Subject: Soil Physics

Course Code: SOILS-501

Unit No. II
Topic: Soil structure
Lecture: 05
Course Instructor: Dr. Nivedita Singh
Designation: Assistant Professor
 Soil Structure
➢ Soil structure is the arrangement of soil particles into groupings.
➢These groupings are called peds or aggregates, which often form
distinctive shapes typically found within certain soil horizons.
➢For example, granular soil particles are characteristic of the surface
horizon.
➢Soil aggregation is an important indicator of the workability of the soil.
Soils that are well aggregated are said to have “good soil tilth.”
➢Soil structure refers to how particles of soil are grouped together into
aggregates (also called peds). They are cemented or bound together by
physical, chemical, and biological processes.
 Cont.
➢Physical-chemical processes that build soil structure include:
➢Polyvalent cations like Ca2+, magnesium Mg2+, and aluminum Al3+ bind
together clay particles
➢Soil particles are pushed closer together by freezing and thawing, wetting
and drying, and by roots pushing through the soil as they grow in length and
width.
➢Biological processes that build soil structure include:
➢Soil particles are cemented together by humus, by organic glues created by
fungi and bacteria decomposing organic matter, and by polymers and sugars
excreted from roots.
Factor affecting soil structure

Factors that can deteriorate or destroy soil structure include, for

example:
❑Compaction
❑Cultivation
❑Removal of vegetation
❑Excessive moving and handling of soil
❑Screening
❑Excessive sodium
Classification of Soil structure
Classification of Soil Structure: Soil structure is described under three
categories:

➢Types
➢Classes
➢Grades
 Types of Structure
There are mainly four types of soil structure:
Plate Like
❖The horizontal dimensions are much more developed than the vertical axis
resulting a flattened, compressed or lens like appearance to the peds. When the
units are thick, they are called platy and when the units are thin, they are called
laminar.
❖The platy types are often inherited from the parent materials. In addition, frost

heaving; fluctuating water tables, compaction and thin layering of different

❖textured alluvium or lacustrine material can form platy type of soil structure
Cont
Prism Like:
❖The vertical axis is more developed than others, with flattened sides, giving a
pillar-like shape. It has also two sub-types: columnar and prismatic. when the top
of such ped is rounded then it is columnar and when the tops of the ped are still
plane, level and clean cut then it is called Prismatic. The prism like structures are
commonly found in sub-soil horizons in arid and semi- arid soils.
 Cont.
Block Like:
❖All three dimensions are about the same size and the peds are cube like with flat
or rounded faces. Block like structure has also two sub-types: angular block and
sub- angular block .When the faces are flat and edges of the cubes are sharp
angular, when the faces and edges are mainly rounded is called sub-angular block.
❖The block like soil structures are usually found in the sub-surface horizons and
their other characteristics have much to do with soil drainage, aeration, and root
penetration
Cont.
Spheroidal (sphere Like):
❖All axes are developed equally with the same length, curved and irregular
faces. Generally all rounded or sphere like peds (aggregates) may be placed in
this type of soil structure. Spheroidal type of soil structure has two structural sub
types: granular and crumby wheere granules are porous and crumby is less
porous.
•The term spheroidal more appropriately refers to those sizes of aggregates not
exceeding 1/2 inch in diameter. Granular and crumb structures are characteristic
of many surface soils. In spheroidal soil structure, the physical properties of soil
like, infiltration, percolation and aeration etc. are not affected by wetting of soil
Classes of Soil Structure
Each primary structural type of soil is differentiated into five size-classes based on
the size of the individual peds.

They are as follows:

1. Very fine or very thin (in case of platy soil structure)
2. Fine or thin
3. Medium
4. Coarse or thick (in case of platy soil structure)
5. Very coarse or very thick.
Grade of soil structure
Grades of Soil Structure:
Grade indicates the degree of distinctness and durability of the individual peds.

1. Structure Less:
There are no visible peds or aggregates. If the appearance is coherent as in
compact, clay, the term massive is used and if non-coherent as in loose sand it is
called single grain.

2. Weak:
Poorly formed, non-durable, indistinct peds that break into a mixture of a few
entire and many broken peds and much un-aggregated material.
3. Moderate:
Moderately well-developed which are fairly durable and distinct.

4. Strong:
Very well formed peds which are quite durable and distinct For naming a soil
structure the sequence followed is grade, class and type; for example strong
coarse angular blocky.
References
http://www.fao.org/fishery/docs/CDrom/FAO_Training/FAO_Training/General/x67
06e/x6706e07.htm

https://www.deeproot.com/blog/blog-entries/what-is-soil-structure-and-why-is-it-
important