Learn / Case Studies & Data
Measured, not just claimed.
Independent labs, universities, and real field sites have tested SoilTech for two decades. Here’s what they found.
Headline results
Four numbers worth knowing.
18%
Bulk density reduction
ISTRC golf course core, 90 days after one application
6×
Water infiltration rate
0.02 → 0.12 in/hr, same treated core
43%
Compaction reduction at 3″
222 customer lawns, 8 weeks after treatment
2×
Sodium extracted from soil
175 vs. 85.6 mg Na/L vs. untreated control
The studies
Where those numbers come from.
ISTRC field trial — Belmar Golf Club, Norman, OK (2005)
Soil cores were pulled from a red clay fairway before treatment and again 90 days after a single SoilTech application, then sent to the International Sports Turf Research Center — an independent lab that tests thousands of golf courses. Bulk density dropped from 1.64 to 1.34 g/cc, infiltration rose 6× (0.02 to 0.12 in/hr), total porosity climbed from 35% to 47%, and root depth doubled from a quarter inch to a half inch.
Iowa State University — soil aggregation study
A greenhouse trial by Dr. D.D. Minner at Iowa State measured aggregate stability across soil types and application rates. On Iowa topsoil with grass, mean weight diameter of stable aggregates rose from 0.62 to 1.09 with a 2% SoilTech treatment — a statistically significant increase in the stable fraction of soil aggregates.
Red Earth Laboratory — infiltration & bulk density
On a high-clay residential lot (77% clay), SoilTech-treated plots showed a 7% reduction in bulk density by day 40, a statistically significant change the untreated controls didn’t match. Water infiltration on treated plots increased more than 1,000% from its starting point over the same period.
Aggregate stability — Chandler clay
When Oklahoma Chandler clay was treated and then agitated underwater on sieves, the share of stable aggregates larger than 0.25 mm rose from 0% untreated to 63% at a 2% treatment — and up to 86% at higher rates. The test confirmed the aggregates SoilTech forms are stable, not just temporary clumping.
222-site compaction study — Oklahoma lawn care fleet
A large lawn care company measured penetration resistance on 222 randomly selected customer lawns, before and 8 weeks after a single standard-rate application. Compaction fell an average of 43% at 3 inches and 29% at 6 inches — and the more compacted the soil started, the bigger the improvement.
Water evaporation & conservation
In a 15-day greenhouse evaporation test, treated Chandler clay lost 59% less water than untreated soil, and sandy loam 62% less. In the field, Arrowhead Sports Complex in Broken Arrow, OK reported a 67% reduction in water use within 60 days of application.
Sodium & salt extraction
An independent lab test on salt-affected west Texas soil found SoilTech-treated samples released roughly twice the sodium of untreated controls (175 vs. 85.6 mg Na/L), a statistically significant result — the basis for its use on saline and sodic remediation sites.
Soil respiration
Across three soil types and every moisture level tested, treated soil showed higher respiration rates — a direct indicator that more oxygen was reaching roots and microbes, supporting the claim that SoilTech aerates soil.
Every study summarized here is available in full on the Technical Downloads page, including the original lab reports and core photos.