Geijkt Nieuws. Newsletter. Theme: Soil. All it takes for environmental research. Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment April 2004

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1 Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment April 2004 Geijkt Nieuws Newsletter Theme: Soil Included in this number: The multifunctional penetrologger Wet Sieve Method Sialtech keeps up with innovations Get to know Eijkelkamp... Production! Less physical strain while operating a hand auger Diver News All it takes for environmental research

2 Sialtech keeps up with innovations Sialtech was first introduced to our readers in Geijkt News 10. It was clear from this article that Sialtech, one of the largest field work companies in the Netherlands, had had contact with Eijkelkamp from its inception in which the high quality of the Eijkelkamp products was always a decisive factor. Sonic For some time now Sialtech has not only been a customer for consumables and augers with Eijkelkamp but since last year it has also been the proud owner of a Sonic machine. Chris Haze explains: Before I started working for Sialtech, I was with DHV Engineering Consultancy for 12 years, first as a field worker and later as head of a field group and consultant. The field work team was transferred to Sialtech as a cost-saving measure and I was asked if I too wanted to start working for Sialtech. I have now been with Sialtech for around three years. Since my appointment the organisation has grown from a total of 20 people to 55, and in Groningen from 3 to 12 people. During that period Sialtech also expanded its range of equipment as well as going through a merger with GeoCom, something that gave Sialtech access to a range of measuring equipment. In this context our manager felt that a new drilling machine such as the Sonic could not be done without. Speed and price At Sialtech we expect more and more often to have to carry out large-scale drilling jobs by machine when undertaking archaeological explorations or when taking batch samples on location. For this reason we decided to opt for a Sonic drill to add to our existing equipment range as this machine is ideally suited for this type of work. Its great production capacity enables us to carry out the work for relatively low rates while the quality of the results is actually better. The answer The first project for which we used the Sonic, under the guidance of Fons Eijkelkamp, was in Hengelo in the east of the Netherlands. The job involved sampling and inspecting a batch on location and called for several hundreds of drillings to be carried out in a few days. It would be humanly impossible to achieve this purely through manual effort. The question therefore was: what sort of machine will enable us to get the job done as speedily and easily as possible? The Sonic was the obvious answer, adds Chris Haze in conclusion. Demo days for the SonicSampDrill in Giesbeek 2 In view of the many requests for a demonstration of the SonicSampDrill, Eijkelkamp has arranged the following demo days. 28 April 17 June 1 September 18 November GEIJKT NIEUWS Reservations To be sure of a place on 1 of the following dates set aside for a demonstration in Giesbeek fill in the fax reply form and fax it back to Eijkelkamp. Countries other than the Netherlands Demonstrations can also be given in English and German. All those interested from other countries besides the Netherlands and Flemish Belgium are therefore also very welcome to attend a demonstration at an arranged date. Feel free to request our extremely favourable terms and receive additional information about this new offering from Eijkelkamp by faxing us the accompanying application or call Huug Eijkelkamp, SonicSampDrill Project Manager, on MORE QUALITY IN LESS TIME WITH THE SONICS

3 AMPDRILL Quality monitoring well For anyone who wants to apply a fast and sure bentonite seal inside a monitoring well but one that does not stay stuck to it, Eijkelkamp has the quality monitoring well. Components The quality monitoring well consists of: Ready to use all-in-one filter pipe (tube/filter/sand) Sand catcher by the bentonite collar Blind pipes that have a pre-applied bentonite cuff collar Advantages The quality filter is quite revolutionary. It has a diameter that allows it to be used in all existing Eijkelkamp HDPE monitoring wells. The most important advantages are: No bridge as a result of the bentonite pellets Clean drilling tubes Complete certainty of a perfect seal that creates an impermeable layer All-in-one, therefore does not need separate filter tube, filtergauze and filter sand Simple and fast insertion of filter and bentonite seal Perfectly centred filter tube Plant growth The set Wet Sieve Method The structure of the soil is one of the most important factors as far as plant growth is concerned as it determines a number of important things: the amount of root penetration, the temperature of the soil, distribution of gasses and transport of water. It is therefore a soil characteristic of some significance to farmers. The wet sieve method is used to determine the stability of the composition of the soil. The texture of the soil, its structure, the type of clay mineral, the amount and type of organic material, mineral binding agents and the history of the plants all determine the aggregate stability. The destructive mechanical forces include soil cultivation, the impact of heavy machinery, the trampling of the soil by animals and the splattering of rain drops. The physical and chemical forces are crumbling, swelling and shrinking, dissipating and flaking. Crumbling is a structural degradation process that is a consequence of the soil aggregates becoming moist on account of the swelling of the clay minerals, of binding agents dissolving, of air explosion or reduced water attraction via the pores. Crumbling can lead to crust formation on the surface, reduced water filtration and increased loss of sediment on account of the downwards transport surface water. The standard set consists of a sieving machine designed for wet sieving and contains 8 sieves and stainless steel cans. The wet stability composition is determined by using the principle that when unstable particles come into contact with water they sink more The resistance that the structure of the soil has to physical and chemical degradation is what gives the composition of the soil its stability. The structure of the soil is one of the most important factors as far as plant growth is concerned. Since Eijkelkamp has included the wet sieve system in its range there has been a great deal of demand for this instrument, especially from the soil research sector. For those who are not yet acquainted with this handy system a description follows: easily than stable particles. To determine the stability the 8 small sieves are filled with particular soil particles. These sieves are placed for a while in dishes with water that move up and down. The unstable particles will start to separate from the stable particles and fall through the sieve to end up in the dishes filled with water below the sieve. Applications Because of the impact of the aggregate stability on plant growth and loss of soil the wet sieve machine is used particularly in agriculture and land conservation. This method for determining aggregate stability is particularly useful for scientists and researchers studying soil erosion, land degradation and conservation and (sustainable) agriculture. Scientists involved in studying salination can determine the wet aggregate stability using the wet sieving system as well as monitor the deterioration of the soil structure or determine the possible impact of measures aimed at improving the aggregate stability. Determining the aggregate stability provides information about the sensitivity of soils to erosion through water and wind. Information about the aggregate stability of the soil results in better cultivation programmes and enables them to be adjusted to suit a specific type of soil as well as the requirements of the crop. 3

4 Get to know Eijkelkamp......Production! As you are probably aware, Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment BV is an international organisation that supplies every type of equipment for environmental and agricultural research. These days Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment has a staff of around 80 people in the Netherlands and is represented in many other countries by a wide network of distributors. During 2004 each edition of Geijkt News will include an introduction to a specific department of Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment to enable you to take a glimpse behind the scenes. Production Approximately 70% of Eijkelkamp s sales total is achieved through the sale of products manufactured by the company itself. The remaining turnover is made up from commercial products. Eijkelkamp attaches considerable importance to its own manufactured products and can see very many sales opportunities both internationally as well as on the domestic market. For this reason we would like to introduce the production department in this edition of Geijkt News! The department The production department consists of around 30 people who work under the leadership of André Eijkelkamp, the brother of the General Manager of Eijkelkamp. The department comprises a number of different subsections including the office where the head of production looks after all the orders in hand and the production staff clock in and out. This is also where the administrative processing of all current production processes is taken care of. From this location the coordinator of the Service & Repair Department also organises the maintenance and repairs of all sorts of Eijkelkamp products. of the production but even today the drills are finished by hand. There are 5 people operating the machine and fitting shop and the bench assembly and welding shop is kept going by some ten people. This is where products such as the ergonomic drill, the shaker for the wet sieve method, etc. are manufactured. The forge keeps two people employed full-time and this is where the drills are still finished by hand. Electronics assembly The last section consists of the electronics assembly subdepartment. This employs three people whose daily work consists of the servicing and maintenance of electronic equipment, calibration of penetrometers, assembly of electronic equipment (such as the peristaltic pumps and the penetrologger), assembly and testing of meteostations, assembly of meteorological products e+ SOIL, e+ RAIN sensors, etc. Final inspection Before the products or semi-manufactured goods are passed on to Eijkelkamp s logistics centre, they undergo extensive quality testing. Preparations for the work Preparations for the work are handled by two people. They take receipt of raw materials and semi-manufactured goods which they then prepare for the production process. CNC and manual finishing These days CNC machines largely take care 4 GEIJKT NIEUWS

5 Different requirements speaking a high degree of penetration resistance is a favourable thing in civil the suitability for the construction of foundations for buildings and reverse is true; too high a degree of penetration resistance can give rise to of oxygen to the roots. When the agricultural machinery. With the penetrologger it is a simple matter to and easily. Applications include: General soil science research Locating areas that suffer from compaction, in fields for ploughing, for instance Assessing suitability for agricultural purposes Assessing the suitability of areas of ground for vehicle or foot traffic Technical specifications Operating humidity Penetrologger weight Transport weight Transport measurements Power resolution 1 N Recording depth Resolution depth The multifunctional penetrologger Determining the load-bearing capacity of the ground is a simple matter with the penetrologger. This device measures resistance to penetration of the soil or of the shallow subsoil layer and is particularly suitable for civil engineering, soil science, agriculture, maintenance of parks, public gardens and sports grounds. Both in civil engineering and in agriculture it is of great importance to be aware of the resistance to penetration. Generally engineering. It is a factor contributing to infrastructure projects. In agriculture the problems. A high level of compaction (the load-bearing capacity of the ground) can inhibit plant root formation and the supply penetration resistance is too low there will be too little load-bearing capacity to take the movement of cattle or the traffic of check the penetration resistance quickly Operating temperature 0-50 C IP 54 (splash proof) 2.9 kg (excl. rod, incl. batteries) kg 58 x 29 x 25 cm Maximum penetration power 1000 N 80 cm 1 cm Civil engineering (road construction and hydraulic engineering) Research into growing conditions in parks, public gardens, tree and plant nurseries, etc. Management of sports terrains. Specifications The penetrologger can store and process up to 500 measurements. As the cone is pressed into the ground the penetrologger carefully records details of the ground up to a depth of 80 cm with an internal ultrasonic sensor. It does this with the use of a depth reference plate. The resistance to penetration is recorded in the internal logger of the penetrologger. The software that is supplied with the penetrologger enables the data to be presented and viewed in graph form or in figures on any PC and to be printed out. Complete set The penetrologger is supplied as a complete set for measurements to a depth of 80 cm. The set comprises the penetrologger, cones, probe rods, a depth reference plate, tool set, battery charger, cable, software and a calibration certificate. The set is packed in an aluminium carrying case. Advantages Advantages of the penetrologger are: Ergonomic design, easy to use, lightweight Water-resistant Large measuring range (0-10 MPa) Accurate (resolution 0.1 KPa) Accurate depth registration Adjustable Flexible and simple software enables fieldwork to be programmed on a computer or the penetrologger itself. Doing the programming of the penetrologger on a computer is fastest. The measuring results can be viewed on the display in graphic form or in table. Automatic calculation of average values and standard deviations. Data can also be stored on the penetrologger for later processing on your computer The logger has substantial storage capacity (500 measurements) The graphics software makes it possible to read out the data straight way, either in graphic form or in table or to print it on a printer or a plotter Available language options: Dutch, English or German The data files can be used in spreadsheet programs for further processing Universal application Low power consumption Good price / quality ratio Built-in clock for date and time recording Scope for programming project planning 5

6 News WTCER finds merit in Diver 6 A story from P.S.P. Soilsearch Equipment (P) Ltd, distributor of Eijkelkamp in India. Mr. P.S. Pal says: It was just another routine sales call that I was making during my visit to Bhubaneswar in India. I secured an appointment with Dr. R.C.Srivastava, Principal Scientist at Water Technology Centre for Eastern Region (WTCER). Upon reaching WTCER I found that an informal meeting was in progress about the equipment needs for a project. Dr. Srivastava, quite politely, offered me a chair and requested me to give him a few minutes Decision Soon I realised that the discussion was about deciding about the most appropriate equipment for continuous recording of run off water level in a field channel during the rainy season. The group ultimately decided that a few water Stage Level Recorders (SLRs) should be procured for the project. At this stage I requested Dr. Srivastava that if he gave me permission to present my point of view I could suggest an instrument that was most appropriate for the project. I then made a presentation on Diver by Van Essen Instruments. Interest Dr. Srivastava along with the others who were present in his room took keen interest in my presentation. However, Dr. Srivastava observed that Diver is a very expensive instrument when compared with a mechanical SLR and that, being an expensive instrument, there was every possibility that it would get stolen or vandalised if left unattended. As a solution to this anticipated problem I suggested that the instrument can be placed in a sealed and perforated concrete chamber and placed at the bottom of the field channel away from the public eye, thus minimising the possibility of vandalism or theft. GEIJKT NIEUWS Expensive? Dr. Srivastava also felt that Diver is too expensive an instrument and cannot be purchased out of the limited funds allocated for the project. To this I clarified that the Diver is marginally more expensive when compared with a mechanical SLR. However Diver needs practically no maintenance and will prove to be less expensive than a SLR, which needs frequent maintenance when exposed to the elements. The clock of a MSLR gets jammed, the paper charts get clogged, and the pens need frequent replacements. If during the project period the recorder malfunctions, valuable data would be lost and the project may flop. Dr. Srivastava and his project group members appreciated the advantages put forward by me in favour of Diver and agreed to try out Diver. Subsequently he procured four units of Diver to meet his project s needs. Experience It is now over two years since that meeting, and Dr. Srivastava is satisfied with the performance of the Divers. The Divers procured by him performed perfectly and he could generate very reliable data for his project. I requested Dr. Srivastava to tell briefly about his project and about his experience with the Divers. Dr. Srivastava: A study was undertaken to measure runoff from a watershed. The runoff is measured by establishing a gauging station where water flows over a crest of a calibrated structure. Normally the structure is a broad crested drop structure. Although V shaped structures are also used in situations where the flow is low. The amount of water flowing over the crest is determined with the depth of the water flowing over the crest. Thus, continuous measurement of water level over the crest is mandatory for hydrologic studies. Mostly a mechanical stage level recorder is used for recording the water level. The mechanism consists of a float connected with the drum and pen system. This type of recorder has always been problematic and invariably the pen gets clogged, or the float is jammed, or the set up is vandalised by rogue elements. The search for an electronic replacement had been for long. The Diver has fulfilled this requirement. This unit was again packed inside a small concrete box with holes to allow water to enter and then placed on the channel bed at a distance of four times expected depth of flow from the structure. This was done to reduce the effect of flow on the water head. The head difference between the crest level and the level recorded by the Diver was measured to get the actual depth of flow over the crest by deducting this difference from head recorded by the Diver. The Diver was programmed for recording data at every minutes. After the flow ceased in the month of December the concrete pack was retrieved from the site. As it was placed on the channel bed under water, it was free from vanadalism. The Diver was taken back to the laboratory and data was retrieved. This data was transferred to Excel and actual depth of flow over the crest was estimated by deducting the difference. It was fine tuned by matching it with manually measured data that were taken from time to time for the purpose of cross checking. This depth was then converted to flow volume and hydrographs for different storms were created. Thus, the required hydrologic data were collected from a remote site without any hassle and fear of vandalism. Result Mr. Pal concludes: Being convinced with the reliable performance of the Diver, Dr. Srivastava has in the recent past procured additional Divers for automatic water level data-logging applications in the various projects undertaken by him.

7 hand auger moment of the auger rod. better body posture pulling the auger out again. Less physical strain while operating a hand auger The operation of augers by field workers when drilling in the soil is widely considered to be work that places considerable stress on the body. With the aim of reducing the physical strain and therefore lessening the chance of back complaints, Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment joined efforts with design company, Bakker & Elkhuizen Ergonomie, and together they developed a new ergonomic soil drilling system. This ergonomic drilling system compares favourably with the traditional soil drill in a number of aspects: The 7 advantages of the ergonomic The ergonomic hand auger set for heterogeneous soils is used to carry out manual drilling and sampling in a great variety of different soils in an ergonomically sound way. It is particularly suitable for general soil investigation (descriptions of the layering, geology, archaeology) as well as taking samples for activities like environmental research. The advantages of the ergonomic hand auger can be summed up as follows: 1. Ratchet system creates more convenient rotary movement and more efficient transfer of force The addition of a ratchet system and rounded ends to the handle makes it easier for the user to apply force in the right direction: only a small amount of rotary motion needs to be gone through to twist in the auger. This creates more efficient transfer of force: more of the force applied is converted into the turning 2. Range of height adjustments for The new soil drilling system has a quick and simple extension facility providing extra lengths of 25/50 cm. This gives you the work posture that suits you best. Drilling should preferably be carried out at a height that is above knee level and below the level of the elbows. Bending forward towards the ground while drilling can cause excessive strain on the back, especially when twisting the auger into the ground but even more so when 3. Square tubing provides increased operator comfort The square tubes are easy to adjust with the use of the stop which also adds to the operator s comfort. The halt knob also makes it possible for the number of turns to be counted that are made while twisting the auger into the soil. 4. Halt knob makes working too low to the ground impossible Drilling too low to the ground should be avoided as much as possible. For this reason a so-called halt knob has been added that acts as a stop. This makes it virtually impossible to drill too low to the ground (lower than 50 cm above the ground) and helps prevent an unfavourable posture and strain on the back. 5. Less force required due to extended handle The T-handle has been extended and its grip points, for applying force on the handle, have changed position with the result that the user needs to apply 40% less force to generate the same moment on the auger rod. 6. Wrist position is less strained due to rounded handle ends The rounded ends of the handles enable the operator to twist the auger with the wrists in a more neutral position. The force on the handle used for pushing and pulling from an ergonomic point of view is best exerted from a neutral wrist position. 7. Smaller rotary movements with the ratchet system This makes it possible to drill close to other objects. Soil drilling can be carried out close to other objects as the ratchet system requires only a very small twist. body height minimum maximum ergonomic most favourergonomic ergonomic work able ergonomic height height range range Table 1: Guidelines for ergonomic drilling 7

8 In memoriam The history of Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment commenced in 1911 when Hendrikus Johannes (Hendrik) Eijkelkamp went into business for himself in Lathum as a self-employed smith. Hendrik s fifth child was Jan and it was he who eventually took over his father s business and built it up to such an extent that the foundation was laid for the international company that Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment is today. 5 December 2003 Even at the age of 74, Jan Eijkelkamp still continued to come into the factory several days a week. After a heart attack in 1996 Jan s health slowly started to deteriorate. On 5 December 2003 Jan Eijkelkamp, founder of Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment and the inventor of the famous Edelman auger which was copied all over the world under the name of Dutch auger, passed away at the age of 85. KIWA Certification for Filter gauze Kiwa assists in the development of people, organisations and the environment through certification, inspection, research and consultancy services. Eijkelkamp has now also gained KIWA Certification for its synthetic Filter gauze for environmental groundwater research. Kiwa Acknowledgement of quality leads to recognition of quality. Kiwa Certification and Inspection is a complete quality care service that assists (inter)national clients throughout the entire certification process. Filter gauze On the basis of tests as well as regular checks performed by Kiwa are considered to be compliant with the Kiwa assessment guideline K562/01 Synthetic filter gauze for environmental groundwater research. Other certified Eijkelkamp products: monitoring wells disposable filter (ETU) tubes (ETU) C OLOPHON 8 GEIJKT NIEUWS Geijkt News is published by Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment. Nijverheidsstraat 30, 6987 EM GIESBEEK, The Netherlands T F E info@eijkelkamp.com Editorial address: Eijkelkamp Agrisearch Equipment. Postbus 4, 6987 ZG GIESBEEK, The Netherlands Editor: Laura van der Lecq Printer: Drukkerij Hooiberg, Epe Topics in 2004: Geijkt Nieuws : Soil (April) Geijkt Nieuws 16: Measuring & Monitoring (June) Geijkt Nieuws 17: Water (September) Geijkt Nieuws 18: Sediment & Erosion (December) All previous copies of Geijkt News can be downloaded from. Go to Newsletter, then News.