Foundation Engineering

Earthmoving Equipment

Large Truck (see minivan on left for scale) 1

Foundation Engineering

Earthmoving Equipment

Large Excavator (see minivan on left for scale)

Grader for or spreading soil

2
Foundation Engineering

Earthmoving Equipment

Loader 3
 Foundation Engineering

Filed Compaction
Different types of rollers (clockwise from right):

 Smooth-wheel roller
 Vibratory roller
Pneumatic rubber tired roller
 Sheepsfoot roller

4
 Foundation Engineering

Field Compaction

Smooth Wheeled Roller 5

 Foundation Engineering

Field Compaction
Vibrating Plates

 for compacting very small areas

 effective for granular soils

6
 Foundation Engineering

Field Compaction

Sheepsfoot Roller

 Provides kneading action; “walks out” after compaction

 Very effective on clays

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 Foundation Engineering

Standard Proctor Compaction Test

Summary
5.5 #
hammer
 Uses 5.5 pound
hammer
 dropped 12 inches
12”drop
 mold filled in 3 lifts
 25 blows of hammer
per lift 3 lifts

 Total energy is
≈12,400 ft-lbs/ft3
 Foundation Engineering

Modified Proctor Compaction Test

Summary
10 #
hammer
 Uses 10 pound
hammer
 dropped 18 inches
18”drop
 mold filled in 5 lifts
 25 blows of hammer
per lift 5 lifts

 Total energy is
≈56,000 ft-lbs/ft3
 Foundation Engineering

Proctor Compaction Test Summary

 Prepare 4 to 5
specimens at
increasing water
contents about 2 %
apart. Example -
prepared samples at
14, 16, 18, and 20
percent. Use range
of moistures based
on feel and
experience.
 Foundation Engineering

Proctor Compaction Test Summary

Hammer

 Then,
compact
each sample
into a steel
mold with Cured soil

standard
procedures
Compaction mold
 Foundation Engineering

Proctor Compaction Test Summary

 Then, strike
off excess
soil so the
mold has a
known
volume of
soil.
 Foundation Engineering

Laboratory Compaction Test

- to obtain the compaction curve and define the optimum water content
and maximum dry density for a specific compactive effort.

Standard Proctor: Modified Proctor:

hammer

• 3 layers • 5 layers

• 25 blows per layer • 25 blows per layer

• 5.5 lb hammer • 10 lb hammer

• 12 in drop • 18 in drop

•12,400 ft-lb/ft3 •56,000 ft-lb/ft3

1000 ml compaction mould

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 Foundation Engineering

Compaction Control
-a systematic exercise where you check at regular intervals whether the compaction
was done to specifications.

e.g., 1 test per 1000

m3 of compacted • Minimum dry density
soil • Range of water content

Field measurements (of ρd) obtained using

• sand cone
• nuclear density meter

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 Foundation Engineering

Effect of Compactive Effort

Dry density (ρ )
Dry density (ρd)d

Increasing compactive
effort results in:
 Lower optimum
water content
E2 (>E1)
E2 (>E1)  Higher maximum
dry density

All compaction points should lie to the left

of ZAV curve
E
E1 1

Water content
Water content 15
Water content
 Foundation Engineering

Compaction Curve
Dry density (ρ )
Dry density (ρd)d

Soil grains densely packed

- good strength and stiffness

- low permeability
ρd, max

optimum
water content Water content
Water content 16
 Foundation Engineering

Line of Optimum
Dry density (ρ )
Dry density (ρd)d

Compaction curves for

different efforts

Line of optimum

Water content
Water content 17