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1.1 These test methods cover the determination of the Impact Value (IV) of a soil either in the field or a test mold, as follows:

1.2 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are provided for information only and are not considered standard. Reporting of test results in units other than SI shall not be regarded as nonconformance with this standard.

1.3 The standard test method, using a 4.5 kg (10 lbm) hammer, is suitable for, but not limited to, evaluating the strength of an unsaturated compacted fill, in particular pavement materials, soils, and soil-aggregates having maximum particle sizes less than 37.5 mm (1.5 in.).

1.4 By using a lighter 0.5 kg (1.1 lbm) or 2.25 kg (5 lbm) hammer, this test method is applicable for evaluating lower strength soils such as fine grained cohesionless, highly organic, saturated, or highly plastic soils having a maximum particle size less than 9.5 mm (0.375 in.), or natural turfgrass.

1.5 By using a heavier 10 kg (22 lbm) or 20 kg (44 lbm) hammer, this test method is applicable for evaluating harder materials at the top end the scales or beyond the ranges of the standard and lighter impact soil testers.

1.6 By performing laboratory test correlations for a particular soil using the 4.5 kg (10 lbm) hammer, IV may be correlated with an unsoaked California Bearing Ratio (CBR) or may be used to infer percentage compaction. The IV of the 0.5 kg (1.1 lbm) and 2.25 kg (5 lbm) hammers may be independently correlated to an unsoaked CBR or used to infer the percentage compaction for lower strength soils.

1.7 All observed and calculated values shall conform to the guidelines for significant digits and rounding established in Practice D6026.

1.8 For purposes of comparing a measured or calculated value(s) with specified limits, the measured or calculated value(s) shall be rounded to the nearest decimal or significant digits in the specified limits.

1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.10 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

5.1 Impact Value, as determined using the standard 4.5 kg (10 lbm) hammer, has direct application to design and construction of pavements and a general application to earthworks compaction control and evaluation of strength characteristics of a wide range of materials, such as soils, soil aggregates and stabilized soil. Impact Value is one of the properties used to evaluate the strength of a layer of soil up to about 150 mm (6 in.) in thickness using a 50 mm (2 in.) diameter hammer or up to 380 mm (15 in.) in thickness using a 130 mm (5 in.) diameter hammer, and by inference to indicate the compaction condition of this layer. Impact Value reflects and responds to changes in physical characteristics that influence strength. It is a dynamic force-penetration property and may be used to set a strength parameter.

5.2 This test method provides immediate results in terms of IV and may be used for the process control of pavement or earthfill activities where the avoidance of delays is important and where there is a need to determine variability when statistically based quality assurance procedures are being used.

5.3 This test method does not provide results directly as a percentage of compaction but rather as a strength index value from which compaction may be inferred for the particular moisture conditions. From observations, strength either remains constant along the dry side of the compaction curve or else reaches a peak and, for both cases, declines rapidly with increase in water content beyond a point slightly dry of optimum water content, at approximately 0.5 percent. This is generally between 95 and 98 % maximum dry density (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). An as-compacted target strength in terms of IV may be designated from laboratory testing or field trials as a strength to achieve in the field as the result of a compaction process for a desired density and water content. If testing is performed after compaction when conditions are such that the water content has changed from the critical value, determination of the actual water content by laboratory testing enables the field density to be inferred from regression equations using IV, density and water content.

FIG. 1 Illustration of Target IV for Material with No Peak

FIG. 2 Illustration of Target IV for Material with Pronounced Peak

5.4 This test method may be used to monitor strength changes during a compaction process or over time due to seasonal, environmental or traffic changes.

5.5 The standard instrument is based on a 4.5 kg (10 lbm) compaction hammer using a 450 mm (18 in.) drop height. The hammer is equipped with an accelerometer and instrumented using a peak hold electronic circuit to read the peak deceleration on impact. The circuitry is filtered electronically to remove unwanted frequencies and the peak deceleration is displayed in units of ten gravities (g) with the output below units of ten gravities truncated.

5.6 The peak deceleration on which IV is derived represents the area under the deceleration versus time curve which for most soils may be assumed as half a sinusoid. Applying double integration provides first the time-velocity relationship and second the time-penetration relationship. As force is also directly related to deceleration, the IV therefore represents both stress and penetration and may be taken as a direct measurement of stiffness or strength (see Fig. 3).

FIG. 3 Development of Force-Penetration from Deceleration Versus Time

5.7 Impact Value may be correlated with an unsoaked CBR.

5.8 Impact Value may be expressed as a hammer modulus, analogous with elastic modulus or deformation modulus.

5.9 The lighter hammers use the same accelerometer and instrumentation as the standard hammer. Utilization of lighter masses at 0.5 kg (1.1 lbm) and 2.25 kg (5 lbm) results in more sensitivity for lower strength materials compared to the standard mass; that is, the scale is expanded with these lighter hammer masses and provides more definition on softer materials, along with there being less indentation into the material. To avoid confusion, the IV of the lighter hammers is notated as IV/L for the 0.5 kg (1.1 lbm) mass and as IV/M for the 2.25 kg (5 lbm) mass.

5.10 The medium hammer provides a sensitivity between that of the standard hammer and light hammer.

5.11 Light Impact Value and Medium Impact Value have application to testing of sand, peat and for natural and artificial recreation turf hardness evaluation, where it is that the hardness of recreation turf surfaces affects ball bounce characteristics and the performance or injury potential to participants. Medium Impact Value is preferable over Light Impact Value in relation to assessing natural turf where there is thicker thatch and longer grass whereas Light Impact Value is preferable for finely mown grass surfaces where less indentation than that of the medium hammer is desired, such as testing of grass tennis courts and golf putting greens.

5.12 The medium hammer has application to testing of earthworks materials.

5.13 The heavy medium heavy hammer uses the same accelerometer and instrumentation as the standard hammer and tests through a larger zone both horizontally and vertically than the lighter impact soil testers because of its larger diameter mass. The IV of the heavy medium heavy hammer is notated as IV/HMH.

5.14 The Heavy Medium Heavy Impact Value has application to testing the same materials as those tested by the standard, light, medium and heavy impact soil testers.

5.15 The heavy hammer uses the same accelerometer and instrumentation as the standard hammer and tests through a larger zone both horizontally and vertically as compared to the 50 mm (2 in.) diameter impact soil testers. The IV of the heavy hammer is notated as IV/H.

5.16 The Heavy Impact Value has application to testing the same materials as those tested by the standard, light, medium, and heavy medium heavy impact soil testers but the greater mass of this impact soil tester provides less sensitivity of the output so is applicable for harder materials at the top end the scales or beyond the ranges of the lighter impact soil testers.