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Essential Soil Physics An introduction to soil processes, functions, structure and mechanics

:	Karl Heinrich Hartge, Rainer Horn
:	Robert Horton, Rainer Horn, Jörg Bachmann, Stephan Peth
:	Essential Soil Physics An introduction to soil processes, functions, structure and mechanics
:	E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung
:	9783510654949
:	1
:	CHF 57.60
:

:	Geologie
:	English

:	396
:	DRM
:	PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
:	PDF

Also available in softcover Soils are the porous skin of the Earth with variable and complex structures composed of solid, liquid and gaseous phases. Being in close contact with the atmosphere, biosphere hydrosphere, and lithosphere, soils fulfill numerous functions as a filter, buffer, habitat for organisms and resource for raw materials and food rendering them as the basis for life on our Planet. Soils are subject to continuous transformations and their dynamic nature is important for the interaction of biological, biogeochemical and physical processes. At the same time soils are vulnerable and affected by human activity and often subject to degradation. This textbook (based on the 4th, German language edition) introduces the reader gently but comprehensively to soil physical processes. The authors discuss both the origin and dynamics of soil physical properties and functions - volume-mass relations of the solid, water and gas phases, grain and pore size distributions, permeability and storage capacity for water, gases and heat - and finally soil deformation and strength in relation to mechanical and hydraulic stresses resulting in structural changes through compaction, kneading, slaking and soil crusting. Unlike other soil physics textbooks, soil mechanical properties are herein described in great detail, because otherwise it is impossible to understand and adequately quantify soil stability and the effects of soil deformation on soil physical functions. The book treats the physics of water, gas and heat movement in soils and interactions with the solid phase at various scales and other factors in detail -- because these are considered the ultimate basis of any model of soil behavior. Threats to soils worldwide ultimately endanger food security for a growing world population. Because of this, the effects of soil use and degradation on transport processes, soil stability and pore functions are discussed, and options for soil protection, conservation, and amelioration are addressed. The authors close a gap between general soil science texts and very specialized treatments of foundation engineering by integrating the concepts of soil mechanics to achieve a comprehensive description of soil physical behavior. Traditional soil physics topics, such as soil– water– plant relations, soil hydrology and gas, heat and field water cycles are complemented by soil rheology, physicochemical and amelioration sciences. Well-known and recent advances in analytical approaches and methods are well explained to be of use to persons interested in improving plant growth and optimizing crop yield. This book is valuable for researchers, upper-level undergraduate students, and graduate students of agronomy, soil science, horticulture, geo-sciences, environmental science, landscape architects and everybody interested in understanding the intricate physical processes which control and modify soil functions. Problems are provided at the end of each chapter to enable readers to develop soil physics related problem solving skills.

	Preface	10
	Introduction	11
	Soils: integral part of our environment	11
	Soil characteristics	12
	Grain size distribution: texture	14
	Classification	14
	Grain sizes	15
	Grain shapes	16
	Grain mixtures	18
	Common soil textures and their origin	21
	Equation of sedimentation	23
	Separation processes	23
	Spatial distribution of textures	25
	Modification of grain size distributions in soils	26
	Grain size distribution and other soil properties	27
	Methods to measure grain size distributions	30
	Problems Chapter 1	31
	Soil structure and structural functions	33
	Soil structure and internal morphology	33
	Bulk density, particle density	35
	Pore volume and void ratio	36
	Theoretical quantities to describe pore volumes	37
	Influence of grain size and shape on pore volume	37
	Effect of particle size	38
	Number of grain contacts	39
	Relationship of contact number and pore volume fraction	39
	Natural grain size distributions and aggregates	41
	Influence of grain contact points on soil pedogenesis	41
	Pore size distributions	43
	Subdividing pore sizes	44
	Shapes, sizes of pores, and modes of pore formation	46
	Effects of pore size distribution on soil quality	47
	Problems Chapter 2	48
	Mechanical and hydraulic forces in soils	49
	Stability and the spatial arrangement of grains	49
	Forces and stresses in soils	49
	Subdivision of the forces and stresses within soils	53
	Particle weight	54
	Loads transmitted by solid phases of soils	54
	Weight (overburden) stresses transmitted within the solid phase	54
	Forces between the surfaces of adjacent particles	56
	Stresses in three-dimensional space	56
	Soil strength: the balance of forces	57
	Shear resistance, a soil property	57
	Shear resistance of soils and their determination	57
	Stress strain relationship and time-dependent settlement	63
	Stress strain relationship in soils	63
	Time dependent settlement behavior of soils	65
	The meaning of neutral stresses during loading	66
	Stress-, strain-, and deformation processes in three-dimensional space	68
	Stress and strain in three-dimensional space	68
	Stress propagation within soils	68
	Base failure as the result of the active and passive Rankine state	72
	Flow behavior of soils: stresses between individual soil particles	75
	Influence of soil properties on shear resistance	80
	Mechanical changes of soil structure	81
	Effects of anthropogenic activities on soils	81
	Effects of animal activity and plant growth	83
	Freezing effects	84
	Soil compaction in civil engineering and construction	85
	Problems Chapter 3	87
	Interactions between water and soil	88
	Adsorption of water in soils	88
	Adsorption mechanisms	88
	Properties of water adsorbed on soil components	90