Rapid Determination of Field Density and Moisture Content

The broad objective of this proposal is to develop an apparatus that is capable of measuring the in-situ density and moisture content of pavement bases, embankments, and other construction sites. The PI's propose an approach based on combined measurementtechniques that include time domain reflectometry, P-wave propagation, and in-situ saturation process. Phase I includes evaluation of the proposed methodology and the most appropriate technology to measure such properties. The research team envisionsthat the proposed approach will yield robust and accurate assessment of field density and moisture content. The proposed research has wide range of applications. The field density and moisture content measurements are required as a quality control/quality assurance criterion in highway construction, construction of earth dams, and other earthwork projects. This research will lead to the development of a new field density/moisture content apparatus/gauge that has a major impact on the civil andconstruction engineering areas. Providing accurate and robust measurements results combined with no regulatory/safety restrictions will result in reducing labor time to conduct the field measurements, which means huge savings for the army and theconstruction engineering industry.