United States Department of Transportation
i
Evaluation of a mechanical stiffness gauge for compaction control of granular media.
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2001-12-01
[PDF-6.90 MB]
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Abstract:The use of nuclear methods for compaction control is increasingly problematic for state highway agencies. Regulatory and safety issues have prompted agencies such as the New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department to look for non-nuclear alternatives for compaction control. This report describes the evaluation of one such commercially available device known as the GeoGauge. The GeoGauge measures soil stiffness, arguably, a much more viable engineering parameter than the moisture-density relations currently used. The GeoGauge was found to measure soil stiffness as advertised. Results relating moisture, density, and stiffness were found to be consistent with earlier research on compaction and mechanical strength of soils. However, because of the dynamic nature of the measurement obtained via the GeoGauge and associated boundary constraints, the ability to obtain a target value for stiffness in the laboratory has proved to be elusive. Because of the promising nature of the GeoGauge technology, and because it measures a true engineering mechanical property, a paradigm shift may be necessary for implementation for field compaction control. Future specifications for compaction using this technology may require specific controls of moisture and requirements concerning compaction equipment with stiffness monitoring, via the GeoGauge.
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