Patent ID: 6829957
Filing Date: 2004-12-14
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for determining self-weight consolidation properties of media, comprising:providing a consolidometer, comprising: inserts circumscribing an interior volume thereto; at least one frame, having an interior and exterior dimension and two ends, one said end serving as base and the other said end capable of being at least partially open, said frame having a length much greater than other dimensions of said frame, wherein said frame supports said inserts in a stacked configuration such that said media is contained wholly within said interior volumes of said inserts, and wherein said frame permits insertion and withdrawal of said inserts at locations along said length of said frame; a collection device suitable for affixing to said inserts; filling said consolidometer with media to be evaluated, wherein said media is allowed to self-consolidate; thereafter removing said topmost inserts for which said interior volume therewith associated contains no said media; attaching said collection device to a first topmost insert having its interior volume at least partially filled with said media; removing said first topmost insert from said consolidometer, wherein said media encompassed by said first topmost insert is transferred to said collection device; transferring said transferred media to a container; and attaching said collection device to each remaining said insert in said consolidometer and removing each said remaining insert from said consolidometer sequentially from said first topmost insert to said base of said consolidometer, thereby depositing said media from said interior volume of said removed insert into said collection device at each said removal, wherein a sample is taken and may be stored in for each insert for which said media is deposited into said collection device.