A comparison of two methods of mechanical analysis of soil used by SNLCS/EMBRAPA and IAC

Abstract

Thirty-two samples of soil, with clay content ranging from 7.4% to 92.9%, were analysed through the pippete and the densimeter methods, according to EMBRAPA and IAC procedures. No significant differences for clay were found in the pippete method for both laboratories. On the other hand, silt and fine sand-content results were significantly higher at the level of 5% for the IAC procedures. Coarse sand-content results were lower for the IAC procedures. For the densimeter method, the results were significatly different at the level of 5%, being lower for the IAC procedures for silt and coarse sand, and higher for clay and fine sand.