The role of moisture content in the stability of soil aggregates from a temperate silty soil to raindrop impact

Aggregate stability to drop impact is of fundamental importance to many aspects of the soil system, in particular rainsplash erosion. The role of moisture content is considered by the use of a single drop simulator on soil aggregates of known moisture content selected from the Hamble series. Results indicate a negative logarithmic relationship between time to breakdown and specific moisture content. In addition the variability of the results drastically declines with increasing moisture content. The results are explained in terms of distribution of moisture within the aggregates prior to experimentation.