Inference of moisture content in unsaturated media using ultrasonics

A study is reported which investigates the use of commercial ultrasonics to determine moisture content in geologic and similar materials. Transmission experiments were performed on two of the limiting extremes found in these types of media. In one, tests were made on moistened sand. In the other, fractured media were experimentally simulated with a stack of ceramic tiles with gaps filled with and without water. A simple theoretical model has been developed to estimate velocities and transmitted amplitudes through the tile system, and calculations from this model are compared to the experimental data. It appears that ultrasonics are more sensitive to moisture content in systems where the amount of granular materials is small compared to consolidated media.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Year

1994

Author dc:creator

• Thota, Suresh N

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/366

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:oasis.library.unlv.edu:rtds-1365