The paper describes results from an extensive experimental model study of response of dry sand to impact of a rigid pounder. In the laboratory tests a circular steel pounder was repeatedly dropped on sand contained in a large tank. Measurements included pounder acceleration and soil pressure at impact, pounder settlement, and soil densities and strains. Effects of pounder drop height, weight and contact area were investigated. A method is presented for the evaluation of global dynamic stiffness of the so1l mass affected by the impact by calculating a dynamic settlement modulus (DSM). The DSM values are determined from integration of the impact acceleration record with respect to time using measured integration constants. DSM values show good correlation to soil densities and corresponding elastic moduli obtained from laboratory tests. The proposed method may have immediate construction application as it offers a reliable and cost effective alternative to quality control of dynamic compaction
