Description
Return signed core-volume change under a swelling convention.
Soil measurements distinguish bulk volume, pore volume, water mass, fine earth and excluded rock or sand. Gravimetric water content and volumetric water content have different denominators; accessible-pore shares and bulk-volume shares are not interchangeable. Supplied normalization bounds do not establish a validated retention curve.
Return signed core-volume change under a swelling convention.
When to use this tool
Use Soil Core Shrink Swell Path Sign when checking the stated soil water, mass, pore or aggregate basis.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter initialVolume, finalVolume, positiveIsSwelling. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read signedChange, fractionalChange. Use the output convention below.
Return signed core-volume change under a swelling convention. Require initialVolume > 0 and finalVolume >= 0; change = (final-initial)*sign, fractionalChange divides by initial, sign follows positiveIsSwelling.1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| initialVolume | Initial Volume | Required. Finite number; strictly above 0. |
| finalVolume | Final Volume | Required. Finite number; minimum 0. |
| positiveIsSwelling | Positive Is Swelling | Required. Boolean. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| signedChange | Signed Change | Required. Finite number. |
| fractionalChange | Fractional Change | Required. Finite number. |
{
"input": {
"initialVolume": 100,
"finalVolume": 90,
"positiveIsSwelling": true
},
"output": {
"signedChange": -10,
"fractionalChange": -0.1
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- The sign is a supplied reporting convention; no physical shrink/swell mechanism, soil condition or engineering adequacy is determined.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use verified sampling, density and moisture measurements with the intended complete soil model for field water status, structure or management conclusions.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Soil Core Volume Residual
Return cylindrical core volume and measurement residual.
- Soil Core Scale Gap
Return model core volume and supplied-volume gap.