Compaction: Prof. (DR) K.S. Wagh

Compaction :
Presentation By:
Prof. (Dr) K.S. Wagh
COMPACTION Dr. KSW 1
COMPACTION
TOPIC CONTENTS : (5 Lectures)
Theory & Necessity of Compaction,
Effects of Compaction on soil
Factors Influencing Compaction,
Compacted Density
Laboratory Tests:
Standard Proctor Compaction test.
Modified Proctor Compaction test.
Measurement of Field Compaction.
Field Compaction Control.
COMPACTION
TOPIC CONTENTS : (5 Lectures)
Compaction on wet and dry side of OMC.

Compaction behaviour of sand.
Compaction at Site
Equipments for field compaction
Measurement of field compaction,
Compaction specifications and control.

USE OF SOILS AS :
* Foundation Strata (In-situ /Undisturbed )
* Construction Material ( Remolded )
**Soil is essentially used as construction material

as far as compaction of soils is concerned **
Field situations /constructions where soil is compacted :
PLINTH-FILLING NOT CONSIDERED A MAJOR COMPACTION

WORK
1. Construction of earthen embankments
2. Construction of hearting and casing for earth-dams.
3. Construction of approach banks for bridges.
4. Construction of base / sub-base layers for roads / railways.
5. Construction of helipads and airports / runways /taxiways.
What is compaction?
A simple ground improvement technique, where the soil

is densified through external compactive effort.
Loose Soil
Dense / Compacted
Energy
Input + water =
+ WATER =
5
COMPACTION PROCESS:
~ instantaneous / rapid process
~ expulsion of air
~ reduction of voids space
~ reduction of total volume of soil
~ closer packing of soil-solid grains
~ increase of unit weight
Compaction is an instantaneous or rapid process
resulting in increase of dry unit weight of soil and
reduction of total volume of soil on account of
reduction of voids space due to expulsion of air,
effected by mechanical means.
COMPACTION PLACE SOIL IN DENSE STATE

EFFECTS OF COMPACTION ON SOIL :
(OBJECTIVES OF COMPACTION)
1. Reduction in total volume of soil. (Desired)
2. Reduces void’s ratio and porosity. (Desired)
3. Reduction in permeability of soil. (Desired)
4. Reduction in shrinkage of soil. (Desired)
5. Increase in dry unit weight. (Desired)
6. Increase in shear strength of soil. (Desired)
7. Increases resistance to repeated loading. (Desired)
8. Reduces compressibility i.e. future settlement (Desired)
9. Increase in swell-potential of soil. (Undesired)

General Compaction Methods
Coarse-grained soils Fine-grained soils
Laboratory
•Falling weight and hammers

•Vibrating hammer
•Kneading compactors
•Static loading and press
•Hand-operated vibration plates

•Motorized vibratory rollers
•Hand-operated tampers
•Rubber-tired equipment
•Sheep-foot rollers
Field
•Free-falling-weight;
•Rubber-tired rollers
•Dynamic-compaction
•(low frequency vibration, 4~10 Hz)
Vibration Kneading
Variables of Compaction
Proctor established that compaction is a
function of four variables:
(1) Dry density (d) or dry unit weight (d ).
(2) Water content w %
(3) Energy /effort for compacting soil (energy - E)
(4) Soil type:
Plasticity (Fine grained) # Presence and type of clay minerals
Gradation (Coarse grained) # Largest grain-size present , gr. size
distribution

Laboratory Compaction test
• Equipment Handle
collar (mould
extension)
Sleeve guide
Cylindrical
soil mould
Hammer for
compacting soil
Base plate
Mould Hammer Hammer
volume mass drop
Standard 1000 2.5 300
Modified 1000 4.9 450

Standard Proctor Compaction Test : (Lab.Test)
The fundamentals of compaction of fine-grained soils
were put forward R.R. Proctor in the early 1930.
1. Dry unit weight for soil is the measure for assessing
compaction.
2. Soil fraction < 4.76 mm size , dry soil @2.5 kg.
3. Initial compaction set @ 5 % to 7 % water mixed
with soil.
4. Subsequent compaction sets an increment of water
content @ 3 – 4 %
5. Each set compaction in three layers, twenty-five
blows per layer.
6. Compacted soil volume and weight recorded to give
bulk unit weight. COMPACTION Dr. KSW 11
I.S. Light Compaction
Volume = 1000 c.c. Test Equipment
Rammer Wt. = 2.6 kg Standard Proctor test equipment
Fall / Drop = 310 mm

The first four blows
The successive blows
100 mm

7. Water content for compacted soil determined
accurately for each set.
8. Successive compaction sets are continued .
Minimum two more sets after weight of soil compacted
in mould starts reducing .
9. From each compaction set (w % and d) data plotted
to develop compaction curve giving M.D.D. @ O.M.C.
10. Complete removal of air from soil by compaction is
not practically possible.
11. Theoretical Zero Air Voids Density computed as …
Corresponding to MDD at OMC ….
Assuming sr = 1.00 , e = Gs . w
zav = { ( Gs . w ) / ( 1 + Gs . w ) }
THEORETICAL ZERO AIR VOIDS DENSITY COMPUTED AS
Corresponding to MDD at OMC …. Assuming sr = 1.00 ,
e = Gs . W and γzav = { ( Gs . γ w ) / ( 1 + Gs . w ) }
SATURATION DENSITY LINE NEVER MEET OR CROSS COMPACTION CURVE
80 % Saturation Density Line
PRACTICALLY
NOT POSSIBLE
Compaction Curve

COMPACTION CURVE
Impossible
Dry unit weight
Zero-air-
voids line
Sr = 100%
Sr = 90%
Sr = 50%
Sr = 75%
Moisture content
Factors Affecting Compaction of soil :
1. Amount of water present in soil during its
compaction ( at O.M.C., dry of O.M.C. and
wet of O.M.C.) for given soil and compactive
effort / energy.
2. Largest grain-size (Type of soil …coarse \ fine
grained ) for given soil and compactive
effort / energy.
3. Energy used for compacting soil.( Standard /
Modified Proctor Test ) for given soil and
water content.

Dry of O.M.C. (-2 to +1 %) Wet of O.M.C. (+ 2 to 3 %)

Compaction Curve for Cohesive- soil
Dry side of OMC: Humped nature for compaction curve and peak represents
M.D.D. at OMC. Increase in grain-size reduces sharpness of hump. As the water
content increases, the particles develop larger and larger water films around them,
which tend to “lubricate” the particles and make them easier to be moved about
and reoriented into a denser configuration with expulsion of air / reduction in v v
and vt. Energy applied for compacting soil is used more efficiently. This results in
closer packing of soil particles and increase of dry unit weight. M.D.D.@ O.M.C.
At OMC:
The dry unit weight is at the maximum, and it
does not increase any further with increase of d
w %. beyond OMC. Void ratio is minimum
and it does not further reduce.
Wet side of OMC): Dry of OMC Wet of OMC
Volume/space occupied by water increases instead of soil,
w
And since w << s the dry density starts to decrease. Degree of saturation
increases whereas void ratio increases and simultaneously air - pockets get
entrapped. Energy applied for compacting soil is partly wasted in attempting
compaction of incompressible water. This reduces the dry unit weight.
Amount of water present in soil during its compaction
Nature & Characteristics of compacted soil …
Dry of O.M.C. (-2 to +1 %) M.D.D. @O.M.C.
d
$ Flocculated structure ….
$ Random strong contacts..
$ Brittle nature ..
$ Isotropic and more ‘permeability - k’... w
$ More swell-potential…
$ Low shrinkage…
$ More UCS…
$ Less tolerance for deformation …
$ Preferred for …(Base / sub-base layers for roads /
railways.… Shell or casing for zoned earth-dam )
Nature & Characteristics of compacted soil …
Wet of O.M.C. (+ 2 to 3 %)
$ Dispersed structure M.D.D. @O.M.C.
$ Oriented weak contacts d
$ Ductile nature
$ Less UCS
$ Less swell-potential w
$ Higher shrinkage
$ Anisotropic and less ‘permeability - k’
$ More tolerance for deformation …
(Hearting /core for earth-dam , impervious blankets )

SOIL - STRUCTURE
Dry side Wet side
More random More oriented (parallel)
For a given compactive effort, soils have a flocculated structure on the dry side (i.e.
soil particles are oriented randomly), whereas they have a dispersed structure on the
wet side (i.e. particles are more oriented in a parallel arrangement perpendicular to
the direction of applied stress). This is due to the well-developed adsorbed water layer
(water film) surrounding each particle on the wet side.
Engineering Properties-Summary
Compaction Curve for Cohesive- soil
Dry side Wet side
Structure More random More oriented
(parallel)
Permeability More permeable Less permeable
Compressibility More compressible in More compressible in

high pressure range low pressure range
Swell more,
Swelling *Shrink more
higher water
deficiency
Strength Higher Lower

ENGINEERING BEHAVIOUR OF COMPACTED SOILS
Swelling
Due to a higher water deficiency and partially developed water
films in the dry side, when given access to water, the soil will soak
in much more water and then swell more.
Shrinkage
During drying, soils compacted in the wet side tend to show more
shrinkage than those compacted in the dry side. In the wet side,
the more orderly orientation of particles allows them to pack
more efficiently.
Construction Pore Water Pressure
The compaction of man-made deposits proceeds layer by layer,
and pore water pressures are induced in the previous layers. Soils
compacted wet of optimum will have higher pore water pressures
compared to soils compacted dry of optimum, which have initially
negative pore water pressure.
ENGINEERING BEHAVIOUR OF COMPACTED SOILS
Permeability
The randomly oriented soil in the dry side exhibits the same
permeability in all directions, whereas the dispersed soil in the
wet side is more permeable along particle orientation than
across particle orientation.
Compressibility
At low applied stresses, the dry compacted soil is less

compressible on account of its truss-like arrangement of
particles whereas the wet compacted soil is more compressible.

Different Compaction Tests : (Lab. Tests)
1.Standard Proctor Compaction Test : ( AASHO )
Rammer wt. = 2.494 kg, Drop / fall = 30.48 cms
No .of layers = 3 , Blows / layer = 25, Volume of mould = 944 cc
2.Modified Proctor Compaction Test : ( Modified AASHO )

Rammer wt. = 4.54 kg, , Drop / fall = 45.72 cms
No. of layers = 5 , Blows/layer =25, Volume of mould = 944 cc
3. I.S. Light Compaction Test :

Rammer wt. = 2.6 kg , Drop / fall =31 cms
No .of layers = 3 , Blows/layer = 25 , Volume of mould = 1000 cc
4. I.S. Heavy Compaction Test :

Rammer wt. = 4.9 kg , Drop / fall = 45 cms
No .of layers = 5 , Blows/ layer = 25 , Volume of mould =1000 cc
Standard / Modified Proctor
Compaction Tests-Why?
• Earlier construction equipments were small and gave
relatively low compaction densities. Laboratory method that
used a small amount of compacting energy was required i.e.
Standard Proctor Compaction Test. Later construction
equipments and procedures were developed which gave higher
compaction densities, it became necessary to increase the
amount of compacting energy in the laboratory test i.e.
Modified Proctor Compaction Test. .
• The modified test was developed to better represent the
compaction required for airfield to support heavy aircrafts.
Increasing the effort / energy applied for compacting soil
tends to increase the maximum dry density and also tends to
decrease the optimum moisture content.
Total Energy Imparted to Soil for Compacting It
In Standard Proctor Compaction Test :
Total Energy = E
=(Rammer wt) * (Drop/ fall)* (No.of Blows)*(No. of layers)
= 2.494 * 30.48 * 25 * 3 = 5701.284 kg-cm
Total Energy Imparted to Soil for Compacting It

In Modified Proctor Compaction Test :
Total Energy = E
=(Rammer wt) *(Drop/ fall)* (No. of Blows)*(No. of layers)
= 4.54 * 45.72 * 25 * 5 = 25946.1 kg-cm
Summary
Standard Proctor Modified Proctor
Compaction Test Compaction Test
12 inch / 30.48 cm as 18 inch / 45.72 cm as

fall or drop for rammer
fall or drop for rammer
10 lb / 4.54 kg hammer weight
5.5 lb / 2.5 kg hammer weight
3 layers with 25 blows / layer 5 layers with 25 blows / layer
Mold size: 1/30 ft (944 cc)

3 Mold size: 1/30 ft3 (944 cc)
Energy 12,375 ft·lb/ft 3 Energy 56,250 ft·lb/ft3
= 6.055 kg-cm/cc = 25.52 kg-cm/cc
Lower compacting energy Higher compacting energy

Standard / Modified Proctor Tests Compaction Curves
Saturation / Zero air voids Density Line
Peak point Line of optimum Zero air void
Zero air void

Dry density d (Mg/m3)
Line of optimums
Dry density d (lb/ft3)

d max
Modified
Proctor
Standard
Proctor
OMC
Water Content w (%)
Energy used for compacting soil.( Standard / Modified Proctor Test )
for given soil and water content.
Energy used
for compacting
soil.
( Standard /
Modified
Proctor Test )
for given soil and
water content.

Energy used
for compacting
soil.
{ STATIC
LOAD }
for given soil
and water
content.

Largest grain-size
(Type of soil )…
(coarse grained or
fine grained)
For given water content and
Energy used for compacting soil

Line of Optimum
Dry density (d)
Compaction curves
for different efforts
Line of optimum
35 Water content
Type of soil…. COMPACTION CURVE FOR SANDS
COMPACTION CURVE FOR COHESION-LESS SOIL
NARROW RANGE
Compaction At Either Dry or

Complete Saturation Gives More
Dry Unit Weight

COMPACTION FOR COHESION-LESS SOIS
For cohesion-less soils, it is usual to specify a magnitude of
relative density (ID) that must be achieved. If e is the current
void ratio or d is the current dry density, the relative density is
usually defined in percentage as
or
where e max and e min are the maximum and minimum void ratios
that can be determined from standard tests in the laboratory, and
d-min and d-max are the respective minimum and maximum dry
densities COMPACTION Dr. KSW 37
Effects of Soil Type on Compaction
The Soil Type -that is, grain-size distribution, shape of the soil
grains, specific gravity of soil solids, and amount and type of clay
minerals present.

FIELD COMPACTION :
1. Reference M.D.D. at O.M.C. from STANDARD /
MODIFIED Proctor Compaction Test
2. Decision @ compacting dry or wet of OMC ( soil-
type and requirement )
3. Availability and requirement / suitability about
type of roller ( smooth-wheeled , rubber- tyred ,
sheep-foot, vibratory)
4. Trials for number of passes and lift / thickness
(15 to 23 cm as range for layer thickness trials)
using suitable roller & proper water-content in soil.

FIELD COMPACTION CRITERION :
a. Cohesive soils :
Minimum 95 % of M.D.D. from laboratory
Standard Proctor Compaction Test
OR
Minimum 95 % of M.D.D. from laboratory
Modified Proctor Compaction Test
b. Cohesion-less soils :
Minimum 100 % but desired 03 to 04 % in
excess of Maximum Dry Density from Modified
Proctor Compaction Test.

Field Compaction Equipment
There is a wide range of compaction equipment. The compaction
achieved will depend on the thickness of lift (or layer), the type of
roller, the no. of passes of the roller, and the intensity of pressure
on the soil. The selection of equipment depends on the soil type as
indicated.
Equipment Most suitable soils Least suitable soils
Smooth steel drum Well-graded sand- Uniform sands,

rollers (static or gravel, crushed rock, silty sands, soft
vibratory) asphalt clays
Pneumatic tyred Most coarse and fine Very soft clays
rollers soils

Field Compaction Equipment
Equipment Most suitable soils Least suitable soils
Sheep - foot Fine grained soils, sands Uniform gravels,

Rollers and gravels with > 20% very coarse soils
fines
Grid rollers Weathered rock, well- Uniform materials,
graded coarse soils silty clays, clays
Vibrating Coarse soils with 4 to 8%
plates fines
Tampers and All soil types

rammers

Compaction Equipment
Equipment Most suitable soils
Smooth wheeled rollers, static or Well graded sand-gravel, crushed rock,
vibrating asphalt
Rubber tired rollers Coarse grained soils with some fines
Grid rollers Weathered rock, well graded coarse
soils
Sheepsfoot rollers, static Fine grained soils with > 20% fines
Sheepsfoot rollers, vibratory as above, but also sand-gravel mixes
Vibrating plates Coarse soils, 4 to 8% fines
Tampers, rammers All types
Impact rollers Most saturated and moist soils

SMOOTH-WHEEL ROLLER

PNEUMATIC (OR RUBBER-TIRED) ROLLER

SHEEPS FOOT ROLLERS

TAMPING FOOT ROLLER

VIBRATING DRUM ON
SMOOTH-WHEEL ROLLER

DYNAMIC COMPACTION

Compaction Equipment-Summary

Control Parameters
• Dry unit weight and water content correlate
well with the engineering properties of
compacted soil, and therefore they are
convenient construction / compaction control
parameters.
• The objective of compaction is to stabilize soils
and improve their engineering behavior. It is
important to keep in mind the desired engineering
properties of the compacted fill, not just its dry
unit weight and water content. This point is often
lost in the earthwork construction / compaction
control.

Determine the Relative Compaction in Field
• Where and When ?
• First, the test site is selected. It should be representative or
typical of the compacted lift and borrow material. Typical
specifications call for a new field test for every 1000 to 3000 m2
or so, or when the borrow material changes significantly. It is
also advisable to make the field test at least one or maybe two
compacted lifts below the already compacted ground surface,
especially when sheepfoot rollers are used or in granular soils.
• Method?
• Field control tests, measuring the dry density and water content
in the field can either be destructive or nondestructive.

FIELD COMPACTION CONTROL AND
VERIFICATION :
Density or dry unit wt. developed for compacted soil is
verified along-with soil-moisture using suitable method.
1. Core-cutter method
2. Sand-replacement method/
3. Open pit method
4. Proctor needle method
5. Using Nuclear Density / Moisture Gauge

Destructive Methods
(a) Sand cone (a)
b) Balloon Inflation
(b)
c) Oil (or water) method
Calculations (c)
•Know bulk soil weight and total
volume

•Get dry and w% (water content)
•Compare dry with and calculate
relative compaction R.C.
Nondestructive Methods
(a)
Nuclear density meter
(a) Direct transmission
(b) Backscatter
(c) Air gap
Principles
Density
The Gamma radiation is scattered by the soil (b)
particles and the amount of scatter is
proportional to the total density of the material.
The Gamma radiation is typically provided by Holtz and Kovacs, 1981
the radium or a radioactive isotope of cesium.
Water content
The water content can be determined based on
the neutron scatter by hydrogen atoms. Typical (c)
neutron sources are americium-beryllium
isotopes.

Compaction: Prof. (DR) K.S. Wagh

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Compaction :

Compaction on wet and dry side of OMC.

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 3

**Soil is essentially used as construction material

Field situations /constructions where soil is compacted :

PLINTH-FILLING NOT CONSIDERED A MAJOR COMPACTION

A simple ground improvement technique, where the soil

COMPACTION PLACE SOIL IN DENSE STATE

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 7

•Falling weight and hammers

•Hand-operated vibration plates

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 9

Modified 1000 4.9 450

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 10

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 12

The successive blows

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 13

80 % Saturation Density Line

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 15

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 17

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 18

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 21

Compressibility More compressible in More compressible in

Strength Higher Lower

At low applied stresses, the dry compacted soil is less

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 25

2.Modified Proctor Compaction Test : ( Modified AASHO )

3. I.S. Light Compaction Test :

4. I.S. Heavy Compaction Test :

Total Energy Imparted to Soil for Compacting It

12 inch / 30.48 cm as 18 inch / 45.72 cm as

Mold size: 1/30 ft (944 cc)

Energy 12,375 ft·lb/ft 3 Energy 56,250 ft·lb/ft3

= 6.055 kg-cm/cc = 25.52 kg-cm/cc

Lower compacting energy Higher compacting energy

Zero air void

Dry density d (lb/ft3)

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 32

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 33

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 34

Compaction At Either Dry or

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 36

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 38

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 39

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 40

Smooth steel drum Well-graded sand- Uniform sands,

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 41

Sheep - foot Fine grained soils, sands Uniform gravels,

Tampers and All soil types

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 42

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 43

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 46

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 47

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 48

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 49

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 50

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 51

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 52

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 53

COMPACTION Dr. KSW 54

3. Open pit method

4. Proctor needle method

5. Using Nuclear Density / Moisture Gauge