Why Is It Important To Check Bearing Capacity and Compaction Quality of Soils
Posted by Frank Georg Schulz on June 23rd, 2015
The bearing capacity and compaction quality of the soil must always be determined before anything is constructed on it. This way, you can tell if the soil is in the right condition to support loads that will be applied to it. Measuring the bearing capacity and compaction quality of soils is an important part of all construction projects, including road construction, railway track construction, power line installation, and landscaping. Engineers can determine whether the ground is stable and safe before building anything on it by determining the bearing capacity of soils..
There are different conventional ways to test the bearing capacity of soils, and using a light weight deflectometer is one of them. The device provides a faster, more convenient, and accurate way to determine the compaction quality and bearing capacity of soils. Light weight deflectometers are the portable versions of the falling weight deflectometer. They are designed to test soil compaction and determine the quality of the non-cohesive sub-bases of the ground.
You will appreciate light weight deflectometers for their portability. They can provide accurate results, even without reference measurements, and they can easily be taken to hard-to-reach places (like ditches and backfills). An LWD tests soil compaction based on the American Standard Test Method E2835-11, which measures deflections with portable impulse plate load test equipment. Light weight deflectometers must comply with this standard and other international regulations, like the Chinese TB 10102-2004, J338-2004 and German ZTV E-StB 09.
ASTM standards apply when testing the quality control of the soil compaction. A light weight deflectometer will ensure that the compaction quality of the soil is tested safely and correctly. LWDs do not require a vehicle and has advanced technologies like Bluetooth and GPS for easier ways to acquire accurate data.
You can assess the theoretical and allowable soil bearing capacity to determine shallow and deep foundations. In shallow foundations, a light weight deflectometer can check the square, strip, and circular footings, and it can determine both the end bearing and skin friction in deep foundations. The device can provide the results on compaction control in two minutes on the spot, so you do not have to wait for lab results and delay your project. High-quality LWDs have a robust housing, a screen for viewing the data, and a built-in printer for an immediate printout of results. If you require a soft copy of the data, you can transfer the results to your PC from a USB flash drive.
About The Author:
TERRATEST GmbH is world leader in development and manufacturing of Light Weight Deflectometers for dynamic load plate test. They offer the world’s first light weight deflectometer “TERRATEST 5000 BLU” with Bluetooth and voice navigation. For more information about their products visit their website!
