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SOIL COMPACTION
Omitted Sections
6.6, 6.7, 6.8
SOIL COMPACTION
Ex.
Earth dams
Highways
Airfields
etc.
Definition
Compaction is the densification of soils by removal of air
through the application of mechanical energy.
reduced
Air
Air
Compaction
Water Water
Solid Solid
SOIL COMPACTION
General Principle
The degree of compaction of soil is measured by its dry unit weight.
When water is added during compaction it acts as a softening agent
on the soil particles.
gd(max)
When the moisture content is
Soil Solid gradually increased, the weight
of the soil solids in a unit
water
volume gradually increases.
Soil Solid
Soil Solid
water
Soil Solid
SOIL COMPACTION
Mold Hammer
Process of Compaction
Several samples are mixed at different water contents
Compact according to the compaction test (standard or modified).
W
g moist
Vmold
W = Weight of compacted soil in the mold
Vmold = Volume of the mold = (1/30 ft3)
For each test find the moisture
content of the compacted soil.
The dry unit weight is given by
g moist
gd
1 w
Plot gd vs. w
From the plot, find OMC and g d (max)
Standard Proctor Test
REMARKS
1. Each data point on the curve represent a single compaction test.
9. The approximation to field is not exact because the lab. test is a dynamic
impact type, whereas field compaction is essentially a kneading-type
compaction.
10. In the field, compactive effort is the number of passes or “coverage” of the
roller of a certain type and weight on a given volume of soil.
Standard Proctor Test
Theoretical g d(max)
The maximumg d (max)is obtained when no air in the voids (i.e. s =100%)
Gs
gd gw
1 e
but wGs se
for S 100% e wGs
Gs g
g z av gw 1 w
1 wGs G
w
s
The relationship between gzav and w can be obtained as shown in the figure across.
Compaction curve is always to the left of the zero-air-void curve.
No matter how much water is added, the soil never
becomes completely saturated by compaction.
Standard Proctor Test
Sandy clay SC 19 12
Typical
Standard Proctor
TEXT IN SI UNITS
EXAMPLE 6.1
TEXT IN SI UNITS
EXAMPLE 6.1
TEXT IN SI UNITS
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
Example (2nd Midterm Exam Fall 40-41)
If you are checking the field compaction of a layer of soil and the compaction curve
for the soil is shown in Figure 1. From the specifications, the dry density of the
compacted soil should be at least 95% of the maximum value and within ± 1% of
the optimum water content. When you did the sand cone test, the volume of the soil
excavated was 1153 cm3. It weighed 2209 grams wet and 1875 grams dry.
Modified Proctor
Standard Proctor Test
Test
Layer 5
Layer 4
Layer 3
Drop = 457.2 mm Layer 2
(18 in) Layer 1
Drop = 304.8 mm
(12 in)
hammer hammer
= 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) = 4.54 kg (10 lb)
Modified Proctor Test
Standard Modified
Proctor Proctor
Test Test
Volume of mold 944 cm3 944 cm3
# of layers 3 5
Mass of hammer 2.5 kg 4.54 kg
Drop of hammer 30.5 cm 45.7 cm
# of hammer blows 25 25
Compaction Energy for Unit Volume of Soil
(25)(3)5.5(1)
E 12375 ft - lb/ft 3 592.5 kN m / m3 600 kN m / m3
(1 / 30)
(25)(5)10(1.5)
E 56250 ft - lb/ft 3 2693.3 kN m / m3 2700 kN m / m3
(1 / 30)
Note: In the field, compactive effort is the number of passes of the roller of
a certain type and weight on a given volume of soil.
SOIL COMPACTION
FIELD COMPACTION
FIELD COMPACTION
3. Sheepsfoot rollers
4. Vibratory rollers
FIELD COMPACTION
3.Sheepsfoot rollers
Drums with a large number of projections
4.Vibratory rollers
Efficient in compacting granular soils
Vibrators can be attached to smooth-wheel, pneumatic rubber-tired,
or sheepsfoot rollers to provide vibratory effects to the soil.
Handheld vibratory
Handheld vibratory plates can be used for effective compaction of
granular soils over a limited area.
FACTORS AFFECTINGFIELD COMPACTION
Soil type
Moisture content
Thickness of lift
Intensity of pressure
Relationship between dry unit weight Relationship between dry unit weight,
and number of passes number of passes, and depth.
SPECIFICATIONS FOR FIELD COMPACTION
Usually it is required for the contractor to achieve a compacted field dry unit weight
of say 90 to 95% of the maximum dry unit weight determined in the laboratory by
either the standard or modified Proctor test (Recall previous examples).
where
FIELD COMPACTION
Dividing by
R
1 R
FIELD COMPACTION
Solve for R
Common Methods:
1. Sand cone method
3. Nuclear method
Sand cone method
Proctor test
Proctor test
Vibroflotation
where D50, D20, and D10 are the diameters (in mm) through
which, respectively, 50, 20, and 10% of the material passes.
Compaction over
a large area
EXAMPLE 6.11
Special Compaction Techniques
Dynamic Compaction
Densification of granular soil deposits
Dropping a heavy weight on the ground at regular intervals
Weight of hammer 80-360 kN
Hammer drop 7.5-30.5 m
Blasting
Compaction (up to a relative
density of 80%) up to a depth of
about 18 m over a large area can
easily be achieved.
Usually the explosive charges
are placed at a depth of about
two-thirds of the thickness of
the soil layer desired to be
compacted.
THE END