Republic of the Philippines

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

BatStateU Alangilan
Alangilan, Batangas City
College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts
https://batstate-u.edu.ph/, Tel. No. (043) 425-0139 loc. 118/2121

Civil Engineering Department

Academic Year 2021-2022

First Semester

Geotechnical Engineering (Ce 411)

Laboratory Report No. 9
NUCLEAR DENSITY GAUGE - STANDARD COUNT
(AASHTO T 310)

Submitted by:
Aaron James Walangsumbat
CE-3109

Submitted to:
Engr. Jomin Dennis M. Miembro

November 20, 2021

I. INTRODUCTION
Most construction projects depend on soil density, which provides crucial support for
buildings, roads, pavements, and other structures. During the development process, soil
is regularly disturbed, resulting in the admission of air or water into the ground. To
guarantee appropriate support, any water particles or air gaps must be eliminated from
the soil. A nuclear densometer, also known as a soil density gauge, is a field tool for
assessing the density of compacted materials. To compute density, the nuclear gauge
detects the interaction of gamma radiation with the earth. To assess density, most
gauges employ either direct transmission or the backscatter approach.
To assess density, most gauges employ either direct transmission or the backscatter
approach. It counts the number of photons released by a radioactive source (cesium-137)
that are read by the detector tubes in the gauge base to calculate the density of material.
For the counting period, a 60-second time interval is commonly employed.

II. OBJECTIVE
 To demonstrates how to correctly perform the standardization procedure for the
nuclear density gauge.

III. TOOLS/EQUIPMENTS USED

1. Nuclear density gauge with the factory matched standard reference block.
2. Drive pin, guide/scraper plate, and hammer for testing in direct transmission mode.
3. Transport case - for properly shipping and housing the gauge and tools.
4. Instruction manual - for the specific make and model of gauge.
5. Radioactive materials information and calibration packet containing:
 Daily Standard Count Log
 Factory and Laboratory Calibration Data Sheet
 Leak Test Certificate
 Shippers Declaration for Dangerous Goods
 Procedure Memo for Storing, Transporting and Handling Nuclear Testing
Equipment.
 Other radioactive materials documentation as required by local regulatory
requirements.
 Sealable containers and utensils for moisture content determinations.
IV. DATA ANALYSIS
A. Procedure
1. Select a suitable location for the standard count. The location should be:
 At least 30 ft away from other nuclear gauges or radiation sources
 Clear of any other items that may affect the counts.
 At least 3 m (10 ft) away from large objects and;
 At least 150 mm (6 in.) away from any vertical projection, unless the gauge is
corrected for trench wall effect.
(Note: Always standardized the gauge at the start of each day's use)
2. Place the standard block on a dry flat surface preferably concrete or asphalt that
is at least 4 in. thick ensuring that the block sits flush with the surface. Then seat
the gauge firmly on the standard block between the two raised edges. For a
Troxler gauge the key pad is to be placed closest to the metal plate on the end of
the standard block. For other gauges refer to the manufacturer's instructions.
3. Slide the gauge until it is in contact with the metal plate on the block end. With
the rod in the safe position which is the most upright position start a standard
count by pressing the standard or STD button on
4. The gauge will ask if you wish to take a new standard count, press the YES
button to continue. Then press start to begin the standard count.
5. Move at least 3 ft away from the gauge, the standard count is a 4-minute count.
Most gauges have the standard count preset to 4 minutes.
6. When the count is complete, record the density and moisture, DS and MS, from
the screen and verify that the gauge is in tolerance.
7. Gauge manufacturers allow + or – 1% on density and + or – 2% on moisture
based from the average of the last 4 standard count taken.
8. Some gauges will do this calculation for you, while others require a separate log
to be kept and manually calculated.

B. Observation
Since the nuclear density gauge includes radioactive components, it must be
handled with caution.
V. CONCLUSION
It is necessary that the precise density measurement cannot be overstated in a
variety of professions. That is why nuclear density gauges are so important in industrial
settings. The capacity to monitor liquid and slurry in real time can boost productivity and
efficiency in a variety of applications. As a result, be in mind that these gauges contain
radioactive chemicals, which might create problems if not handled properly. As a result,
personnel must be informed of the hazards and how to minimize them when utilizing them.
Gauges, on the other hand, are safe to use when necessary safety precautions are taken,
and they aid in the construction of safe buildings, roads, and goods.

VI. REFERENCE
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewrIWLbJpXQ&list=PLcMsoiHA99vda028LGY4sl
lnAjfiUpyPx&index=11
2. https://www.humboldtmfg.com/blog/measure-field-density-soil-using-nuclear-density-
gauge/