Monitoring of dynamic compaction by deceleration measurements

Abstract

A method of estimating the degree and depth of improvement in the dynamic compaction of loose granular soil by matching the computed decelerations of the pounder from a numerical model to the measured decelerations is presented. This method uses a simple one-dimensional wave equation model in which the soil beneath the pounder is represented by an elastic laterally confined soil column while the surrounding soil is represented by a series of springs and dashpots. The spring simulates the dynamic soil stiffness while the dashpot accounts for the radiation damping effect. Despite the simplifying assumptions in the model, the computed results for the degree and depth of improvement show an encouraging measure of agreement with available data from a laboratory test and field measurements from a dynamic compaction site. The proposed method is potentially useful for the monitoring of dynamic compaction of loose granular soil. And like any new technique, further verifications of the approach are necessary to develop it into a reliable method. © 1991.