Development of a rainfall test rig as an aid in soil block weathering assessment

Continual changes in earth technology and the search for new trends in soil block weathering practices have resulted in the development of a rainfall test rig (RTR). By positioning the water-spraying nozzle at a fall-height of 2.0 in and water pressure of 0.5 kg/cm(2), the device generates a rainfall intensity of 150 mm/h. On application to the standard flour pellet, the RTR discharges spectra of rainfall in which the range of drop sizes, impact velocities and kinetic energy appropriate to natural rainfall conditions. This was applied to soil block samples arranged on a 0.9-m(2) adjustable soil block holder (platform). The results of testing two different soil block samples, stabilised with cement, lime and lime/gypsum at varying proportions and cured at both room temperature (RT) and elevated temperature (ET), under controlled and reproducible artificial rainfall conditions, are briefly discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.