An improved excavation method for measuring bulk density of rocky soil using terrestrial LiDAR

Abstract

A new excavation method to estimate soil bulk density of rocky soil is presented. The method utilizes soil surface scanning with terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). It allows measurement of several comparatively large volume samples at the same time. The experimental procedure also eliminates the need for scan reference points. All this contributes to low variability of measurements and decreases time in the field. The average bulk density of Luckyhill very gravely sandy loam from southern Arizona was 1.48 g cm⁻³ with standard deviation of 5.4% using LiDAR-measured volume, while a conventional excavation method yielded an average bulk density of 1.45 g cm⁻³ with standard deviation of 10.3%.