Health monitoring during vibratory compaction of soil

Vibratory compaction is a proven and commonly adopted densification technique applicable for a wide variety of soil types and compositions. There is a clear need to develop performance-based intelligent vibratory soil compaction techniques wherein the state of the soil is determined during compaction (i.e., health monitoring, continuous quality control). The application of vibration-based structural health monitoring strategies utilized in damage detection applications to the problem of soil compaction appears promising. A vibratory compactor (plate or drum) operating on a soil mass constitutes a coupled dynamic system. As the soil densifies and its mechanical properties change, the dynamic response of the compactor will change. This paper examines the changes in dynamic response of a vibratory plate during compaction. The analysis of vibration data taken from sensors on the plate and embedded within the soil reveals clear changes in both amplitude and frequency components that provide insight into the evolving nonlinear response of the system.