Acoustic determination of air-filled porosity and relative air permeability of soils

Abstract

SUMMARY Two acoustic techniques for determining the air-filled porosity and air permeability of soil surfaces, and the near-surface variation of these properties with depth, have been applied to several soils in situ. The techniques depend upon an inversion process using data on sound propagation near to the soil surface and through the soil surface. The measured difference in acoustic spectra received by two vertically separated microphones above the ground surface and by probe microphones beneath the surface were matched theoretically to deduce the porosity of air-filled connected pores and an effective air permeability which depends on pore shape and size distribution. This modified permeability parameter and the acoustically deduced porosity varied realistically with surface sealing and compaction. The acoustically deduced porosities were within 10% of those obtained conventionally. Changes in acoustically deduced parameters occurred with changes in moisture content both in soil bin and field experiments. The acoustic techniques were successful in monitoring surface sealing and near-surface layering on a fine scale.