Comparison of two methods for aggregate stability measurement – a review

Abstract

Soil structure is a very important soil property, which influences many processes in the soil. There are many methods for aggregate stability measurement varying in the energy applied in the treatment. The aim of this paper is to compare two aggregate stability measurement methods on a set of reclaimed dumpsite soils. Method proposed by Le Bissonnias (1996) is composed of three tests, which allow distinguishing the particular aggregate breakdown mechanisms. Results can be expressed by a coefficient of vulnerability (Kv). Results of the second method, assessment of water stable aggregates, can be expressed by WSA index. WSA indexes mainly correspond to the results of the first test, which qualify the aggregate breakdown during the fast wetting. A strong statistically significant relationship was found between WSA and Kv for each test. Correlation coefficients were –0.767, –0.806, and –0.741 for linear models. Our conclusion is that results of both methods are comparable.