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Bulk Densit Determination

Bulk Densit Determination

Introduction / Procedures / Calculations / Data Sheets / Comments / References

Introduction
Bulk density is a measure of the weight of the soil per unit volume (g/cc), usually given on an oven-dry (110 Figure 1: Sketch of C) basis (figure 1). Variation in bulk density is soil sample to show attributable to the relative proportion and specific solid particle and gravity of solid organic and inorganic particles and to void space the porosity of the soil. Most mineral soils have bulk distribution. densities between 1.0 and 2.0. Although bulk densities Particles shown in are seldom measured, they are important in quantitative white, voids in soil studies, and measurement should be encouraged. black. The mineral Such data are necessary, for example, in calculating soil grains in many soils moisture movement within a profile and rates of clay are mainly quartz and feldspar, so 2.65 is an adequate formation and carbonate accumulation. Even when two average mineral specific gravity for the sand fraction. soils are compared qualitatively on the basis of their Bulk density and porosity are calculated as follows: development for purposes of stratigraphic correlation, more accurate comparisons can be made on the basis of total weight of clay formed from 100 g of parent material than on percent of clay alone. To convert percent to weight per unit volume, multiply by bulk density (Birkeland, 1984). The determination usually consists of drying and weighing a soil sample, the volume of which is known (core method) or must be determined (clod method and excavation method). These methods differ in the way the soil sample is obtained and its volume determined. A different principle is employed with the radiation method. Transmitted or scattered gamma radiation is measured; and with suitable calibration, the density of the combined gaseous-liquid-solid components of a soil mass is determined. Correction is then necessary to remove the components of density attributable to liquid and gas that are present. The radiation method is an in situ method (Blake and Hartge, 1986). Clod and core methods have been used for many years. Excavation methods were developed in recent years, chiefly by soil engineers for bituminous and gravelly material. More recently the excavation method has found use in tillage research where surface soil is often too loose to allow core sampling, or where abundant stones preclude the use of core samplers. Radiation methods have been used since the 1950's, especially in soil engineering (Blake and Hartge, 1986). All the earlier mentioned methods have advantages and disadvantages according to the samples that are available and the sampling method. This method of discussion here is the clod method. The bulk density of clods, or peds, can be calculated from their mass and volume. The volume may be determined by coating a clod of known weight with a water-repellent substance and by weighing it first in air, then agin while immersed in
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a liquid of known density, making use of Archimedes' principle. The clod or ped must be sufficiently stable to cohere during coating, weighing and handling (Blake and Hartge, 1986). The clod method is applied commonly by pedologists or paleopedologists.

Procedure
1. Separate 3 peds from each sample (make the volume of each ped ~3-5cm3) 2. Tie a string around each ped with thread so that it can hang freely from a 2" length of thread with a loop on the end. 3. Place each ped in a numbered and weighed beaker, recording the sample and beaker number on the data sheet. 4. Place the beakers containing the peds in the oven and allow them to dry over night, remove the beakers, cool in the dessicator, weigh the beakers containing the peds, and record the data (subtracting the weight of the beaker from the combined weight of the ped and beaker). 5. Melt a cup of paraffin (wax), stabilizing it between 55 - 60. 6. Dip each ped in the paraffin and allow to dry, making sure that the ped is entirely sealed. If there are any holes noticed, dip a rod in the melted wax and apply a drop of hot wax to patch the hole. Do not redip the whole ped, because the wax coating will be too thick. 7. Weigh the coated ped without the beaker and record its weight. 8. Immerse the ped in water and weigh the beaker and ped on a triple beam balance using a ring stand to hold the beaker of water positioned just above the balance pan. (note: if bubbles appear on the surface of the coated ped and then break free and rise to the surface, note this on the data sheet by writing "BBL" next to the "submerged weight". If the ped floats, write "Floater" in the space for "submerged weight"). 9. Peel the coating off each ped and return it to its beaker. Fill each beaker with water so that the peds will get soggy and fall apart. 10. Wet sieve the contents of each beaker through a >2mm sieve. Discard all but the >2mm fraction. Return portion to the beaker and place in the oven to dry. 11. Weigh the >2mm contents of each beaker and record the weights on the data sheet.

Calculations
1. Adjusted dry weight = (dry weight of the ped) - (dry weight >2mm fraction) 2. Weight of paraffin = (weight of dry ped) + (paraffin) - (dry weight of ped) 3. Adjusted immersed weight = (weight of ped with paraffin in water) + 0.1 (weight of paraffin) - 1.65 (weight of the >2mm material/ 2.65)* 4. Specific gravity = (adjusted weight)/ ((adjusted dry weight)-(adjusted immersed weight)) Record the dry weight of the ped, ped with paraffin weight, ped with paraffin in water weight, and >2mm weight. *Note: 0.1(ped with parafin weight-dry weight ped) ----corrects for the buoyant force of the wax 1.65(>2mm weight/2.65)---- corrects for the >2mm material assuming a density of 2.65 g/cm3 for that material.

Comments
The clod method typically yields higher bulk-density values than do other methods (Tisdall, 1951), because it does not take the interclod spaces into account. The method mentioned here tries to reduce this error by removing the coating of each ped, thereby weighing each of the fractions. Care should be practiced to get naturally occurring peds. Peds on or near the soil surface are likely to be unrepresentative, due to tilling/plowing in agriculturally used soils. Peds should be sampled at other depths or from areas that may not be used for agricultural purposes. Should bubbles appear on the paraffin-covered ped while submerged in water, or if the weight in water increases with time, water is penetrating the clod, therefore the sample must be discarded.
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Precision in calculating the bulk density would require a correction for the difference of the weight of the wire in air and in water. However, the error is negligible with thread or a 28-gauge wire. In terms of overall accuracy, the greater number of samples used for each determination will significantly reduce the standard deviation. If paraffin is not available, rubber, saran, wax mixtures, and oils may be substituted (Blake and Hartge, 1986)

References
Birkeland, P.W., 1984, Soils and Geomorphology: Oxford University Press, New York, p. 14-15. Blake, G.R., and K.H. Hartge, 1986, Bulk Density, in A. Klute, ed., Methods of Soil Analysis, Part I. Physical and Mineralogical Methods: Agronomy Monograph no. 9 (2nd ed.), pp. 363-375. Brasher, B.R., D.P. Franzmeier, V. Valassis, and S.E. Davidson, 1966, Use of saran resin to coat natural soil clods for bulk density and moisture retention measurements: Soil Science v. 101, p. 108. Tisdall, A.L., 1951, Comparison of methods of determining apparent density of soils, Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, v. 2, pp. 349-354.

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