Soil Consolidation Test Equipment
Karol-Warner's soil consolidation test equipment meets the most stringent demands of modern soil and geotechnical field or laboratory testing. A wide selection of innovative, quality equipment and products are designed to meet each customer’s needs and help ensure efficient, precise, and accurate results for each and every type of consolidation test.
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When soil is subjected to long-term static loads, water is forced out, particles are packed together more tightly, and volume is reduced. One-dimensional consolidation test of soils (also known as the Oedometer Test) provides geotechnical design information to calculate expected settlement for structure foundations and pavements.
A saturated soil sample is carefully fitted into a rigid confining ring and placed in a Consolidometer between Porous Stones to allow drainage. The prepared specimen is then placed under a vertical load in a consolidation system while deflection is measured. Rebound is measured when unloading.
- Consolidation Test Machines are a loading consolidation apparatus for the Consolidometers. Karol-Warner Pneumatic Load Frames use pneumatic loading for reliable, instantaneous loading in a compact tabletop unit. The Dead-Weight Consolidation Load Frame uses a mechanical loading lever and hanging weight sets to load the soil specimen.
- Consolidation Data Acquisition Software can be used when the Consolidation Load Frame is equipped with either a 6152 Linear Variable Displacement Transducer (LVDT) or 6820 Digital Dial Indicator. This unique software records specimen information and real-time test data to calculate results and prepare reports following ASTM and AASHTO requirements.
- Consolidometers, sometimes called oedometers, are fixtures that contain the soil sample during testing and transfer vertical loads to the specimen. The complete assembly is made up of a floating or fixed ring, outer inundation ring, load pad, and two Porous Stones. Consolidometers with options to measure permeability or back-pressure during testing are also available.
- Consolidometer Accessories include Calibration Discs for determining system deflection, Cutting Sample Rings for precision preparation and trimming of samples, and Porous Stones to support soil specimens and allow for the flow of water during testing. All are integral components of soil sample consolidation testing, specifically for determining deflection and precision trimming of samples. Calibration Discs, Cutting Sample Rings, and Porous Stones are each available in several sizes.
- Basic Swell Consolidometers are used when performing swell tests on soil samples. These Consolidometers are available in two models for specimen diameters of 2.44 and 2.50in (61.98 and 63.50mm) diameters. The compact, all-in-one design includes the stainless steel base, compaction specimen ring, and loading weight, along with Porous Stones. An acrylic ring that contains the water and an adjustable dial indicator holder is also included. A dial indicator is required and purchased separately.
- Expansion Index Consolidometers are self-contained units for the determination of the soil expansion index (EI) using ASTM D4829. The unique, self-contained design does not require a separate Consolidometer loading device to mount, load, and saturate the specimen for testing. Included are an anodized aluminum base and collar with stainless steel hold-down rods, stainless steel specimen ring, 12.6lb (5.7kg) loading weight, and Porous Stones. A dial indicator is required for the test and purchased separately.
- Back Pressure Consolidometers are used to measure pore pressure and permeability and have a pressure rating of 200psi (1400kPa).