Compaction test of rolled rockfill material using multimodal Rayleigh wave dispersion inversion

Abstract

This paper investigated the potential of Rayleigh wave multimodal dispersion inversion to advance automatic construction through real-time, in-situ measurement of rockfill compaction. An acquisition system and inversion method were developed to automate the process of obtaining compaction depth profiles and implemented during a dynamic rolling test. A rockfill layer under 2 m was tested, with Rayleigh wave data collected after different compaction passes. Multi-mode dispersion inversion was used to analyze the material's velocity structure. The results show that multimodal dispersion curves accurately reflect changes in compaction. As compaction increased, the velocity structure transitioned from a complex layered to a uniform single-layered form, with a corresponding rise in the elastic modulus. Furthermore, the calculated Young's modulus exhibited a strong positive correlation with dry density measured by excavation tests. These findings offer an approach for intelligent compaction techniques, contributing to the automation of in-situ compaction monitoring in rockfill construction.