ABSTRACT
The study of soil physics is often hindered by the division of the subject into broad theoretical considerations on the one hand, and immediate practical considerations on the other. Many of the former tend to concentrate on soil, or models of soil, as a basis for description and quantification of idealised behaviour, whilst the latter are often limited to technical specifications suitable only for very localised applications. In either case, interpretation of the results for general project use is often lacking. This chapter concentrates on a few simple tests that can be used for practical characterisation of soil physical properties.
