Basis of the Method

ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE METERS FOR SOIL MOISTURE MEASUREMENT

Only hydrophilic porous dieleotrics are suitable for
the construction of moisture meters. The electrical resistance
of such materials is extremely sensitive to small variations in
water content and forms the basis of this method of measuring
soil moisture. In addition, there is also a response to physical
and chemical changes, temperature, ion concentration and other
factors.
N.B.H.
N(J.
323

FOR INTERNAL USE
DATE March 1961
APPROVED By
NOTlE
CHECKED BY
DIVISION OF BUILDING RESEARCH
'fEC1HI NII CAlL
RILEM Seminar by Correspondence -
"Measurement of Moisture in Materials
lt
(N. B. Hutcheon - correspondent)
NATIONAL RESEA'RCH COUNCIL OF CANADA
The moisture meter was introduced thirty years ago
as a simple and practical tool for measuring soil moisture in
irrigated fields (I). The accuracy of measurement required
in irrigation practice was not sUfficiently great to challenge
the method seriously. The results of detailed investigation
have shown subsequently that it is not possible to use these
meters 'for accurate soil moisture measurements.
Types of Meters
The simplest meter consists of two parallel electrodes
embedded in a block of gypsum. Other electrode designs intro-
duced were intended to confine the electrical field within the
meter. Materials such as nylon and fibreglass, much more
resistant to than gypsum, have greatly increased
field life of such devices. These materials have also extended
the response range of the meter to more moist conditions.
Unfortunately, there aTe also disadvantages and among the more
serious is the greater sensitivity to electrolytes.
SUBJECT
PREPARED BY E. Penner
NOT FOR PUBLICATION
PREPARED FOR
e.
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Serious as this may seem, most these can be avoided
or accounted in practice; the greatest lies in
the nature of the relationship that exists between meter
resistance and some the soil
Direct Moisture Content Calibration
The function most frequently correlated with meter
resistance isthe percentage moisture content of the
In practice the technique is to bury the saturated meter
in a,saturated mass of soil. The soil and block are then dried
in stages. Between stages the moisture content of the soil is
determined and at the same time the resistance of the meter is
followed until it is constant. The relationship determined in
this way applies only to the one s011. This method of calibra-
tion excludes the use of the concept of moisture potential, or
suction, which determines the behaviour and distribution of
water in materials.
A Direct Soil Moisture-Suction Calibration Method
The Suction Princiale . - At low water attraction between
water molecules an any solid results from surface forces. The
extent of adsorption is related to the exposed surface area.
With increasing water contents the water is held in
the pores of the structure by surface tension forces. The
concave menisci formed have a lower vapour pressure than a flat
water surface and the ratio these vapour pressures
t
the
humidity ratio
t
is frequently used to describe the potential at
which water is retained. In the moisture range where the meters
are of particular value water retention is more conveniently
related to some other index of moisture potential such as the
radius of curvature of the air-water interface or to the
equivalent negative head of water (capillary rise) as indices
of moisture potential. The latter, usually referred to as
"moisture suction", is commonly used in soil science, and is
often given in terms of Schofield's pF (2), which is the
logarithm of the capillary rise expressed in centimeters of
water.
Calibration Technique. - A porous block meter placed in contact
with a moist soil will exchange moisture until moisture potentials
in the soil and in the meter are equal. The moisture- contents
of the soil and of the block may at this stage be quite different.
The meter may thus be regarded as a device for measuring soil
moisture potential, or soil moisture suction, provided that it
is SUitably calibrated. It might then be used to determine the
moisture suction in any soil. Then if the moisture contents at
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various suctions are known for that soil, the moisture content
may be found without the need to calibrate the meter in situ
for each particular soil. Croney et al. have used moisture meters
in this way (4).
A number of soil moisture meters have been calibrated
in the DBR laboratories as suction-measuring devices. The
calibration curve for the Bouyoucos moisture meter shown in
Fig. 1 was determiIied oytlie suction method. In the
same figure a suction-moisttireconterit curve is shown for Leda
clay. In principle, when the partiCUlar soil and meter are in
suction equilibrium the moisture cohtent of the soil can be
estimated from the two curves. It may be noted that for both
relationships there are two sets of curves, one for drying and
one for wetting.
Evaluation of Moisture Meter. - An obvious problem with the
electrical resistance type of soil moisture meter is created
by the hysteresis effects between wetting and drying conditions.
When using a meter simply to determine soil moisture suction
only one set of curves is involved, with the associated hysteresis
of the meter. Conversion of suction to moisture content of the
soil involves a further relationship complicated by hysteresis
effects in the soil. It may be noted, see Fig. 1, that there
is an unavoidable uncertainty in moisture determination unless
it is known that near-equilibrium conditions have been estab-
lished between the meter and the soil on either the wetting or
the drying cycle. It will seldom be. possible to say with
certainty that the drying or the wetting curve applies, under
naturally varying conditions of precipitation and evaporation.
Bouyoucos moisture meters have been found to be
unresponsive below pF = 2.2 and fibreglass below pF =1.5.
Nylon meters are responsive down to saturation but the diffi-
culty in calibrating the meters below pF - 2 tends to introduce
some uncertainty in this portion of the curve.
Nylon, fibreglass and moisture meters
calibrated by the direct suction method were installed in the
field and their resistances were carefully measured for two
growing seasons. Their evaluation is being based on precipitation
measurements, moisture deficit calculations frbm weather records (3)
and moisture contents by direct sampling.
During calibration, from two to seven days were required
for the meters to acquire a constant electrical resistance. It
is believed that meter response lags appreciably behind soil
moisture changes but this has not been investigated.
There are indications that these moisture meters are
useful for following soil moisture trends in the field but since
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hysteresis effects are unavoidably present it is unrealistic
to expect suoh meters to give aocurate and reliable pF or
moisture content values no matter how they are calibrated.
Referenoes
1. Bouyoucos, G. J. and A. H.Mick. An electrical resistance
method for the continuous measurement of soil
moisture under field conditions. Teohnical Bulletin
No. 112, Michigan State College, Agricultural
Experiment Station, 1940, 38p.
2. Sohofield, R. K. The pF of the water in soil. Transaotions
of the Third International Congress of Soil Science,
Vol. 11, 1935, p.31-48.
3. Bozozuk, M. and K. N. Burn. Vertical ground movements near
elm trees. Geotechnique, X, No.1, Maroh 1960, p.19-330
40 Croney, D., J. D. Coleman and Bamela M. Bridge. The Suotion
of Moisture held in Soil and other Porous Materials.
DSIR, Road Res. Tech. Baper No. 24, 1952.
5
o

o
VS MOISTURE CONTENT
FOR SOIL
LOG ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE
3 4
SOIL MOISTURE
CONDITIONING
WITH ACID SOLUTIONS
WITH PRESSURE
MEMBRANE

J ,\J
WITH SUCTION ! . \\
PLATE II pF VS EL.'o
If RESISTANCE OF
BOUYOUCOS BLOCK
OL---l.-..L.__--L-L --I. .L.-...;...__
o 10 20 30 40 50 60
MOISTURE CONTENT % DRY WT.
6
lL." 2
Q,
o 5
i=
FIGURE I
SUCTION - MOISTURE CONTENT FOR SAMPLE OF
AIR-DRIED LEDA CLAY a A BOUYOUCOS MOISTURE METER
CALIBRATION CURVE
BR 2412