The current industry practice relies on the use of in situ dry density ratio (DDR) to control the quality of compaction during the construction of earthworks. The main reason is because the density measurements are relatively easy to undertake during construction, and the parameter itself is precise and with limited variability. However, this approach has two major disadvantages, namely: (i) the in situ modulus of the layers is not directly measured, and (ii) there is a significant delay between the time of undertaking the DDR measurement and the delivery of the final test results. Such a (routine) delay in the provision of test results can lead to costly rework being required by the contractor if earthworks are found to be non conforming and require remediation after the works have further progressed. To address the above issues, this National Asset Centre of Excellence (NACOE) research project investigated the viability of using alternative testing techniques to control the quality of constructing earthworks.
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