Electrical density gauge (EDG) for quick quality control approach in soil compaction

Abstract

Soil compaction can be a main civil work as during construction, soil is compacted layer by layer and the quality of each layer is controlled by a ratio between its dry density and the maximum value obtained from a Proctor test. A very common conventional method of this measurement is sand cone or rubber balloon method, and of course it can be a constraint for a rapid project. Recently, a complex impedance measuring instrument (CIMI) method, commonly known as electrical density gauge (EDG) is introduced in Indonesia as it is uncommonly used. It is a quick method to control the compaction quality simply by giving a DC electric current through a particular soil layer, and the result is obtained immediately within a few minutes. EDG must be calibrated by generating a soil model, simply by inputting a series of physical-electrical properties of a soil. After Calibration, physical properties of soil in the field can be predicted simply by giving electric current on it. The aim of this study is to investigate the performance of EDG. Soils with different moisture content were compacted with different energy into 40 cm in diameter and 30 cm in height of concrete molds as modification of Proctor mold. Tests have been conducted to compare the result from EDG and sand cone methods. The results indicate that the EDG demonstrates excellent performance in measuring soil moisture content and density, signifying the significant potential of this tool to enhance efficiency and accuracy in quality control for construction projects.