Abstract
The sand-cone method is commonly used to measure the in situ density of compacted soils. While determining field density with this method, differences in the sand-filling process between the test hole and the calibration container can cause errors. The differences can result from various in situ conditions such as the shape and size of the test hole and the moisture conditions of the filling sand and test ground. Temporary rainfall can increase the moisture content of both in situ soils and filling sand. This study examined the effect of wetting conditions on the accuracy of the sand-cone method in a laboratory. Compacted soils with different water contents (2–16%) were prepared in a small circular container in the laboratory, and the sand-filling process was simulated for cylindrical, conical, and roof-shaped test holes with depths of 10 and 15 cm. As the water content of the compacted soils increased, the sand-cone method underestimated the volume of sand accumulated in the test holes by up to 20%, resulting in the calculated density being overestimated by an identical amount. Slightly moist sand was poured into artificial test holes. When the water content of the filling sand was below 1%, no significant error was observed in the calculated volume.
Highlights
Various field-density testing methods have been developed to determine the in situ density of compacted soils
The unit weight of soil increased until the moisture content reached the optimum moisture content (OMC)
InInthis thisstudy, study,the theeffect effectofofwetting wettingconditions conditionson onthe thedetermination determinationofofthe thedensity densityofof compacted soil with the sand-cone method was investigated for a moist ground and compacted soil with the sand-cone method was investigated for a moist ground andmoist moist filling fillingsand
Summary
Various field-density testing methods have been developed to determine the in situ density of compacted soils. They include the sand-cone, rubber-balloon, and nuclear methods. Park [2] showed that errors in the sand-cone method could be minimized by preparing a test hole with a flat base and a depth of at least 20 cm, as well as by using rounded sand with a coefficient of uniformity (Cu) of less than 1.5 and mean grain size (D50 ) of approximately 0.5 mm. This study examined the effects of wetof the ground and theground moist filling sand on the drysand density, as determined the sandting conditions of the and the moist filling on the dry density,using as determined cone method in a laboratory.
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