Resonant Column Test is a laboratory test used to determine the shear elastic modulus and damping properties of soils. The method is based on torsional or longitudinal vibration of the sample and using the results for solving the equation of wave propagation using the theory of elasticity. The resonant column test is commonly used in geotechnical engineering
practice and the testing equipments are commercially available.
Description and test procedure
Resonant Column Test is a laboratory test used to determine the shear elastic modulus and damping properties of soils. In this method, a cylindrical soil specimen is confined between ends. The bottom end is often fixed and the top end is capable of exciting the specimen by torsional or longitudinal vibration ans also of measuring the soil response. The vibration is applied using an electromagnetic drive system with variable frequency.
After preparation of the sample, the test starts by vibrating the specimen with at the top end the frequency of vibration is gradually increased until reaching the first-mode fundamental frequency of the sample. At this frequency, measurements are made of the resonance frequency, amplitude of vibration. knowing the geometry and the end constraints of the sample, the measured resonance frequency is then used to calculate the wave propagation velocity using the wave propagation equation and the theory of elasticity. The shear modulus is then obtained directly from the derived velocity and the density of the sample:
G=ρvs2
The resonant column test provides a
useful tool for evaluating the strain-dependent modulus and damping properties
of soils at small strains. The method is based on an indirect measurement of soil properties; therefore, additional calibrations might be necessary in order to account for the testing condition and to achieve reliable results. The resonant column test is commonly used in geotechnical engineering practice and the testing equipments are commercially available.
Test Standards
ASTM D4015 - 07 Standard Test Methods for Modulus and Damping of Soils by Resonant-Column Method 03a(2007) Standard Test Method for Unconsolidated-Undrained Triaxial Compression Test on Cohesive Soils Link
Related experimental results on Database
Field and laboratory measurements of dynamic shear modulus of Piedmont residual soils,Schneider, J.A., Hoyos, L., Jr., Mayne, P.W., Macari, E.J., and Rix, G.J. Access
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