Acquisition of mechanical testing instrumentation in support of research on the electrical geophysical properties of soils
Abstract
Statement of Scientific Objectives Instrumentation to measure soil consolidation and strength/failure parameters will be purchased to support graduate student led research in earth materials and processes recently funded through the ARO Research and Education Program (REP). Methods to be Employed Two pieces of information are requested: [1] a triaxial load frame with manual control panel and pneumatic pressure controller; [2] an automated soil consolidation system. A triaxial shear test is the most common method to measure the mechanical properties of many deformable solids, especially soil (e.g., sand, clay) and rock (as well as other granular materials or powders). Custom-built accessories are also requested to interface state-of-the-art electrical geophysical instrumentation with the triaxial load frame and the consolidation system. Significance of the Proposed Effort to the Advancement of Scientific Knowledge The instrumentation will expand the capabilities of the Near Surface Geophysics (NSG) research laboratory at Rutgers University Newark (RUN) to include soil strength/failure testing according to ASTM standards. A new ARO REP award to RUN provides opportunities for two full-time graduate students to pursue research on the relationship between electrical geophysical properties of soils/ rocks and changing properties of the pore space during compaction and failure over a three-year period. The requested instrumentation (that could not be included in the REP proposal) will dramatically enhance the quality of the ARO-funded research performed at RUN by allowing a direct measurement of strength/failure parameters for correlation against electrical geophysical signals. The research aims to determine how remote assessment of soil geotechnical properties can be advanced from broadband low frequency complex electrical measurements. The requested instrumentation will permit high quality, automated measurements of consolidation and strength/failure parameters on a wide range of unconsolidated sediment and rock types of relevance to ARO.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 11, 2019
- Source ID
- W911NF1910134
Entities
People
- Lee D. Slater
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Rutgers University
- United States Army