Foundation Compaction Test Density, and Moisture with NUCLEAR Test Gauge

See How to do a field density and compaction test. Make sure your foundations done right.Hands on see the man in the field perform one of these test and give first hand knowledge of how it's done. In this video you'll see the lab technician doing a density and compaction test. Using the nuclear density reader.

[@bonnieewart9954]

Just can’t beat hard working men working together that’s what makes Thomas construction of Texas successful

[@thekidd718]

you need to align the gauge with the source rod aligned to the hole and drop the source rod in. You are getting exposed to more radiation when you take the source rod out first and drop in the hole

[@DylanWeirRE]

Great video

[@friendlybill6109]

Very interesting and good explanation. Are these moisture and compaction tests required for all large commercial jobs? Do you also do this testing for residential foundations?

[@thomasconstructiontexas]

I'm not sure if they're exactly required for all jobs? Most definitely they would be required for dams, highways, infrastructure. With that being said no more than the cost to do it . It's worth it to get a quality job and to have proof that you did a quality job. If for any reason you have to go to court it's a great document to have in your folder. Thanks for watching

[@alphatrion48]

Yeah, but no, not in this situation. Why would you use a gauge on your building footings? A gauge only tells you compaction and moisture, but not your psf or bearing pressure. You can use it as a guide as you are building the pad up to grade, but not to determine psf for footings.

[@kareemcharles7]

I notice he would use the plunger to lower the material below the body of the instrument before inserting into the hole. Would this not expose him to more radiation? I see in other videos where they would line up the machine over the hole, and only release the plunger when they can lower the material directly into a prepared hole

[@eh8899]

Your body will eventually fail, will go blind and may get cancer if you perform tests like this technician did

[@KeilKrieg]

​@@alexmunoz4911what you said is not correct for in place density determinations. Incorrect radiation safety procedures do not change what the test result is.

[@Zdj2014]

@@KeilKrieg he means the exposure to radiation

[@MrHou-so6sx]

工程师您好，有个关于TROXLER3440操作的问题请教一下。在操作过程中，将探杆由安全位置往下放入探孔中，界面不显示深度值，按START/ENTER键以后，显示Invalid depth ! change rod depth . Press START when ready .。应该如何操作才能正常显示深度值和仪器能正常检测。谢谢。

[@alphatrion48]

This is good as you build up your pad with fill, but never on your building footings, this won't tell you the bearing pressure, only the density and moisture content.

[@thomasconstructiontexas]

Our ground is a little different. We have to build up to get out of floodplain zone. We are required to use 2 1/2 foot of select- fill to offset the swelling and shrinkage of the soil. We will first do drill concrete piers with bell footers somewhere between 9 to 16 feet deep, depending on the soil report . That will connect to grade beams cut in the 2 1/2 foot of fill. The cheaper way to do this foundation down here is with post tension. But there's quite a few lawsuits going on, because of that technique. They had already went to the pit and did the proctor test. So when he came out to test he already knew what optimum moisture content is to achieve compaction and density. Thanks for watching.

[@chevyford100]

I wonder how much more work or time it takes to achieve that 95% compaction compared to a normal job where that test is not required.

[@thomasconstructiontexas]

The moisture can definitely add time to it

[@bryanholliman834]

How do you know how much water to put?

[@thomasconstructiontexas]

First thing they do is a proctor test. That's where they take the dirt back to the lab put it in the cylinder smack it 25 times with the hammer then put it in the oven. They weigh it before it goes in the oven, then weigh it when it comes out . From there they know the optimum moisture content for that dirt to reach full strength. If the moisture content is too high you roll it and pack it more. If it's extremely too high you turn it over and let it air dry then re-packet. Coming in to dry is not as common as coming into wet. If it's dry water it down, roll it over mix it well and then compacted ... Interesting sidenote. Flooding the property is one of the best ways to achieve the compaction you're looking for. For those of us in the field that do not have a test. There's a look and feel to the ground that you develop a feeling that let you know you're close.

[@alphatrion48]

You are kind of close on how to do a proctor, but not really. You drop the hammer in the mold 25 times for 3 lifts, then you weigh the mold. Then you remove a portion and weigh it before drying. You do this at different levels of moisture added to a set sample size in 2 to 3% increments several times. Once the moisture content becomes to high the weight of the mold and soil will eventually go down because you passed the optimum moisture to get the best compaction. This is how you determine the optimum moisture and density for that soil type.

[@anupamgain3916]

wow i also idea about it

[@alphatrion48]

He is doing several things wrong in this video. NEVER extend the rod before you place it in the hole!! That is basic nuclear safety for guage use. Always retract the rod before recording the results. And only 3 tests on a pad that size?

[@thomasconstructiontexas]

He's hired by the contractor. I have no say over how he does it. In the video I said 3 test spots but he actually did 4. Thanks

[@sonnyregacho9990]

you are depending on the book my man. if you're in his shoes 100% you will do what his doing and forget what the book said....hehehhee...

[@rickyc1553]

You can extend the rod before you place it in the hole, you can only have it extended for a short period of time, 10 seconds. Procedure sets vary per state so we can’t say he’s doing anything wrong.

[@jimmyroberson6350]

That's right ! 👍

[@GetroDuverger]

❤

[@jethrelim-pb7te]

Expose too much radiation

[@eh8899]

The actions taken in this video are entirely wrong! This guy does not know how to properly use the nuke gauge in a safe way. The tests should have failed based on the number of strikes of the pin into the ground. I have a lot more knowledge than the guy who took the tests! This is ridiculous.

[@talusranch990]

He is not supposed to be here

[@GRUBB-MUDD]

i saw this on tictok, thanks $$$

[@thomasconstructiontexas]

A video about this? Or did somebody share this one to TikTok?

[@GRUBB-MUDD]

@@thomasconstructiontexas no it was that test, not your video sorry, i had never seen this b4 the other day (the test)

[@thomasconstructiontexas]

@@GRUBB-MUDD OK, somewhere in the near future I'm gonna do a video on the tour of a concrete plant. One of the owner that I get concrete from has agreed to let me do a video on their operations from start to finish.

[@GRUBB-MUDD]

@@thomasconstructiontexas thats cool, cant wait for that 1. they dont have that kind of attitude towards youtube here in indiana, i wonder who will legalize mary jane 1st texas or indiana, im js. 2 red states 4 sure (red meaning like conservative towards new ideas)