Real-Time Determination Of Soil Type, Water Content, and Density Using Electromagnetics

Abstract

Prepared in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration. AbstractThe primary objective of this study was to explore the potential use of electromagnetic characteristics of soils using the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technique to identify physical properties of soils. Three fundamental studies in this exploration are the frequencydependent electromagnetic properties of soils, the wave propagation in a TDR system, and the inverse analyses of TDR waveforms. The three-phase model for soils was extended to a four-phase model so as to account for the interface effect and hence the soil fineness. The physical parameters of the four-phase model are related to the frequency-dependent dielectric permitivity of the soil through a semiempirical volumetric mixing model. A spectral analysis method was developed to simulate wave propagation in the TDR system in a realistic way. Inverse analysis based on the material model and the wave propagation model was formulated using Bayesian statistics to calibrate the TDR system and to infer material properties from the measured TDR waveform. A TDR probe system was used to measure the dielectric properties of soils in a compaction mold and in the field. An experimental program was carried out to make TDR measurements of 5 different soils with different water contents and densities. The result of the inverse analysis matched the TDR waveform very well and determined the dielectric spectrum of soils. With the ability to measure the dielectric spectrum of soils, the apparent dielectric constant at a particular frequency can be calculated. Results showed that the apparent dielectric constant at 1 GHz gave much better correlation with soil water content and density than the apparent dielectric constant obtained by measuring the time between reflections from the soil surface and the one from the end of the probe. Additional work was done to assess the effects of temperature of the soil on measured dielectric constant and it showed that temperature effects were relatively small and could be accounted for in a systematic way. The use of the method for soils having large particle sizes was examined and it was found that the method was applicable for particle sizes passing the 19 mm (3/4-in.) sieve as long as the percentage of particles in the larger size range was limited. Finally, the method was examined for use with stabilizing additives for soil. While test results were obtained modified soils, the measured apparent dielectric constant changed with time after compaction whereas the water content by oven drying did not change appreciably. It is conjectured that changes in apparent dielectric constant are sensitive to the hydration caused by these additives. Thus, the use of the TDR method can be a tool to monitor changes in soils containing additives. Detailed study of this phenomenon is continuing. Key WordsTime Domain Reflectometry, electromagnetic wave propagation, soils, gravels, sands, silts, clays, water content, compaction, density, ...

Performance of Nonnuclear Devices for In Situ Moisture and Density Determination

“…The relationship between frequency and electrical permittivity of soil is limited by the Maxwell-Wagner relaxation effect, which relates a qualitative representation of dielectric properties of wet soils as a function of frequency (Drnevich et al, 2001). The SDG operates over a range from 300 kHz to 40 MHz and within that range the Maxwell-Wagner effect is used with an empirically-derived soil dielectric mixing equation to develop a soil model.…”

“…The M+DI calculates dry unit weight and water content of the soil by measuring apparent dielectric constant (K a ) and bulk electrical conductivity (EC b ) and correlating electrical measures to soil properties via regression analysis. The theory of operation for this device was presented by Drnevich, et al, (2001). K a represents the real part of the frequencydependent dielectric permittivity using apparent length (L a ), and length of the probe (L p ), and is calculated by using Equation 1…”

Physical characterisation of soils recovered from the ANZAC battlefield

“…Such nonengineering applications include for instance archaeological studies (Davis and Annan 1989;Sternberg and McGill 1995;Loewer, Wagner, and Igel 2013;Khakiev et al 2014). The dielectric properties of soil (influenced by soil water content, salinity, density and mineralogy) and the operational frequency of geophysical surveys play a crucial role in electromagnetic (EM) wave-based geophysical investigations, such as ground-penetrating radar (GPR), EM prospections, and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) (Topp, Davis, and Annan 1980;Roth et al 1990;Drnevich et al 2001;Liu and Mitchell 2009;Lauer et al 2010;Wagner et al 2011;Schön 2015). Hence, having information (and building a database) about the dielectric properties of soils over a range of water contents and frequencies may aid future geophysical investigations and modelling.…”

Study on Relationship between Dielectric Constant and Water Content of Rock-Soil Mixture by Time Domain Reflectometry

“…Researchers have established many models relating electromagnetic parameters and soil water content, including the polynomial empirical equation, the linear model relating volumetric water content to dielectric constant, and the equations relating electromagnetic parameters to gravimetric water content and dry density [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. The experimental data sources of the equations, however, come mainly from soil material and municipal solid waste (MSW).…”