, 4-D were used as tracers. Simulated solutes concentrations were in good agreement with the soil column data and field data in which preferential flow of solute is significant. The proposed model is capable of describing preferential solute transport under laboratory and field conditions.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

A growing trend of utilizing helical piles for soft soil strata to support infrastructure projects is currently observed in Saemangeum, South Korea. Recognized mainly due to its ease of installation and reusability proves to be far more superior compared to other foundation types in terms of sustainability. This study applies modified p-y springs to characterize the behavior of a laterally loaded helical pile with a shaft diameter of 89.1 mm affixed with 3 helices evenly spaced along its embedded length of 2.5 m. Geotechnical soil properties are correlated from CPT data near the test bed vicinity and strain gauges mounted on the shaft surface. A modification factor is applied on the p-y springs to adjust the simulated data and match it to the bending moment, soil resistance and deflection values from the strain gauge measurements. The predicted lateral behavior of the helical pile through the numerical analysis method shows fairly good agreement to the recorded field test results.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.180-194
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• 2023

This study characterize, classify and evaluates the function of topography on spatial variability of some selected soil properties to assist in designing land management that support uniform agricultural production. The study site, an agricultural land, was part of the derived savanna zone in southwest Nigeria. Four soil profile pits each were established along two delineated toposequence and described following the FAO/UNESCO guidelines. Samples were collected from the identified genetic horizons. Properties of four soil series developed on different positions of the two delineated Toposequence viz upper, middle, lower slopes and valley bottom positions respectively were studied. The soil samples were analysed for selected physical and chemical properties and data generated were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that soil colour, depth and texture varied in response to changes in slope position and drainage condition. The sand content ranged from 61 to 90% while the bulk density ranged between 1.06 g cm^-3 to 1.68 g cm^-3. The soils were neutral to very strongly acid with low total exchangeable bases. Available phosphorus value were low while the extractable micronutrient concentration varied from low to medium. Soils of Asejire and Iwo series mapped in the study area were classified as Typic isohyperthermic paleustult, Apomu series as Plinthic isohyperthermic paleustult and Jago series as Aquic psamment (USDA Soil Taxonomy). These soils were correlated as Lixisol, Plinthic Lixisol and Fluvisol (World Reference Based), respectively. Major agronomic constraints of the soils associations mapped in the study area were nutrient availability, nutrient retention, slope, drainage, texture, high bulk density and shallow depth. The study concluded that the soils were not homogenous, shows moderate spatial variation across the slope, had varying potentials for sustainable agricultural practices, and thus, the agronomic constraints should be carefully addressed and managed for precision agriculture.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.17-35
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• 1994

A semi-empirical model for microwave polarimetric radar backscattering from bare soil surfaces was developed using polarmetric radar measurements and the knowledge based on the theoretical and numerical solutions. The microwave polarimetric backscatter measurements were conducted for bare soil surfaces under a variety of roughness and moisture conditions at L-, C-, and X-band frequencies at incidence angles ranging from 10` to 70`. Since the accrate target parameters as well as the radar parameters are necessary for radar scattering modeling, a complete and accurate set of ground truth data were also collected using a laser profile meter and dielectric probes for each surface condition, from which accurate measurements were made of the rms height, correlation length, and dielectric constant. At first, the angular and spectral dependencies of the measured radar backscatter for a wide range of roughnesses and moisture conditions are examined. Then, the measured scattering behavior was tested using theoretical and numerical solutions. Based on the experimental observations and the theoretical and numerical solutions, a semi-empirical model was developed for backscattering coeffients in terms of the surface roughness parameters and the relative dielectric constant of the soil surface. The model was found to yield very good agreement with the backscattering measurements of this study as well as with independent measurements.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2021

Air-water interfacial area is of great importance for the analysis of contaminant mass transfer processes occurring in the soil systems. Capillary bundle model has been proposed to estimate the specific air-water interfacial areas in unsaturated soils. In this study, the measured air-water interfacial areas of a soil (loam) using the gaseous interfacial tracer technique were compared to those from capillary bundle model. The measured values converged to the specific solid surface area (7.6×104 ㎠/㎤) of the soil. However, the simulated air-water interfacial areas based on the capillary bundle model deviated significantly from those measured. The simulated values were substantially over-estimated at low end of the water content range, whereas the model under-estimated the air-water interfacial area for the most of the water content range. This under-estimation is considered to be caused by the nature of the capillary bundle model that replaces the soil pores with a bundle of glass capillaries and thus no surface roughness at the inner surface of the capillaries is taken into account for the estimation of the air-water interfacial area with the capillary bundle model. Subsequently, appropriate correction is necessary for the capillary bundle model to estimate the air-water interfacial area in soils. Since the soil-moisture release curve data is the basis of the capillary bundle model, the model can be of use due to its simplicity, while the gaseous tracer technique requires complicated experimental equipment followed by moment analysis of the breakthrough curves. The size distribution profile of the pores filled with gas estimated by the water retention curve was found to be similar to that of particle size at different size range. The shifted distribution of gas-filled pores toward smaller size side compared to the particle size distribution was also found.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.621-629
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• 2019

A logical measure is suggested to estimate an accurate Sound Speed Profile (SSP) for the unusual variation of salinity in the Yellow Sea. Based on National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Aqua and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite data, this measure identifies the area of temperature inversion effect and expansion of low salinity (<30.5 psu) water. Subsequently, on the area, the Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) mounted unmanned maritime system estimates accurate SSP. In order to carry out this measure conveniently, a flow chart is demonstrated in this research. By using this measure which finds the high variational salinity area, the inaccuracy issue for calculating SSP from Expandable Bathy Thermograph (XBT) is expected to be solved.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2009

Susceptibility assessment of groundwater contamination is a useful tool for many aspects of regional and local groundwater resources planning and management. It can be used to direct regulatory, monitoring, educational, and policy-making efforts to highly vulnerable areas. In this study, a semi process-based was proposed to evaluate relative susceptibilities to groundwater contamination by nitrate on a regional scale. Numerical simulation based on data from each soil series was done to model water flow within soil profiles that were related to groundwater contamination by nitrate. Relative vulnerability indices for each soil series were produced by manipulation of amount of leaching flux, amount of average water storage in a soil profile, and amount of average water storage change. These indices were designed to convey the trend of leaching flux and to maximize spatial resolution. The resulting vulnerability distribution map was used to locate highly vulnerable sites easily with an appropriate grouping the indices, and was then compared with those from groundwater nitrate concentrations monitored. An excellent agreement was obtained across nitrate concentrations from the highly vulnerable regions and those from the low to stable regions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.315-315
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• 2017

In Japan, more than 80 % of soybean growing area is converted fields and excess water is one of the major problems in soybean production. For example, recent study (Yoshifuji et al., 2016) suggested that in the fields of shallow groundwater level (GWL) (< 1m depth), rising GWL even in a short period (e.g. 1 day) causes inhibition of soybean growth. Thus it becomes more and more important to predict GWL and soil moisture in detail. In addition to conventional surface drainage and underdrain, FOEAS (Farm Oriented Enhancing Aquatic System), which is expected to control GWL in fields adequately, has been developed recently. In this study we attempted to predict GWL and soil moisture condition at the converted field with FOEAS in Biwa lake reclamation area, Shiga prefecture, near the center of the main island of Japan. Two dimensional HYDRUS model (Simuinek et al., 1999) based on common Richards' equation, was used for the calculation of soil water movement. The calculation domain was considered to be 10 and 5 meter in horizontal and vertical direction, respectively, with two layers, i.e. 20cm-thick of plowed layer and underlying subsoil layer. The center of main underdrain (10 cm in diameter) was assumed to be 5 meter from the both ends of the domain and 10-60cm depth from the surface in accordance with the field experiment. The hydraulic parameters of the soil was estimated with the digital soil map in "Soil information web viewer" and Agricultural soil-profile physical properties database, Japan (SolphyJ) (Kato and Nishimura, 2016). Hourly rainfall depth and daily potential evapo-transpiration rate data were given as the upper boundary condition (B.C.). For the bottom B.C., constant upward flux, which meant the inflow flux to the field from outside, was given. Seepage face condition was employed for the surrounding of the underdrain. Initial condition was employed as GWL=60cm. Then we compared the simulated and observed results of volumetric water content at depth of 15cm and GWL. While the model described the variation of GWL well, it tended to overestimate the soil moisture through the growing period. Judging from the field condition, and observed data of soil moisture and GWL, consideration of soil structure (e.g. cracks and clods) in determination of soil hydraulic parameters at the plowed layer may improve the simulation results of soil moisture.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.497-509
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• 2021

A large deformation FEM (Finite Element Method) based numerical analysis has been performed to study the behaviour of the bell-shaped anchor embedded in undrained saturated (cohesive) soil with the help of finite element based software ABAQUS. A typical model anchor with bell-diameter of 0.125 m, embedded in undrained saturated soil with varying cohesive strength (from 5 kN/m² to 200 kN/m²) has been chosen for studying the characteristic behaviour of the bell-shaped anchor installed in cohesive soil. Breakout factors have been evaluated for each case and verified with the results of experimental model tests for three different types of soil samples. The maximum value of breakout factor was found as about 8.5 within a range of critical embedment ratio of 2.5 to 3. An explicit model has been developed to estimate the breakout factor (F_c) for uplift capacity of bell-shaped anchor within clay mass in terms of H/D ratio (embedment ratio). It was also found that, the ultimate uplift capacity of the anchor increases with the increase of the value of cohesive strength of the soil and H/D ratio. The empirical equation developed in the present investigation is usable within the range of cohesion value and H/D ratio from 5 kN/m² to 200 kN /m² and 0.5 to 3.0 respectively. The proposed model has been validated against data obtained from a series of model tests carried out in the present investigation. From the stress-profile analysis of the soil mass surrounding the anchor, occurrence of stress concentration is found to be generated at the joint of anchor shaft and bell. It was also found that the vertical and horizontal stresses surrounding the anchor diminish at about a distance of 0.3 m and 0.15 m respectively.