Effect of Soil Crust and Soil Compaction on Infiltration in a Yolo Loam Soil

Abstract

Double-ring infiltration tests were conducted in a Yolo loam soil to study the effect of surface seals (thin soil crusts), depositional crusts (thick crusts), and soil compaction on infiltration rates. Thin crusts (both dry and wet up to 6 mm thick) did not affect infiltration rate significantly perhaps due to the presence of cracks. Even in thin wet crusts, cracks developed within minutes during dry summer months. However, thin crusts of thickness 8 to 13.5 mm significantly reduced initial infiltration rate compared to dry crusts or uncrusted soil. Thick depositional crusts (both wet and dry) reduced final infiltration rate significantly. The initial infiltration rate was reduced significantly for a wet crust. The presence of cracks in a dry crust appears to compensate for any reduction in initial infiltration rate.