Measurements of elastic shear modulus Gmax using piezoceramic bender elements

In this study, an existing 2Hz dynamic triaxial testing system is equipped and improved with piezoceramic bender elements device. The improved system allows for measuring the shear wave velocity of the soil specimen by direct wave propagation. Silts from the Qian Tang River are adopted as test samples. Resonant column tests are also conducted with the same soil. The elastic shear modulus obtained by bender elements and from resonant column tests show a good agreement. Moreover, the results are fitted well with the Hardin and Richart equation. Hence, the system with bender elements is capable of reliably measuring the shear wave velocity of specimen in the lab. Bender element testing is a promising new test method and further studies on theoretical and experimental aspects of the method are recommended.