TECHNICAL NOTES
Dec 1, 2008

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.

References

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Published In

Go to Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 134Issue 12December 2008
Pages: 1829 - 1832

History

Received: Mar 5, 2007
Accepted: Feb 7, 2008
Published online: Dec 1, 2008
Published in print: Dec 2008

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Authors

Affiliations

Chung R. Song, M.ASCE [email protected]
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Mississippi, Carrier 218, University, MS 38677. E-mail: [email protected]
Jinwon Kim, S.M.ASCE [email protected]
Graduate Assistant, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Mississippi, Carrier 121L, University, MS 38677. E-mail: [email protected]
A. H.-D. Cheng, M.ASCE [email protected]
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Mississippi, Carrier 203, University, MS 38677. E-mail: [email protected]

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