Broadband Dielectric Measurement Methods for Soft Geomaterials: Coaxial Transmission Line Cell and Open-Ended Coaxial Probe

Broadband dielectric measurement methods based on vector network analyzer coupled with coaxial transmission line cell (CC) and open-ended coaxial probe (OC) are simply reviewed, by which the dielectric behaviors in the frequency range of 1 MHz to 3 GHz of two practical geomaterials are investigated. Kaolin after modified compaction with different water contents is measured by using CC. The results are consistent with previous study on standardized compacted kaolin and suggest that the dielectric properties at frequencies below 100 MHz are not only a function of water content but also functions of other soil state parameters including dry density. The hydration process of a commercial grout is monitored in real time by using OC. It is found that the time dependent dielectric properties can accurately reveal the different stages of the hydration process. These measurement results demonstrate the practicability of the introduced methods in determining dielectric properties of soft geomaterials.