Rapid non-destructive methods for estimating shear strength of sandy soils
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Assessing soil mechanical properties at the field scale is crucial for preventing compaction from agricultural traffic. Conventional laboratory methods are destructive, labor-intensive, and require geostatistical methods to assess field variations. This study evaluates the potential of on-the-go proximal soil sensors (PSS), specifically electromagnetic induction (EMI) and gamma-ray spectroscopy (GRS) in combination with terrain attributes (TA) to estimate soil shear strength (τ). For this study, bulk soil samples and intact soil cores (100 cm³) were collected at 23 locations from depths of 0.15 m and 0.40 m across a 35.5 ha field, representing both the topsoil and subsoil layers. Multiple linear regression (MLR) models were developed to predict cohesion (c) and angle of internal friction (φ), with τ derived from these estimates. For comparison, a pedotransfer function (PTF) based on intrinsic soil properties and bulk density was also applied. Results showed that PSS–TA models achieved substantially higher accuracy (RMSE = 11 kPa at 0.15 m; 8 kPa at 0.40 m) than PTF (26 kPa and 27 kPa, respectively). While PTF remains a practical alternative when sensors are inaccessible, the findings demonstrate a clear advantage in integrating PSS and TA for the rapid, non-invasive, field-scale assessment of τ. • Novel method developed to estimate soil shear strength (τ). • Proximal soil sensors (PSS) and terrain attributes (TA) effectively estimated τ. • PSS+TA estimated τ more accurately than the pedotransfer function (PTF). • Subsoil cohesion (c) estimates showed higher accuracy. • Topsoil angle of internal friction (φ) estimates were more accurate.
Source: Soil and Tillage Research
Institution: Aarhus University
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Engineering
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,570
Award: G3241098762
OpenAlex ID: W7103754750