Infiltration/Permeability Devices come in different forms and measure slightly different things.
We have three different types:
The Amoozemeter which has become a standard way of measuring flow in soils and has been used in many studies (eg. Price and others, 2010). A Youtube video shows how to use this device. Instructions are:
The Smith Sorptimeter which is a simple yet effective way of measuring infiltration properties in soils and is related to the work of Roger Smith (1999). A how-to manual and datasheets are included here:
Sorptimeter Materials and Instructions
The mini disk infiltrometer which has not been widely used, but uses a small amount of water and allows water to be applied at a slight negative pressure (vacuum). This mini disk method is great for looking at water repellent or burned soils, or studies where you want to exclude large pores. The instructions and datasheets are included here:
Tension Infiltrometer Materials and Instructions
These devices can be used to answer the following types of questions.