Evaluation of Soil Porosity Using a Low MHz Range Dielectric Constant

Authors: ABİDİN KAYA

Abstract: Researchers have attempted to determine the dielectric constants of soil-water mixtures in order to establish relationships between dielectric constant and soil properties such as porosity. However, the suggested formulations were too complex to use for practical purposes. In order to effectively use the dielectric constant of soil-water mixtures, there is a need for a simple but well-defined formulation. In the first stage of this study, the dielectric constants of a natural sand and glass bead in two sizes at various porosities were determined at 13 MHz. Then the test results were compared with the independent data obtained on a wide range of soils, the second stage of the study. A linear relationship between the dielectric constant and porosity of soil-water mixtures was observed for both cases with coefficient of correlation values over 0.97. Based on the obtained results, it is suggested that the porosity of a soil-water mixture can be obtained using n = 0.0136 \varepsilon + 0.02.

Keywords: Dielectric constant, Soil, Porosity, MHz frequency, Liquefaction

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