Soil Compaction

Introduction
• Compaction is a mechanical process which increases the dry density of the
material by
— pushing the particles closer together, and
— expelling air from the void spaces between the soil solids
• In the field it is normally done by rolling, vibration or impact, or a
combination of these - the method usually depends on the soil type and the
depth of the soil layer to be compacted

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Soil Compaction
Introduction
• The purpose is to make the soil stronger, stiffer, less permeable, less
susceptible to swelling / shrinking, and better able to resist abrasion and
erosion
Effect of moisture content on compaction
• For a given amount of compaction energy applied to a given volume of soil,
there will be a particular moisture content at which the maximum dry density
occurs - a typical curve of 𝜌𝑑 vs w is shown below

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Soil Compaction
Effect of moisture content on compaction ctd…
• A greater amount of compaction energy applied to the same soil type and
volume will lead to a greater dry density at a lower optimum moisture content,
i.e., the curve will be displaced upward and to the left

• Explanation of curve shape

— At moisture contents less than OMC, there is less water for particle
lubrication, and more of the given amount of energy is used overcoming
inter-particle friction – therefore max dry density is not reached
— At moisture contents above OMC, water takes up more of the space where
particles could be, so that dry density is again less than the maximum value
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Soil Compaction
Laboratory compaction (*Video)
• In order to specify the moisture content in the field at which the soil or
crushed rock must be placed to achieve the required dry density, a lab
compaction test (Proctor test) must be carried out to produce the compaction
curve for the material

• Two levels of energy input are specified in the Australian Standard for the test:
Standard and Modified Energy
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Soil Compaction
Laboratory compaction ctd…
• Standard Energy (600kJ/m3) is used when the soil is to be compacted in
situations such as
— embankments for roads, dams and flood levees
— building platforms, filling excavations, etc.
• In these cases, where local load carrying capacity does not have to be very
high, compaction can be carried out in the field with standard machinery
• Modified Energy (2800 kJ/m3) is used when the material is to be compacted in
the upper layer of pavements, where high local wheel loads must be carried,
and high strength and stiffness are needed
• This must be carried out using heavy machinery
• Both tests are carried out in a cylindrical steel mold of 1 L capacity, into which
the soil is compacted in layers of equal thickness, with each layer receiving 25
blows from a drop hammer
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Soil Compaction
Laboratory compaction ctd…
• The tests differ in the number of layers, mass of hammer, and height of its
drop as follows

• The soil is divided into 5 sub-samples and each is

mixed with water to give 5 values of moisture content
covering the range where OMC is expected
• Each subsample is then compacted in the mold and
weighed, so that the bulk density can be calculated
• The subsample’s moisture content is then accurately
found, and the dry density calculated [𝜌𝑑 = 𝜌Τ(1 + 𝑤)]
• The 5 values of dry density and moisture content are
then plotted on the compaction curve axes, and a
smooth curve drawn through the points
• Max dry density and OMC are then read off the curve Dr Wasantha, 2020 6
Soil Compaction
Laboratory compaction ctd…
• Compaction curves

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Soil Compaction
Laboratory compaction ctd…
• Zero Air Voids (or Saturation) Line
— This is a line drawn on the compaction curve plot representing the
saturated moisture content of the soil at any dry density, i.e., 𝑆𝑟 =
𝑉𝑤 Τ𝑉𝑣 = 100%, zero air voids
— A similar line showing (for any given dry density) moisture content for
which, e.g., 5% of the total volume will contain air (NB: not 𝑆𝑟 = 95%), can
also be drawn
— The right leg of the compaction curve should be roughly parallel to the zero
air voids line, and often coincides closely with the 5% air voids line
— The value of 𝐺𝑠 for the soil must be known in order to plot these lines
— It should be obvious that the compaction curve can’t fall to the right of the
saturation line – if it does, it would indicate that either the test readings or
calculations are wrong, or that the value of 𝐺𝑠 is incorrect

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Soil Compaction
Laboratory compaction ctd…
• Effect of Compaction on Different Soils
— Coarse-grained soils usually have higher 𝜌𝑑 values at lower w values than
fine-grained soils
— They also tend to reach their optimum engineering properties at ~ OMC
and maximum dry density (MDD)
— Well-graded soils reach higher 𝜌𝑑 values and have a more “pointed”
compaction curve than single-sized soils
— For clay soils, MDD tends to decrease and OMC increase as plasticity
increases - for a given compaction energy, structure tends to go from
flocculated below OMC to dispersed above OMC

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Soil Compaction
Laboratory compaction ctd…
• Some effects on engineering properties of clays
— Permeability: flocculated structure has higher permeability, therefore
increasing w at constant compaction energy → reduced permeability (as
does increasing compaction energy at constant w)

— Compressibility (stiffness): at low consolidation stresses, clays compacted

wet of OMC are more compressible, but opposite occurs at high stresses
— Swell / shrink: swelling is greater for clays compacted dry of OMC, but
those compacted wet of OMC will shrink more
— Strength: clays compacted dry of OMC will be stronger, but failure will be
brittle - if compacted wet of OMC, they will behave plastically
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