Using time domain reflectometry in triaxial testing

2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 1325-1331
Author(s):  
J LH Grozic ◽  
M E Lefebvre ◽  
P K Robertson ◽  
N R Morgenstern
Keyword(s):  
Cyclic Loading ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Void Ratio ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Volumetric Water Content ◽  
Degree Of Saturation ◽  
Triaxial Testing ◽  
Empirical Correlations ◽  
Static And Cyclic Loading

Time domain reflectometry (TDR) can be used to determine the volumetric water content of soils. This note describes the utilization of a TDR miniprobe in triaxial testing. The TDR performance was examined with a series of tests that not only proved its reliability but also resulted in two empirical correlations. Using these correlations, the degree of saturation and volumetric water content during triaxial testing could be determined. The TDR was then put to use in a laboratory program designed to investigate the response of loose gassy sand under static and cyclic loading. Because of the TDR measurements it was possible to determine the degree of saturation and void ratio of the gassy specimens. The TDR miniprobe proved to be accurate, simple to use, and inexpensive to build.Key words: time domain reflectometry, TDR, triaxial testing, gassy, unsaturated.

scholarly journals Measurement of Volumetric Water Content by Gravimetric and Time Domain Reflectometry Methods at Field Experiment with Biochar and N Fertilizer

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Toková ◽  
Dušan Igaz ◽  
Elena Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Soil Property ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Volumetric Water Content ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Indirect Methods

Abstract There are many methods used for soil water content measurement which we can divide into direct gravimetric methods from using soil samples or indirect methods that are based on the measurement of another soil property which is dependent on soil moisture. The paper presents the findings of volumetric water content measurements with gravimetric and time domain reflectometry (TDR) methods. We focused on four variants in the field experiment in Dolná Malanta (Slovakia): control variant (B0+N0), variant with biochar at dose 20 t.ha−1 without N fertilizer (B20+N0), variant with biochar 20 t.ha−1 and N fertilizer 160 kg.ha−1 (B20+N160) and variant with biochar 20 t.ha−1 and N fertilizer 240 kg.ha−1 (B20+N240). TDR is nowadays a well-established dielectric technique to measure volumetric water content; however, its accuracy is influenced by high concentration of salts in soil. In this paper, we evaluated the effect of added N fertilizer on the measuring accuracy of HydroSense II device that is operating under the TDR principle.

Time-domain reflectometry measurements and soil-water characteristic curves of coarse granular materials used in road pavements

2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (7) ◽  
pp. 858-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Ekblad ◽  
Ulf Isacsson
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Granular Materials ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Characteristic Curve ◽  
Road Construction ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Volumetric Water Content ◽  
Characteristic Curves ◽  
Soil Water Characteristic Curves

Coarse granular materials are used extensively in road construction. Bearing capacity can be affected by the water content in the layers of these materials. The ability to estimate water content and to infer water movements is therefore important. The purpose of the work described herein was to determine soil-water characteristic curves and the relationship between relative apparent permittivity and volumetric water content for coarse (maximum particle size 90 mm) granular materials having various gradations. The relative apparent permittivity was measured with the aid of time-domain reflectometry (TDR), and the concurrent matric suction was measured with a tensiometer. Samples were prepared in a steel box and were heavily compacted, and TDR probes and a tensiometer cup were buried within the matrix. The variation in volumetric water content with apparent relative permittivity was found to deviate from the Topp et al. relationship. Soil-water characteristic curves were described using the Brooks–Corey and van Genuchten models. A pronounced hysteresis between wetting and drying paths was observed. For the low water retention coarse materials, measurements of water content might, in general, require correction because of the nonlinear distribution of water in the sample.Key words: pavement, time-domain reflectometry, soil-water characteristic curve, granular material.

Determining Moisture Content of Soil Layers with Time Domain Reflectometry and Micromechanics

2008 ◽  
Vol 2053 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sang Ick Lee ◽  
Dan G. Zollinger ◽  
Robert L. Lytton
Keyword(s):  
Dielectric Constant ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Volumetric Water Content ◽  
Dry Density

Although the moisture condition of pavement sublayers can significantly affect pavement performance, accurate interpretation of in situ soil moisture measurements has been difficult to achieve because of the limitations of existing methods. Time domain reflectometry (TDR), originally developed to detect breaks or shorts in electrical conductors, has been used for measuring parameters related to the in situ soil moisture content. However, the apparent length method currently used to determine dielectric constant ignores other electrical properties of the conducting medium that may affect the interpretation of TDR trace to determine soil moisture. Furthermore, the existing methods for computing volumetric water content ignore the variations of dry density and determine the model parameters with assumption or regression analysis. These deficiencies can, in many cases, create a significant systematic error in the final determination of volumetric water content. To minimize these errors and improve the accuracy of moisture content estimate, a new three-step approach was proposed. The approach uses the transmission line equation to calculate the dielectric constant, conductivity, and reflectivity of a soil mixture. A micromechanics and self-consistent scheme was used to determine the volumetric moisture content and dry density on the basis of calibrated values of the solid and water dielectric constants. The system identification method was used iteratively to solve for dielectric parameters, soil moisture content, and dry density values. The validation of the new approach with ground-truth data indicated that the calculated errors were significantly less than those of existing method.

scholarly journals Application of time domain reflectometry to determination of volumetric water content in rock

1998 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 2623-2631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshihiro Sakaki ◽  
Kozo Sugihara ◽  
Tetsuya Adachi ◽  
Kaoru Nishida ◽  
Wei-ren Lin
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Volumetric Water Content

THE MEASUREMENT OF SOIL WATER CONTENT USING A PORTABLE TDR HAND PROBE

1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. C. TOPP ◽  
W. D. ZEBCHUK ◽  
J. L. DAVIS ◽  
W. G. BAILEY
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Transmission Lines ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Surface Soil ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Volumetric Water Content ◽  
Separate Experiment ◽  
Parallel Transmission ◽  
The Time Domain

The time-domain reflectrometry (TDR) technique had previously been shown to measure the volumetric water content of soil accurately when applied to long-term installations of parallel transmission lines. In this study a hand probe was used with a portable TDR instrument to measure water content of soil down the wall of soils pits to a depth greater than 1 m. In a separate experiment the water content of the surface soil at two sites was measured repeatedly in increasing depth increments of 50 mm to 300 mm. The TDR measured values were compared with values obtained by a gravimetric determination on a sample of soil. The TDR gave values that were calculated at the time of measurement in the field. TDR measured values were as accurate and precise as those from gravimetric samples. Key words: Volumetric water content, soil, time domain reflectometry

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