LABORATORY DETERMINATION OF DYNAMIC MODULI OF FROZEN SOILS AND OF ICE

Abstract

The report presents a summary of results of laboratory investigations of frozen soils and ice to determine the elastic moduli by the dynamic (sonic) method. The elastic moduli were indirectly obtained by measuring the fundamental resonant frequencies of flexural, longitudinal, and torsional vibrations induced in prismatic beams by electromagnetic means. Vibration tests were performed on a total of 56 specimens representing 12 different materials (8 natural soil types, ranging from coarse-grained to fine-grained; 2 blended soils; a natural peat; laboratory-frozen ice and natural lake ice, at temperatures ranging from approximately +32F to -10F). Elastic wave velocities (longitudinal and torsional) were computed for each material in the range of test temperatures studied. All soils were saturated or were close to saturation. (Author)