ASTM_D_3017_-_01.pdf

Designation:D 3017 01Standard Test Method forWater Content of Soil and Rock in Place by NuclearMethods(Shallow Depth)1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 3017;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon(e)indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.1.Scope1.1 This test method covers the determination of watercontent of soil and rock by the thermalization or slowing of fastneutrons where the neutron source and the thermal neutrondetector both remain at the surface.1.2 The water content in mass per unit volume of thematerial under test is determined by comparing the detectionrate of thermalized or slow neutrons with previously estab-lished calibration data.1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as thestandard.The inch-pound equivalents may be approximate.1.3.1 It is common practice in the engineering profession toconcurrently use pounds to represent both a unit of mass(lbm)and of force(lbf).This implicitly combines two systems ofunits,that is,the absolute system and the gravitational system.This test method has been written using the absolute system forwater content(kilograms per cubic metre)in SI units.Conver-sion to the gravitational system of unit weight in lbf/ft3may bemade by multiplying by 0.06243 or in kN/m3by multiplyingby 9.807.The recording of water content in pound-force percubic foot should not be regarded as non-conformance withthis test method although the use is scientifically incorrect.1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:D 1556 Test Method for Density and Unit Weight of Soil inPlace by the Sand-Cone Method2D 2167 Test Method for Density and Unit Weight of Soil inPlace by the Rubber Balloon Method2D 2216 Test Method for Laboratory Determination of Water(Moisture)Content of Soil and Rock by Mass2D 2922 Test Methods for Density of Soil and Soil Aggre-gate in Place by Nuclear Methods(Shallow Depth)2D 2937 Test Method for Density of Soil in Place by theDrive-Cylinder Method2D 4643 Test Method for Determination of Water(Moisture)Content of Soil by the Microwave Oven Heating2D 4718 Practice for Correction of Unit Weight and WaterContent for Soils Containing Oversize Particles23.Significance and Use3.1 The test method described is useful as a rapid,nonde-structive technique for the in-place determination of watercontent of soil and rock.3.2 The test method is used for quality control and accep-tance testing of compacted soil and rock for construction andfor research and development.The non-destructive natureallows repetitive measurements at a single test location andstatistical analysis of the results.3.3 The fundamental assumptions inherent in the testmethod are that the hydrogen present is in the form of water asdefined by Test Method D 2216,and that the material undertest is homogeneous.3.4 Test results may be affected by chemical composition,sample heterogeneity,and,to a lesser degree,material densityand the surface texture of the material being tested.Thetechnique also exhibits spatial bias in that the apparatus is moresensitive to water contained in the material in close proximityto the surface and less sensitive to water at deeper levels.4.Interferences4.1 The chemical composition of the sample may dramati-cally affect the measurement and adjustments may be neces-sary.Hydrogen in forms other than water,as defined by TestMethod D 2216,and carbon will cause measurements in excessof the true value.Some chemical elements such as boron,chlorine,and minute quantities of cadmium will cause mea-surements lower than the true value.4.2 The water content determined by this test method is notnecessarily the average water within the volume of the sampleinvolved in the measurement.The measurement is heavilyinfluenced by the water content of the material closest to thesurface.The volume of soil and rock represented in the1This test method is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D18 on Soil andRock and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.08 on Special andConstruction Control Tests.Current edition approved June 10,2001.Published August 2001.Originallypublished as D 3017 72.Last previous edition D 3017 96e1.2Annual Book of ASTM Standards,Vol 04.08.1Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959,United States.measurement is indeterminate and will vary with the watercontent of the material.In general,the greater the water contentof the material,the smaller th