VEHICULAR TRAFFIC EFFECT ON PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF SANDY LOAM SOIL PROFILES IN A SEMIARID REGION OF NIGERIA

The effects of soil compaction from two different wheel tractors on in filtration rate, bulk density and penetration resistance were investig ated on a sandy loam soil. A randomized complete block design was used with treatments of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 passes of two different agricu ltural tractors. Farm tractors of 52.5 kN by weight with inflation pre ssure of 3 7.50 kPa and 43.35 kN by weight with inflation pressure of 3 1.0 kPa were used for all the treatments in the two farm lands respe ctively. The dry density and penetration resistance of the soil were m easured in the two fields from the surface to a depth of 0.50 m, while the ponded infiltration rate in the two fields were measured for a pe riod of 200 min. Results of loading on the soil showed that dry bulk d ensity and penetration resistance increased with the number of tractor passes. These effects were most prominent at 0.20 m depth. The infilt ration rate of the soil was found to decrease with the increase in the number of tractor passes.