Week 1 Introduction To Soil Science 295669

ERT 354 SOIL ENGINEERING 3 Cr lectures + 1 Cr Laboratory

Ir Dr Ayob Katimon Biosystem Engineering @ UniMAP

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Preamble • Soil is one of the most important engineering materials. Determination of soil conditions is the most important first phase of work for every type of agricultural-biosystem-civil engineering facilities. Soil properties are determined by both field and laboratory test methods. In this course, you will learn several engineering properties soil (static and dynamics). These properties are essential for the design of foundation and earth structures, off-road vehicle, agricultural machines, etc. ERT 354 Introduction to soil science

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Introduction to the subject  Part 1: This course introduces the fundamental concept of engineering properties of soil in relation to agricultural water management. It includes the basic principle of water movement within the soil profile, earth embankment and shallow foundation.  Part 2: It also introduces the fundamental theories involve in various methods of soil dynamics in relation to agricultural machine ERT 354 Introduction to soil science

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Week 1: Intro to Soil Science • Upon completion of this topic, student would be able to: – A brief definition of soil – appraise the important of soil in agricultural and non-agricultural production – Obtain general soil resources available in the world & nation – Understand some basic soil terminology used

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The soil is the nation • Soil is something you can explore with your senses, see it, feel it, smell it, taste it • Without soil, we – Wouldn’t have plant/crops/agriculture

• Without plants/crops, we – Wouldn’t have people

• Without people, we – Wouldn’t have the nation/country ERT 354 Introduction to soil science

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Reasons why studying soil • • • • • • •

Soils influences most of your daily life Built house on soil Steps/walks on soil Growing crops on soil Burry in soil Made of soil Fighting/war for more soil ERT 354 Introduction to soil science

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Eventually…….

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The important of soil • Medium of plant growth – The unconsolidated mineral matter on the immediate surface of the earth that serves as natural medium for the growth of land plants

Physical To plant

Nutrient to plant

Water to plant

O2 to root

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Soil is a natural body • The unconsolidated material on surface of the earth that has been subjected to and influenced by genetic and environmental factor of climate and organism acting upon parent materials • 5 basic soil forming factors: – Climate – Organism – Relief (topography) – Parent materials – Time factor ERT 354 Introduction to soil science

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Soil is a natural resources • Soils are the skin of the earth • Soils (pedosphere) links the other spheres of earth’s environment • Soil is an important construction materials for human and animal habitat

Atmosphere

Biosphere

Pedoshere

Hydrosphere

Lithosphere

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Conclusions about Soil • Whether our interest is plant production, environmental protection, land-use planning, civil engineering or water resource engineering, you need to be knowledgeable in “the affair of the soil” • That the reason why we have subjects such as: – Soil science (general) – Soil mechanics (civil & Biosys Eng) – Soil physics (Civil, Bio, Agric) – Soil chemistry (Agric, Bio) – Soil conservation (Agric, Bio) – Soil dynamics (Civil, mech, Biosys)

• Soil & Water are co-exist and always inter-related ERT 354 Introduction to soil science

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Verses in Al-Quran about Soil • “And the earth He has established for living creatures.” (Quran 55:10) • “And among His signs is that He has created you from dust; then behold, you are humans scattered widely.” (Quran 30:20) • “And God has made you grow, as a plant from the earth; then to it He returns you, and He will bring you forth a new...” (Quran 71:17-18) ERT 354 Introduction to soil science

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What is soil? • Soils is a mixture of solids, liquids and gases • Solid consists of minerals and organic matters OM (5%)

Mineral (45%)

Solid phase

Liquid (15-100%)

Gasses/Air (0-85%)

Pore phase

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What is soil • Soils is colorful • As with people, soils is colorful; red, brown, black, white, grey, motted, olive, green, blue, purple Munsell Soil Color Chart

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Soil is structured • Soil particles are formed into idealized soil structural units called Ped (aggregates) with various shape; granular, blocky, prismatic, platy • The arrangement of the aggregates plays a significant role in water, air and plant root movement through soil

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Soil is layered & 3-D • Soil profiles show that soils can be layered like a cake • Soil is a 3-D (Pedon). • a "Pedon" as a 3-D structure (minimum 1 m2 surface up to 10 m2) that contain all the properties of the studied soil.

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Soil is highly variable (Dynamics) • Soils may be similar but are never identical, depending on landscape, parent materials, climate, vegetation, etc.

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Soil at Swan River, Perth, AU

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Citrus Farm, AU

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Assignment # 0 • Pick a photograph about soil found in your hometown or kampung and send it to [email protected] • Provide your name and the exact location of the site (eg. Kg Kuala Gula, Bagan Serai, Perak)

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