A new method to measure bulk electrical conductivity in soils with time domain reflectometry

Abstract

The bulk electrical conductivity of a porous medium can be determined by measuring the reflection of an electromagnetic pulse in transmission lines which are installed in this medium (the method is known as Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR)). The reflection is not only influenced by the medium, but also by the measuring system. A new method is described which corrects for influences of the measuring system by comparing a reflection measurement with a reference measurement performed in air. Calibration measurements were made in water and in water-saturated sand and loam soils. -from Authors