TDR测量黄土含水率的影响因素分析及其评价

时域反射法(TDR)已被岩土工程领域广泛用于测量土壤体积含水率。采用延安新区和吴起县2种黄土试样分别对TDR水分测试进行试验率定,分析了TDR水分测试过程中的测试误差,探讨了黄土的干密度及塑性指数等因素对TDR水分测试率定的影响。结果表明:TDR水分传感器未进行试验率定时,测试结果误差较大;当黄土试样在质量含水率一定时,TDR水分传感器测得的体积含水率与干密度之间均呈线性增长关系;对于塑性指数I_p<10的延安新区黄土,TDR水分传感器测得的体积含水率θ_v均大于烘干法测得的体积含水率θ_w,TDR测试结果均在等值线θ_w=θ_v下方;对于塑性指数介于10~17之间的吴起县黄土,当质量含水率w<12%时,θ_v >θ_w,TDR测试结果在等值线θ_w=θ_v下方,当w>12%时,θ_v <θ_w,TDR测试结果在等值线θ_w=θ_v上方。通过比较分析2个地区θ_w与θ_v的关系,建立了TDR水分测试结果的修正公式。研究成果为TDR水分传感器测定黄土含水率这一测试技术在陕北黄土地区的岩土工程应用提供了参考。

Calibrating Moisture Content Measurement of Loess by Time Domain Reflectometry: Influential Factors and Assessment

Time domain reflectometry (TDR) has been widely used in geotechnical engineering field as a reliable method to measure the volumetric water content of soils. In this study, TDR measuring of moisture content was calibrated. Loess samples from Yan’an New Area and Wuqi County were selected for test. The test error in the TDR measurement was analyzed, and the effects of dry density and plasticity index of loess on the calibration of TDR test were discussed. Results revealed large error of measurement before the TDR moisture sensors were calibrated. Given the same mass moisture content, the volumetric water content of loess measured by TDR moisture sensor was in a linear growth relation with dry density. For loess samples from Yan’an New Area with a plasticity index less than 10, the volumetric moisture content (θ_v) measured by TDR moisture sensor was greater than that (θ_w) measured by drying method, and the results were all below the contour line (θ_w=θ_v). For loess samples from Wuqi County with a plasticity index between 10 and 17, when the mass moisture content w was smaller than 12%, θ_v was greater than θ_w, and the test results were below the contour line (θ_w=θ_v); on the contrary when w was larger than 12%, θ_v was smaller than θ_w, and the test results were above the contour line (θ_w=θ_v). By comparing and analyzing the relations between θ_w and θ_v, a modified formula for TDR moisture measuring results was established. The research results offer reference for the application of TDR to measuring moisture content of loess in the loess area of north Shaanxi Province.