Estimation of Soil Permeability Using an Acoustic Technique
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 134, Issue 12
Abstract
A new method of estimating the permeability of soils using an acoustic technique is proposed in this technical note. Biot’s coupled theory of mixtures from the mid-1950s, which addresses the relationship between the permeability of saturated soils and the characteristic frequency of elastic waves, is used. The characteristic frequency is determined from the attenuation versus frequency curves obtained by acoustic sweep tests. This study presents the experimental technique for measuring the characteristic frequency of soils and calculation procedure for estimating the permeability of sandy soils. This technical note holds discussion for silty or clayey soils.
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Acknowledgments
The writers express their appreciation to Baytech Korea for the financial support. The writers are also indebted to Dr. C. Hickey of National Center of Physical Acoustics in The University of Mississippi, Dr. J. C. Santamarina of Georgia Institute of Technology and Dr. J. S. Lee of Korea University for providing their valuable technical advice.
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© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 5, 2007
Accepted: Feb 7, 2008
Published online: Dec 1, 2008
Published in print: Dec 2008
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