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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #370627
Research Project: Science and Technologies for the Sustainable Management of Western Rangeland Systems

Location: Range Management Research

Title: Rapid bulk density measurement using mobile device photogrammetry

Author
item WHITING, MICHAEL - New Mexico State University
item Salley, Shawn
item James, Darren
item KARL, JASON - University Of Idaho
item BRUNGARD, COLBY - New Mexico State University

Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/21/2020
Publication Date: 5/9/2020
Citation: Whiting, M., Salley, S.W., James, D.K., Karl, J., Brungard, C. 2020. Rapid bulk density measurement using mobile device photogrammetry. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 84:3 pages 811-817. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20063.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20063

Interpretive Summary: Soil bulk density is an important but difficult to measure soil property. Two common methods, paraffin wax dipping and laser scanning, are either expensive, time consuming, or destructive to the sample. For this research, we used photogrammetry to render soil peds into 3D models in order to estimate soil clod volume compared to paraffin and laser scanning. We found no significant differences between volumes measured by photogrammetry, laser scanning or the paraffin method and conclude that photogrammetry is a potentially useful method for measuring bulk density on soil aggregates. Measuring volume using photogrammetry was much easier than the other methods, less expensive and much faster.

Technical Abstract: Soil bulk density (Db), the ratio of soil solid mass to bulk soil volume, is an important but difficult soil property to measure. Existing methods are either expensive, time consuming, or destructive to the sample. The goal of this research was to investigate the utility of photogrammetry for measuring Db. Photogrammetry is the determination of shape and volume from multiple overlapping photos. Photos of soil peds placed on a 3D-printed turntable were obtained using two mobile devices. Photogrammetrymeasured volume and Db were compared with volume and Db measured using the clod and 3D laser-scanning methods. No significant differences between Db measured by any method were found. No statistical difference between cameras types was found. We conclude that photogrammetry is a useful method for measuring Db. Measuring Db using photogrammetry was much easier than the other methods and was less expensive and faster than 3D laser scanning.