MRPG: Geotechnical Parameters of Soil Using Electrical Sensor Technology

本研究的主要目的是开发一个概念验证的应用电传感器技术在岩土工程。这项工作的重点将是一个全面的文献综述和试点实验室实验。将使用简单的电传感器来获得土壤样本的内部土壤特性。这些属性将使用从空间电阻率测量开发的三维断层图像进行图形评估。在使用非常简单的传感器建立该技术的概念验证后，将研究更复杂的电气传感器是否适用于岩土工程应用。这项研究将被用来发展一个基本的理解和调查可能存在的独特的关系，土壤的电性能和工程行为之间。本研究将建立电传感器的应用和局限性的基准参考，随后可以从该基准参考推断出其他实验室和现场应用。预计电传感器将提供一种有效的手段，用于获取与土体的岩土性质和预期工程行为有关的广泛的质量数据，无论质量是单独的实验室样本还是较大的原位介质。电传感器通常用于岩土工程和土壤物理学中，用于场地表征和土壤样品的一些宏观尺度表征（即体积孔隙度，饱和度和密度）。然而，只有少数研究人员已经使用电阻率用于土壤的微尺度表征以研究异质性效应（McCarter和Desmazes，1997; Abu-Hassanein等人，1996年）。此外，大部分的研究属于评价水力流动行为。这项研究将进一步调查利用层析成像的异质性影响，并将扩大电土壤传感器的知识库，包括强度和变形行为的土壤。本研究的特别重点是对影响土壤电特性及其测量的因素进行实验研究，并将这些因素与行为反应联系起来。

The primary objective of this research is to develop a proof-of-concept for the application of electrical sensor technology in geotechnical engineering. The focus of this work will be a comprehensive literature review and pilot laboratory experimentation. Simple electrical sensors will be used to obtain the internal soil properties of a soil specimen. These properties will be evaluated graphically using a three-dimensional tomographic image developed from spatial electrical resistivity measurements. Upon establishing the proof-of-concept for this technology using very simple sensors, more sophisticated electrical sensors will be investigated with regards to suitability for geotechnical applications. This research will be used to develop a fundamental understanding and investigate possible unique relationships that exist between electrical properties of soils and engineering behavior. The research will establish a base-line reference of applications and limitations of electrical sensors, from which additional laboratory and in situ applications can later be extrapolated.It is anticipated that electrical sensors will provide an efficient means of acquiring a broad spectrum of quality data as pertaining to the geotechnical properties and the expected engineering behavior of a soil mass, whether the mass is an individual laboratory specimen or the larger in situ media. Electrical sensors are routinely used in geotechnical engineering and geophysics for site characterization and some macro-scale characterization of soil samples (i.e. bulk porosity, degree of saturation, and density). However, only a few researchers have used electrical resitivity for micro-scale characterization of soil to investigated heterogeneity effects (McCarter and Desmazes, 1997; Abu-Hassanein et al., 1996). In addition, most of this research pertains to evaluating hydraulic flow behavior. This research will further investigate heterogeneity effects by using tomography and will expand the electrical soil sensor knowledge base to include strength and deformation behavior of soils. The particular emphasis of this research is to perform an experimental study on the factors that affect the electrical properties of soils and their measurements and relate those factors to behavioral responses.