Effect of Drying on Water Retention of a Puddled Soil

Abstract Mechanical energy applied to soil may disrupt the existing structure and increase water retention at a specific water potential. In this experiment, samples of puddled silty clay loam soil were predried to specified levels, then rewet. The effects of predrying on the water content‐potential relationships were determined. Puddling substantially increased water retention of the soil. If the puddled samples were ovendried at 110C prior to testing, water retention at all potentials between −1/5 and −15 bars was similar to nonpuddled soils. If the samples were predried to any water potential more negative than the test value, then rewet to near saturation, their water retention reverted toward that of samples in the nonpuddled state.