High-Amplitude Mobile Vibrator for Exciting Body and Surface Waves in Soil, Pavement And Structural Systems

Abstract

A servo-hydraulic vibrator mounted on a transport vehicle was purchased from Teledyne Exploration, Corp. of Houston, TX. The vibrator was modified by Heaviquip, Inc. of Newkirk, OK to improve its performance in the low frequency range, 0.5 to 10 Hz. The resulting system has: 1) a gross vehicle weight of approximately 44,000 lb; 2) a useable frequency range of about 0.5 to 250 Hz; and 3) a peak vertical force (estimated) of about 34,500 lb at frequencies above 5 Hz. The general function of the vibrator is the application of vertical steady-state, multiple-pulse or swept-sine loads to surface or embedded platens in geotechnical, pavement and structural systems. This equipment will form a key component in conducting field studies involving wave propagation in geotechnical materials to investigate: 1) the effect of stress state on the velocity of small-strain body waves; 2) nonlinear body wave propagation; and 3) the dispersive characteristics of surface waves. Keywords: Mechanical vibrators; Pulse generators; Field instrumentation; Seismic source; Mobile vibratory system; Servo-hydraulic vibrator; Field seismic testing; Surface seismic waves; body seismic waves.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 12, 1989
Accession Number
ADA210130

Entities

People

  • Kenneth H. Stokoe Ii

Organizations

  • University of Texas at Austin

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Classification
  • Data Acquisition
  • Frequency
  • Geophones
  • Instrumentation
  • Materials
  • Oklahoma
  • Pavements
  • Security
  • Steady State
  • Surface Waves
  • Transport Ships
  • United States
  • Wave Propagation
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Acoustics.
  • Geotechnical Engineering.
  • Marine Hydrodynamics