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SOIL MECHANICS

3 SOIL COMPACTION

1. INTRODUCTION

Compaction is the process by which the soil particles are artificially rearranged and packed
together into a closer state of contact by mechanical means in order to decrease the porosity
of the soil and this increases its dry density. The air present is soil voids is expelled out using
compaction.

2. STANDARD PROCTOR TEST

This test was developed for the construction of earth fill dams in the state of California.
The test equipment consists of
(i) Cylindrical metal mould (interaldia = 10.15 cm and volume = 0.945 lit)
(ii) Detachable base plate.
(iii) Collar (effective height = 5cm)
(iv) Hammer (mass = 2.5 kg), falling through height of 30.5 cm.
In this test soil is completed at various water content in three equal layers, each layer being
given 25 number of blows through rammer the dry density obtained in each test is determined
by knowing the mass of the completed soil and its water content. The compactive energy used
for this test is 595 kJ/m3.
In order to stimulate the heavy compaction, required for heavy transport, modified proctor test
is used. In this test the number of layers increased to 5. And number of blows to each layer
remain same. Mass of rammer is 4.54 kg in this and the height of fall is taken as 45.72 mm.
The result, in form of dry density at different water contents in then represented on graph and
the cure which is obtained is known as compaction curve.
Zero air void line or
100% saturation line
d
max

dry density
( d ) Compaction curve

OMC
()
Water content

OMC = optimum moisture content

The moisture content at maximum dry density is known as optimum moisture content.

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Zero air voids line:

A line which shows the water content dry density relation for the compacted soil containing a
constant percentage air void is known as an air- voids line. And can be expressed by the
following expression.
(1 − 𝑛𝑎 )𝐺𝛾𝑤
𝛾𝑑 =
1 + 𝑤𝐺
Where,
na = percent air voids
W = water content of compacted soil
γd = dry unit weight
G = specific gravity
γw = unit weight of water
So, zero air void line means, na = 0
𝐺𝛾𝑤
𝛾𝑑 =
1 + 𝑤𝐺
Alternatively, a line showing the relation between the water content and dry density for
constant degree of saturation 'S' can be expressed as follows.
𝐺𝛾𝑤
𝛾𝑑 =
𝑤𝐺
1+
𝑠
Here, s = degree of saturation
When s = 1, zero air void line is equals to the 100% saturation line.
Example: A sample of soil having water content 11% was prepared for compaction test. What
will be the dry density of the soil at zero air content for this moisture content if the specific
gravity of the soil is 2.64
Solution.
𝐺𝛾𝑤 2.64×1
The dry density of soil at zero air content = 𝛾𝑑 = = = 2.04 𝑔/𝑐𝑐
1+𝑤𝐺 1+0.11×2.64

Example: The optimum moisture content and dry density of the soil is 26.4% and 14.28
kN/m3. What would be the degree of saturation at the OMC if the specific gravity of the soil is
2.65.
Solution.
As,
𝐺𝛾𝑤
𝛾𝑑 =
𝑤𝐺
1+
𝑠
2.65 × 9.81
⇒ 𝛾𝑑 = = 14.28
0.264 × 2.65
1+
𝑆
⇒ 𝑆 = 0.8526 = 85.26

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3. FACTOR AFFECTING COMPACTION

(i) Water content:

As the water content is increased, the compacted density goes increasing till a maximum dry
density is achieved and after that further addition of water decreases the density. This is due
to the reason that, at lower water content, soil is relatively stiff and offers higher resistance to
compaction and does not pack into denser state resulting in lower dry unit weight with increase
in water content, more and more layers of water is formed around the soil solids which includes
lubrication effective as a result of which they can be easily worked around in the denser state
of packing under the given compaction.
(ii) Degree of compaction:
The amount of compaction greatly affects the maximum dry density and optimum water
content of a given soil the effect of increasing the compactive energy results in the increase in
the maximum dry density and decrease in the optimum water content. The increase in
maximum dry density does not have a linear relationship with increase of compactive effort.
Line of optimus

20 blows

dry density 15 blows

10 blows
5 blows
Water content
(iii) Method of compaction:
The density obtained during the compaction, for a given soil, greatly depends upon the type of
compaction or the manner in which the compactive effort is applied. The various variables are
(a) Weight of compacting equipment
(b) Manner of operation (dynamic or impact, static, kneading o rolling)
(c) Time and area of contact between the compacting element and the soil.
(iv) Types of soil:
Well graded coarse-grained soil with fines is found to have maximum dry density and
corresponding lower OMC. With increase in percentage fineness, maximum dry unit weight of
these soil reduces. Poorly graded coarse-grained soil is found to have minimum dry density.
Fine grained soil is generally found to have higher OMC and lower water maximum dry unit
weight. With increase in plasticity of this fine grained soil either maximum dry unit weight
decreases and corresponding OMC increases.

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4. EFFECT OF COMPACTION ON SOIL PROPERTIES

(i) Change in structure of soil:

The structure of a soil during compaction depends upon various factors.
(a) Types of Soil
(b) Molding water content
(c) Type and amount of compaction.
Effect of compaction on structure is found to be more prominent in fine grained soils in
comparison to coarse grained soils with increase in water content at a particular compactive
effort, orientation of the soil particles improves. Structure on dry of optimum is found to be
flocculent and wet of optimum is found to be dispersed. With increase in compactive effort at
same water content orientation of the soil particle also improves.
(ii) Permeability:
Following change are being noticed,
(a) As the dry density increases due to compaction, the void go on reducing and hence the
permeability goes on decreasing.
(b) For the same density, fine grained samples compacted dry of optimum are more permeable
than those compacted wet of optimum. This is so because these soils have flocculated structure
when completed dry of optimum, and have dispersed structure. When compacted wet of
optimum.
(c) For a given voids ratio, greater the size of individual pores, greater is the permeability.
(d) As the compactive effort is increased, the permeability of soil decreases because of the
increased dry density and better orientation of particles.
(iii) Swelling:
A clayey soil sample compacted dry of optimum water content has high water deficiency and
more random orientation and hence exert greater swelling pressure and swell to higher water
content than the sample of the same density obtained from side compaction.
(iv) Shrinkage:
For the same density, soil sample completed dry of optimum shrink appreciably less than the
sample compacted wet of optimum. This is so because the soil particles having dispersed
structure have nearly parallel orientation and can pack more efficiently.
(v) Pore pressure:
Saturated sample of clay, compacted dry of optimum tend to develop substantially lower pore
pressure at low strains in untrained shear test than the sample of the same soil of the same
density and water content, compacted wet of optimum. However at higher strains, both the
samples exhibit the same pore pressure.
(vi) Compressibility:
At lower stress level, due to stronger inter particle bands, compressibility on dry of optimum
side is found to be less but at the higher stress when the structure is broken, compressibility
on the dry side increases.
(vii) Strength:
Due to strength inter particle bonds, strength on dry of optimum side is found to be more than
the strength on wet of optimum side.
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