Soil structure characterization using electromagnetic waves

The interaction effects of particle shape, orientation, porosity, and relative disparity between electrical parameters (conductivity and dielectric constant) of soil particles and pore fluid on electrical response of bulk soil at very low and very high frequencies of excitation by an alternating current are studied and compared with experimental data. The type of pore fluid and soil mineral can have a large influence on the response. The ratio of conductivities (and permittivities) of the solid particle to pore fluid has a significant influence on the electrical response of soils. Higher ratios reduce the effects of particle shape and the anisotropy arising from particle orientation. Results indicate that the electrical response, in general, can be used to characterize soil structure, detect anisotropy and identify pore fluid characteristics.