• Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2001

The objective of this study was to develop a real-time soil moisture meter using RF impedance. The impedance suchas capacitance and resistance (or conductance) was analyzed using parallel cylinder type capacitance probe(C-probe) and Q-meter (HP4342). The capacitance and conductance of soil increased as volumetric water content increased. The 5 MHz of modified Colpitts type crystal oscillator was designed to detect the capacitance change of the C-probe with moist soil. A third order polynomial regression model was proposed to describe the relationship between RF impedance and volumetric water content. The prototype real time moisture meter consisted of the C-probe, sample container, oscillator, frequency counter and related signal processing units. The calibration equation for measurement of volumetric moisture content of soil was developed and validated. The correlation coefficient and root mean square error between measured volumetric water content by oven method and predicted values by prototype moisture meter for unknown soil samples were 0.984 and 0.032$cm^3$$cm\^3$, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

Currently, urban green space is disappearing due to urbanization, industrialization and various environmental problems including the disruption of the ecology in urban areas. To solve such problems and increase urban green area, roof greening has been suggested as an alternative. Through observing the responses of three plant species (Mukdenia rossii, Dianthus chinensis, and Pachysandra terminalis) plantrd on the soil mixed with Geohumus, this study investigated the effect of Gehumus on soil water content and plant survival. Soil water content of the rooftop soils has been increased when mixed with Geohumus. The responses were proportional to the amount of Geohumus in the mixture. Geohumus exerted a stronger influence on raising soil moisture content for soil A which had lower water-holding capacity. The stress responses of the plants varied in relation to the amount of Geohumus and soil moisture content. The stress response was lowest for Dianthus chinensis and increased in the order of Mukdenia rossii and Pachysandra terminalis. With the highest plant stress, Pachysandra terminalis showed the lowest survival rate among the three species. Without irrigation, the plants survived only for six weeks on green roofs. The survival rate differed depending on the amount of Geohumus mixed. The results of the experiment showed, with some exceptions, that Geohumus helped to improve soil water content, reduce plant stress, and extend plant survival period.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.369-376
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• 2003

This study was conducted to develop a precision measurement method of water content in soil (find sand and silty sand) using dual RF impedance changes. The electrically stable perpendicular plate capacitive sensor was fabricated and utilized to sense the water content in soil. Crystal oscillators of 5 and 20 MHz and related circuits were designed to detect the capacitance changes of a perpendicular plate capacitive sensor with soil samples at various volumetric water contents. A multiple regression model for volumetric water content having dual oscillation frequency changes at 5 and 20 MHz as independent variables resulted in coefficient of determination of 0.963 and standard error calibration of 0.030 cm$^3$/cm$^3$ for calibration and coefficient of determination of 0.966, standard error of prediction of 0.027 cm$^3$/cm$^3$ and bias of 0.001 cm$^3$/cm$^3$ for prediction.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.229-236
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• 2003

Ultrasonic propagation velocities of both the dilatational and shear waves through the weathered tuff soil sampled from the area tying between Ulanbator and Beijing were measured under temperature condition of near subzero by means of sing-around method. After comparing the results with obtained data on unfrozen water content, a linear relation between velocities and unfrozen water content was performed with high coefficient value. Experimental results of two kinds of rather uniform materials, namely, glass-beads and silica micro-beads, testified the similar linear relations. In addition, the change rate of dilatational wave velocities with the change of volumetric unfrozen water content was not dependent on soil type. Although a rational theory of the ultrasonic velocities dependence on the unfrozen water content is not yet proposed, the presented empirical relationships may suggest the appropriate evaluation to the effect of unfrozen water on dynamic characteristics of frozen soil.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 1982

This experiment was carried out to study the influence of the various soil water regimes on photosynthesis and growth and development of ginseng plant (3 years). The results were as follows: optimum soil water content for root dry weight and diameter appeared to be 62% of field capacity (13.9% fresh weight basis). The 62% field capacity showed superiority in leaf area, leaf dry weight and also in number of flower, fruit, seed per plant. Net photosynthesis rates per unit area increased with increasing soil water content but net photosynthesis rates per plant were superior in 62% field capacity. Rates of transpiration increased linearly with increasing soil water content but density of stomata decreased with increasing soil water content.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.20
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• pp.39-47
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• 2002

This study was carried out in order to produce useful material for the forest multiple use and forest protection by soil physico-chemical analysis of studied area in Mt. Palgong. The results of soil physico-chemical analysis and statistical analysis represented as following 2 points. 1. Soil depth was in the range of average 61.1 cm and soil texture was loamy sand and sandy loam except Donghwasa area. The part of solid phase and gaseous phase were higher than other areas, but liquid phase was less in verse. Soil water content was in an average 49.5%, penetrability was average $1.95{\times}E^{-2}cm/sec$ and the average of soil hardness was $1.64Kg/cm^2$. This data showed that soil water content, penetrability and soil hardness were good at Mt. Palgong forest soils. 2. Soil pH was the range of 3.4 to 6.0, organic carbon content was 2.8% that is nearly mean of the Korea brown forest soils, total N content is somewhat smaller than that of other places, and total average C/N ratios was 13.9. Average available $P_2O_5$ concentration was 5.05 mg/kg that is lower than that of any others. The concentration of available P of coniferous forests is higher than that of deciduous forests. Exchangeable cations content is similar to those of the Korea brown forest soil and the order of the cation content extent is $Ca^{2+}$ > $Mg^{2+}$ > $Na^+$ > $K^+$.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.15 no.2 s.42
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• pp.123-132
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• 2005

This study presents the results of a laboratory investigation performed to study physical properties of soil-bentonite mixtures through the vertical permeation test and dielectric measurement test using Frequency Domain Reflectometry system for the liner of waste landfill. For the laboratory experiments, geotechnical testing was conducted on pre-mixed soil-bentonite which is consisted of standard sand, weathered granite soil and bentonite for estimating physical parameters such as a volumetric water content, void ratio and dielectric constant. In experiment results, initial soil-bentonite mixing rate has an effect of change of volumetric water content. Also change of volumetric water content of a soil-bentonite mixture is clearly detected to measure a response of dielectric constant. In order to estimate an unsaturated permeable property of soil-bentonite mixtures, equations between volumetric water content and dielectric constant were derived from this study.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.180-189
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• 2012

This study was carried out to suggest an experiment based for selecting Sedum, which can adapt well with heat tolerance in extensive green roof system. The heat tolerance of Sedum subject to laboratory high temperature treatment and heat processing time were evaluated using electrolyte leakage, chlorophyll content and regrowth test, and the relation between soil water content and heat tolerance were researched. Logistic model of nonlinear regression analysis was used to evaluate the lethal temperatures that were predicted with the range of $45.0{\sim}48.1^{\circ}C$(soil water content 5%), $47.5{\sim}49.3^{\circ}C$(10%), $48.6{\sim}52.8^{\circ}C$(15%) in 6-hours high-temperature treatment. The higher the soil water content, the stronger the heat resistance property of Sedum. there is. The higher the treatment temperature, the lower the chlorophyll content, and the less the soil water content, the faster the chlorophyll decomposition. The order of hot-temperature resistance was S. reflexum>S. takevimense>S. middendorffianum>S. album>S. sieboldii>S. spurium when soil water content was 5%. The order of hot-temperature resistance was S. album>S. reflexum>S. spurium>S. takevimense>S. middendorffianum>S. sieboldii when soil water content was 15%. The more of soil water content, S. album, S. reflexum, S. spurium had stronger tolerant of hot temperature. These results were consistent with those from the regrowth test and the heat tolerance tested by electrolyte leakage evaluation.

• Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.30-37
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• 2000

Wet porous media representing agronomic soil that contains variable water content with variable electrolyte concentration was measured to study the shape of the curves of the electric double layer capacitance versus frequency (from 10 KHz to 10 MHz. This was done in an attempt to find the lowest practical operating frequency for developing low cost dielectric constant soil moisture probes. Cellulose sponge was used as the porous media. A high frequency electronic bridge circuit was developed for measuring the equivalent network parallel resistance and capacitance of porous media. It appears that the effects of the electric double layer component of the total parallel network capacitance essentially disappear at operating frequencies greater than approximately 25 MHz at low electrolyte concentrations but are still important at 50 MHz at higher concentrations. At these frequencies, the double layer capacitance masks the diffusion region capacitance where true water content capacitance values reside. The general shape of the curve of volumetric water content versus porous media dielectric constant is presented, with an empirical equation representing data for this type of curve. It was concluded that the lowest frequency where dielectric constant values which represent true water content information will most likely be found is between 30 and 50 MHz at low electrolyte concentrations but may be above 50 MHz when the total electrolyte concentration is near the upper level required for most mesophyte plant nutrition.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2013

Water content of subgrade soil in water supply systems has a large effect on performance. Many researchers lately make use of time-domain reflectometry (TDR) probes to measure the soil water content of subgrade soil from monitoring. The laboratory calibration test of TDR probe should be performed with soil field, because TDR probe can cause an error by type, gradation, density, and temperature of soil. This study shows the laboratory calibration test using TDR CS616, TDR-P3, TDR-T3. The calibration equations of TDR were then proposed. It was confirmed from the study that the data of TDR probe monitored in field could be used to estimate the freezing, unfrozen water content, and matric suction of soil.