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@ARTICLE{Bechtold:9528,
author = {Bechtold, M. and Huisman, J. A. and Weihermüller, L. and
Vereecken, H.},
title = {{A}ccurate determination of the bulk electrical
conductivity with the {TDR}100 cable tester},
journal = {Soil Science Society of America journal},
volume = {74},
issn = {0361-5995},
address = {Madison, Wis.},
publisher = {SSSA},
reportid = {PreJuSER-9528},
pages = {495 - 501},
year = {2010},
note = {Record converted from VDB: 12.11.2012},
abstract = {Time domain reflectometry (TDR) is commonly used to
determine the soil bulk electrical conductivity. To obtain
accurate measurements, the three parameters of a series
resistor model (probe constant, K-p; cable resistance, R-C;
and remaining resistance, R-0) are typically calibrated
using liquids with known electrical conductivity. Several
studies have reported discrepancies between calibrated and
directly measured parameters of the series resistor model.
In this study, we examined the possibility that a technical
issue with the TDR100 cable tester contributed to part of
these inconsistencies. Our results showed that with an
increasing level of waveform averaging, the reflection
coefficient, as well as K-p, R-C, and R-0, approached a
maximum value. A comparison with independently determined
values indicated that a high level of waveform averaging
provided the physically most plausible results. Based on our
results, we propose averaging at least 16 waveforms, each
consisting of at least 250 points. An oscilloscope-based
signal analysis showed that the increase in the reflection
coefficient with increasing waveform averaging in saline
media is related to a capacitance associated with electrode
polarization in combination with a change in the pulse
period of the pulse train when the TDR100 starts collecting
data points. This capacitance resulted in a slow change of
the average voltage in the TDR pulse train until a stable
average voltage was reached. Higher levels of waveform
averaging cancel the impact of the first erroneous voltage
measurements out. In practical applications, the errors in
the determination of the bulk electrical conductivity can be
as high as $5\%$ for the low-conductivity range (<0.1 S
m(-1)) and up to $370\%$ in saline media (1.4 S m(-1)) when
waveform averaging is changed after calibration.},
keywords = {J (WoSType)},
cin = {ICG-4 / JARA-ENERGY},
ddc = {550},
cid = {I:(DE-Juel1)VDB793 / $I:(DE-82)080011_20140620$},
pnm = {Terrestrische Umwelt},
pid = {G:(DE-Juel1)FUEK407},
shelfmark = {Soil Science},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)16},
UT = {WOS:000275187300018},
doi = {10.2136/sssaj2009.0247},
url = {https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/9528},
}