Abstract:
In the study of the hydraulic conductivity and aggregate analysis of red and
laterite soils of Kerala it was observed that the saturated hydraulic conductivities of
both the soil groups were relatively very high. A trend of decrease in hydraulic conductivity
was observed as the soil becomes finer in texture. The hydraulic conductivity
of the undisturbed soils were found to be more than that of the disturbed
samples even for the same bulk densities. The infiltration rates in both red and
laterite soils were relatively high. The state of aggregation was excellent for both
the soil groups studied. The soils contained more than 70% of the aggregates in
the size range of diameter more than 0.25 mm. The stability index of the soils was
also very high.