Dynamic Modulus and Damping Ratio Measurements from Free-Free Resonance and Fixed-Free Resonant Column Procedures
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 12
Abstract
Resonant column procedures may be used to quantify a soil’s shear modulus degradation and damping ratio curves along the small strain () range. However, resonant column procedures often cannot provide measurements of very small strain () dynamic mechanical properties. The objective of this study is to determine if free-free resonance (FFR) procedures may be used to provide complementary very small strain, maximum dynamic moduli and minimum damping ratio to small strain shear moduli degradation and damping ratio curves from resonant column testing procedures. A plastic control specimen in six different free-free configurations was used to determine appropriate free-free boundary conditions for axial FFR procedures. Five cohesive soil specimens were then subjected to axial FFR and torsional fixed-free resonant column procedures to evaluate the consistency of the resulting strain-dependent modulus and damping measurements. It can be concluded that: (1) the specific free-free boundary conditions used in axial FFR testing do not significantly influence measured elastic or dissipative properties, and (2) axial FFR and torsional fixed-free resonant column procedures can be used to generate consistent and complementary shear modulus data but cannot be used to generate consistent and complementary damping ratios, based on the inherent issues involved in approximating nonlinear, microstructural sources of energy losses with macroscopic, equivalent linear models of dissipation.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant No. CMMI-1030976 and the Colorado DOT under study No. 80-30. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the Colorado DOT. The authors thank Nathan Toohey, a Colorado School of Mines doctoral candidate, for providing the photograph of the FFR setup in Fig. 1.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 12 • December 2013
Pages: 2145 - 2155
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 22, 2012
Accepted: Apr 8, 2013
Published online: Apr 10, 2013
Published in print: Dec 1, 2013
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