Evaluating Compaction of Tropical Soils Using Soil Stiffness

摘要

Instantaneous results for compaction control can be obtained using the nuclear gage. The Humboldt GeoGauge~(TM) is a relatively new and promising instrument that is portable, that also provides instantaneous results and that does not require handling of radioactive materials. Unlike the nuclear gage, which yields the soil unit weight and water content, the GeoGauge~(TM) yields soil stiffness corresponding to very low strains. For compacted partly saturated soils, the dry unit weight can be related to stiffness and water content. This relationship is derived herein. Using this relationship, measured values of stiffness and water content can then be used to predict the dry unit weight in the field. Predicted and measured values of dry unit weight are compared for a tropical soil in Hawaii.