## 1 Introduction
[9] attempted characterization of a landfill to estimate the spatial and vertical extents of the converted site. They tested the applicability of different methods ranging from EM (electromagnetic), to magnetic, to electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) methods, among others, and found out that the ERT was efficient in evaluating the moisture content of the waste in the landfill. In a study conducted by [10], they also attempted the assessment of soil compactness from geophysical datasets and obtained promising results from the use of the approach. Similarly, [11] used the common-offset technique of the GPR (ground-penetrating radar) for soil water contents to ascertain the performance of the empirical petrophysical relationships documented in the literature. Laboratory-scale dynamic hydrologic events assessment in the unsaturated zone using a sand tank was evaluated from the time-lapse multi-offset GPR dataset [12]. Furthermore, the review of [13], on the versatility of GPR, particularly in the area of its application to soil water content evaluation, gave further courage to the choice of the approach in this study. Moreover, [PERSON] et al. [14] reported the applicability of GPR as a technique for providing valuable information about the spatial variability of soil within-field properties such as state variables that are relevant to precision agriculture. Reviews by [15; 16] have shown the versatility of the GPR techniques in subsurface media characterizations, particularly in the near-surface that hosts the emplacement of the soil. They submitted that the non-invasiveness of the GPR method has allowed the possibility of sensing soil layers and the process of soil water content evaluation, as well as delineating the root mass of plants. Evaluation of soil bulk density from tillage operations using the GPR data was documented in the work of [17]. [PERSON] et al. [18] concluded in their research that soil texture influenced shallow soil water content. According to [19; 20; 21], the characteristics of the environment of EM waves influence the shape and magnitude of the amplitude of the transmitted pulse. Thus, the signature of the GPR signal may reflect the nature of propagating media. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [22] stated in their report that the relative permittivity of soil is linearly related to its porosity and compaction. The chosen geophysical method, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), utilizes electromagnetic (EM) pulse energy via antennae sensors, which enhances continuous data sampling, hence promoting spatial scanning in field measurement. Soil is made of solid matrix phase, pore spaces, and liquid phase. The volumes of phases of the earth materials (soil inclusive) greatly influence its electrical properties (conductivity and dielectric constant) [23]. This is because water has a high dielectric constant of about 81 [24], and the solid matrix of earth materials dielectric is between 3 and 30 [24]. This connection between components of earth materials and the electrical properties on which the principle of GPR is based suggests the applicability of the method and was thus put to test in this study. It is envisaged that the signal responses of the transmitted GPR pulse may give insight into the difference in the energy level of the water-holding capacity of soil at the vadose zones. The expectation is that the results will provide a better understanding of the water-holding capacity in the unsaturated zone, and the water movement direction can also be ascertained to a certain extent. This information can be very useful in the soil layer characterization and proper planning by agricultrists, particularly in the area of irrigation and some other engineering applications. Thus, the study outcomes may be a significant leverage to soil assessment and provide meaningful guides to soil utilization, management, and preservation.