Flexural excitation in a standard torsional-resonant column device

The excitation of specimens in multiple modes enhances the characterization of granular materials. The purpose of this paper is to present the equipment modification and test procedure and data reduction for flexural excitation in a standard torsional-resonant column device. Typical results for dry and wet sand specimens are also presented. A salient advantage of the modified device is that it permits testing shear stiffness (torsional excitation) and longitudinal stiffness (flexural excitation) at frequencies which are relevant to high-resolution seismics and near-surface studies (approx. 50-200 Hz). High attenuation in flexural mode is measured in saturated and partially saturated specimens; local flow is suspected as a prevailing loss mechanism. Velocity and damping ratios are complementary indicators of saturation conditions prevailing in the specimen.