Density Testing - Nuclear Gauges

Owned by Karl Burkum
Last updated: Oct 16, 2020
Table of Contents

Purpose

Nuclear Gauges used for field Soil Density testing are managed here.

Method Determination

The tables listed below explain the fields that become available depending on the Method selected when managing a nuclear gauge. NOTE: The Radioactive Decay method is only available when the Category selected is Moisture/Density.

Standard Count Method / Manual Count Method

FieldDescription
Category
  • Indicates the type / category of gauge (i.e. used for moisture and density or just density)

Method
  • Indicates which Method is being used to standardize / calibrate the gauge. (This selection dictates the majority of the remaining fields that will display)

Manual Count methods assume you are maintaining standardization records outside of MetaField. MetaField allows you to create a Manual Count gauge so you can "standardize" one for density tests, but there are no business rules that compare standardization counts to previous counts to determine a pass / fail status of the gauge.

Serial Number
  • Serial Number for the gauge
Name
  • Name of the gauge used for easy identification (i.e. "Blue Team Gauge", "Truck 1001 Gauge", etc.)
Make
  • Make of the nuclear gauge
Model
  • Model of the nuclear gauge
Rx Density Limit 1 (%)
Rx Density Limit 2 (%)
  • Not a required field. Available to support Troxler 3450 gauges.
Rx Moisture Limit (%)
Calibration Date
  • Date the nuclear gauge was last calibrated
Calibrated By
  • Person who last calibrated the nuclear gauge
Require Density / Moisture Counts
  • Set to TRUE / checked if you want to require field technicians to enter the gauge density and moisture counts for quality control / audit purposes.
Enter Moisture % on Test
  • Set to TRUE / checked if you want to enter the Moisture % (versus the Weight of Water (PCF) value) value from the gauge display on SNG density tests.
Preferred Density Input
  • Indicates the preferred value to input on a nuclear gauge density test - Wet / Dry Density
Office
  • Office associated with the nuclear gauge
Prescale Factor
  • Not a required field.  Available for use if ASTM 2950D standards are required by the lab doing the testing.



Radioactive Decay Method

FieldDescription
Category
  • Indicates the type / category of gauge (i.e. used for moisture and density or just density)

Method
  • Indicates which Method is being used to standardize / calibrate the gauge. (This selection dictates the majority of the remaining fields that will display)
Serial Number
  • Serial Number for the gauge
Name
  • Name of the gauge used for easy identification (i.e. "Blue Team Gauge", "Truck 1001 Gauge", etc.)
Make
  • Make of the nuclear gauge
Model
  • Model of the nuclear gauge
Density Calibration Standard Count
  • The density calibration standard count from the gauge
Density Isotope Half Life (Days)
  • Density isotope half life (days) from the gauge
Moisture Calibration Standard Count
  • The moisture calibration standard count from the gauge
Moisture Isotope Life (Days)
  • Moisture isotope half life (days) from the gauge
Calibration Date
  • Date the nuclear gauge was last calibrated
Calibrated By
  • Person who last calibrated the nuclear gauge
Require Density / Moisture Counts
  • Set to TRUE / checked if you want to require field technicians to enter the gauge density and moisture counts for quality control / audit purposes.
Enter Moisture % on Test
  • Set to TRUE / checked if you want to enter the Moisture % (versus the Weight of Water (PCF) value) value from the gauge display on SNG density tests.
Office
  • Office associated with the nuclear gauge

Inactivating a gauge removes it from the list of gauges to select from in the Field module

Data Extract

Gauge data can be extracted using the Extract Records buttons.