Characteristics of the Induration of Tephra-Derived Soils in Kyushu, Japan : (3) Properties and Typology of Five Indurated Soils

Abstract The physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties as well as the micromorphology of five indurated volcanic ash soils in Kyushu, Japan were investigated. The indurated soils were divided into two types based on the physical and chemical properties. Type 1 was not indurated in its moist state, but shrank and became very hard by air-drying. Type 1 included the buried volcanic ash soils whose physical and chemical properties were similar to those of other buried volcanic ash soils except for the property of induration by air-drying. The mechanism of the induration is still unknown, although it is considered to have occurred during the long period after the deposition of tephra under the influence of soil formation processes. Type 2 included the tephra layers that were indurated in both moist and air-dried states. The carbon and clay contents of type 2 were remarkably lower than those of type 1. Type 2 had not been affected by the soil formation process but had undergone induration soon after the ...