SOIL, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT DISCIPLINE

KHULNA UNIVERSITY, KHULNA.

MD MOSTAFIZUR RAHMAN
Student ID: 171334
MD ARMAN ISLAM
Student ID: 171335
NASMIN NAHER
Student ID: 171349
ADITY SAHA
Student ID: 171350
M M NAHEUN IQBAL
Student ID: 171358
Effects of puddling on some physical properties of soil (soil
bulk density and textural class).
 Puddling can be defined as the mechanical process of breaking down
of soil aggregates into soil particles, reducing water losses through
percolation and making it soft and suitable for transplanting.

 Bulk density increases in puddled soil. Due to breaking down of

aggregates the interparticle voids also break down and there is visible
reduction in specific volume of soil.

 Puddling increases the relative proportion of finer particles in soil and

thus has a great impact on soil.
 To do puddling effectively and observes results.
 To observe the effect of puddling on bulk density of soil different at
different depth profile.
 To observe the effect of puddling on textural class of soil for
different samples.( varying depth).
 To observe the change of bulk density and textural class before and
after puddling.
 For puddling:
1m2 Plot Field Puddled 2 times Sample collection
selection preparation under submerged (all water drained
condition out)

 For measuring bulk density:

One side of the core had been tightened with a piece of cloth and the soil sample
had been filled into the core.

Core sample had been kept in wet condition for 24 hours.

Sample had been taken out of the wet condition and weighted. The value was
recorded.

Sample was kept in the oven for 24 hours, oven dry soil sample had been weighted and
recorded.

Core weight and diameter had been recorded.

 For determining textural class:

40g soil had been taken in a 1000 ml beaker.

After adding 100 ml distil water, the mixture had been shaken for 10 minutes.

10ml 30% H2O2 had been added into the mixture & heated in a hot plate till
frothing removed, mixture was kept in a cold place.
5% 100ml calgon had been added into the mixture and stirred; the mixture was
kept for overnight

Mixture had been taken in a mechanical stirring machine and stirred for a
minute, then volume into 1000ml, added some ethanol to remove frothing.

Mixture had been had plunged by plunger for a minute. The reading had taken
by stop watch and hydrometer with carefully at 0.67min(40sec), 120 min.
 Before Puddling After Puddling
Core Bulk Average , Depth Depth (cm) Bulk
density Db (g/cm3 (inches) Density, Db
)

2 5.08 0.935
C1 0.916 4 10.16 0.921
C2 0.841 0.939 6 15.24 0.869
C3 1.06 8 20.32 0.779

 The bulk density decreases after the puddling.

 Before After Puddling
Puddling
No. Surface Soil Surface Soil Sub Surface soil Deep soil

Hydrometer Corrected Hydrometer Corrected Hydrometer Corrected Hydrometer Corrected

reading hydrometer reading hydrometer reading hydrometer reading hydrometer
reading reading reading reading

01 36 32.2 26 23.8 25 22.8 23 20.8

02 33 29.2 20 17.8 19 16.8 18 15.8

 Soil Separates Before Puddling After Puddling

(Surface)
Surface Soil Sub Surface Soil Deep soil
% (silt + clay) 88.91 66.11 62.96 57.43

% clay 80.625 49.44 46.38 43.62

% silt 8.2829 16.66 16.57 13.80

%sand 11.642 33.89 37.04 42.57

Textural Class Clay Clay Clay Clay

 Bulk density increased or decreased depending on soil structural status
before puddling.
 Generally bulk density increases with the increase in depth and
intensity of puddling. But in our case, the bulk density decreased.
 The decrease in bulk density by puddling has also been reported by
some researchers (Mohanty et al., 2004; Sharma and De Datta, 1985).
They reported that puddling destroys aggregates, increases porosity
and it can produce a more open structure, and hence decrease bulk
density.
Determination of the effect of compaction on bulk
density at various moistures and impacts.
 Soil compaction is the process in which stress is applied to a soil
causes densification as air is displaced from the pores between the soil
grains.

 Due to compaction, bulk density increases. It also increases with the

increase of soil depth.

 The compaction is measured by two processes:

 With constant moisture and different impacts
 With constant impact and different moistures.
 To determine the moisture content and density relationship in soil.
 To determine the force and bulk density relationship in soil.
 To determine the stress that soil can tolerate or the highest compaction
rate.
 To identify the moisture level to avoid trafficking.
 With constant moisture content and different forces:

Soil samples were mixed and taken into the small metal cup of Abbott’s apparatus. Volume of
the empty metal cup and weight of soil with metal cup were taken.

The weighted sample was mixed with 47.88 ml (12.5% moisture) water and taken into the
metal cup. Medium weight of force (2.59 kg) was used for measuring compaction with 1
impact.

After compaction process, the reduced height of the cup and soil sample was recorded.
sequentially 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 impacts were applied to the soil sample and the corresponding
height reductions were measured .

Small amount of soil was taken from the metal cup after completion of total compaction (at
6 impacts) for determining bulk density of the sample ultimately.

The same procedures were applied for medium and large weight of the metal cups.
 With constant force but different level of moisture content:

soil samples were mixed thoroughly and then taken into the small metal cup of Abbott’s
compaction apparatus. Volume of the empty metal cup and weight of soil with metal cup were
taken.

Sample was mixed with 5 ml water and taken into the metal cup. A medium weight of force
(2.59 kg) was used for compaction process with 6 impacts (constant).

After completing the compaction with 6 impacts process the height of volume reductions
were measured.

Some portion of the soil was taken to Al-cup and placed in oven dry machine for
determination of moisture content, mass of soil solid and ultimately bulk density.

Same procedures were run with adding 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 ml water for same weight
of force with 6 constant impacts.
 Blown No Bulk density (Db) Constant Mosture %
Blown Size
Small 0 1.03
03 1.06
06 1.11
09 1.16
12 1.16
15 1.16

Medium 0 1.10
03 1.17
06 1.18 9.46
09 1.23
12 1.25
15 1.25

Large 0 1.26
03 1.41
06 1.43
09 1.49
12 1.49
15 1.49
 Relationship between applied forces (different no. of impacts with different
weights) and Bulk density of a soil with constant moisture content during
compaction.
1.6

1.4

1.2

1
Bulk Density, Db

0.8 Small
Medium

0.6 Large

0.4

0.2

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Impacts
 Here constant force was applied with a metal body & number of
impact was 6
Core Name % moisture content Bulk density (Db)

Blue 10 1.52

Brown 15 1.54

Brown 20 1.63

Green 25 1.75

Green 30 1.67
 Relationship between different moisture contents and bulk density of soils with
a constant force during compaction.

1.8
Proctor limit

1.75

1.7

1.65
Db

1.6

1.55

1.5
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

% moisture content
 As we know, Bulk density increases with compaction and tends to
increase with depth.
 Soils with a bulk density higher than 1.6 gm/cm3 tend to restrict root
growth.
 Here, we can see with the increasing moisture content and increasing
energy on the surface of the soil can increase the bulk density.
 High soil moisture increases soil compaction caused by field traffic
and machinery.
 Maximum soil compaction occurs when soil moisture is at or near
field capacity because soil moisture works as a lubricant between soil
particles under heavy pressure from field equipment.