NEW METHOD FOR DEFINING WATER RETENTION CAPACITY IN SUBSTRATES

摘要

Water retention properties in the substrate are a significant factor affecting the welfare of plants. The Sandbox method is used in Europe as a standard method (EN 13041 1999) for measuring water retention properties in substrates. A new test method has been developed at the Laboratory of Engineering Geology at Tampere University of Technology (TUT method) for defining corresponding values from a specimen. However, the test is remarkably faster than a test with the Sandbox method. This new test method has been successfully used for defining water retention capacity in sand-based substrates. Some tests have been made for pure peat and based on comparative tests; the results have been very promising already at this point. It is also possible to define water retention capacity from samples with different suction pressures with the measuring equipment developed at TUT. In addition, it can be used for measuring field capacity in substrates, for example. The development work of this new method is still continuing.