Monitoring Roller Vibration During Compaction of Crushed Rock

Real-time monitoring during soil compaction can be made possible by utilizing the vibration signature of a vibratory roller compactor. The compactor and soil constitute a coupled dynamic system, albeit complex and nonlinear. As the soil density increases and its mechanical properties change, the dynamic response of the compactor will change. Developing a thorough knowledge of the relationship between compactor vibration and soil properties has the potential to enable real-time monitoring of desired mechanical soil properties (e.g., resilient modulus) and subsequently intelligent compaction, wherein the forcing amplitude and vibration can be varied to optimize the compaction process. This paper presents the results of vibration monitoring during roller compaction of crushed rock (well-graded sand). Vibration monitoring revealed that drum vibration amplitude is mildly sensitive to increase in underlying material stiffness. Harmonic content, reported as total harmonic distortion, increased with greater sensitivity as the underlying soil densified and stiffened.