Traditional compaction and soil
quality control methods can be costly over time. In addition to price
considerations, they can also require significant time investment during field
testing, as well as extensive training when it comes to operation and safety. Older
devices that engineers and designers used to test and monitor compaction would
only measure one of two things: modulus (stiffness) or density. Newer devices,
such as portable light weight deflectometers can measure both and more.
The stiffness or modulus of a
soil or pavement is a qualitative term that indicates the surface's general
resistance to deformation. Modulus is interchangeable with a soil's elastic modulus,
resilient modulus, and modulus of subgrade reaction as it determines
displacements of and strains to the subgrade as the load is introduced. Also
during construction, great emphasis is placed on meeting a specified dry
density for the compacted fill. Water content and dry density measurements are
convenient control parameters for engineering properties. This is why it is
important to have instruments that allow for accurate measurement of these values
so as to ensure efficient quality assurance.
The many benefits
of using portable light weight deflectometers for quality control in
construction projects include:
- Relatively more manageable initial cost
- Easy operation by even inexperienced operators (no extensive training required)
- Fast and easy set-up (without calibration and manual set-ups)
- Portability and applicability when it comes to testing otherwise impossible to reach surfaces with traditional devices/methods
- Data integration
Portable light weight
deflectometers have the capability to measure density and the stiffness modulus
of different types of soils and subgrades. They allow for the same accurate
results as other mechanistically based methods and techniques so you can select
the appropriate type of construction or rehabilitation method to be implemented
on any given pavement, based on considerable economic significance.
