Construction of Fills and Embankment:

Construc tion of Fi lls and Embankment

An stable embarkment is attained by spreading the materials into a

thin layer then compacted at a moisture content closer to optimum.
These layered process of compaction produces uniformity and higher
density of the material and moisture content. On the other hand,
filling materials which are just dumped in thick layers even if
compacted will have a varying density and moisture contents from
one spot to another. This will result to differential settlement or swell
between the adjacent areas of the embankment.
The AASHTO-ARBA Joint Committee on Compaction of
Earthwork proposed the following amendment to the
original AASFIIO density requirements to wit:

• 1. Granular aggregates or those with only slight

degree of plasticity, should be compactedto 95%-
100%
• 2. Fine grained aggregate possessing a low degree of
plasticity is compacted to approximately 100% at a
moisture content near laboratory optimum.
• 3. Densities for aggregate possessing moderate to
high plasticity should not be so high as to lead to
subsequent swelling Compacting procedures should
not exceed the aggregate shear strength
• 4. Clay soil should not be over. compacted beyond
about 90% to avoid post construction swelling.
• Field control is a matter of ascertaining and
defining the specific procedures to be done.
what is important is the manner and
methods that will yield the expected result.
• The problems encountered in the control of
embankment construction are:
1.Difliculties in maintaining uniform moisture content.
This is due to: a) Variable wetness of the soil.
• b) Problems in evenly distributing and mixing in water.
• c) Evaporation or rainfall during compaction.
2. Some soil may not easily assimilate water unless
wetting agent is employed, Sometimes soil type cannot
be segregated during construction unless brought to
laboratory.
3. Materials re hauled from different sources and
segregation of the same type is difficult in the actual
work.
Construction Requirements and Equipment:

1.Density test requirements

DPWH MINIMUM TESTING REQUIREMENTS. For every 500 m2 of each layer of compacted fill
or fraction thereof at least one group of 3 in-situ density tests. The layer shall be placed not exceeding
200 mm in loose measurement or based on the result of compaction trials.
2.Moisture control
Moisture control consists of: Preventing water intrusion and condensation in areas of a
building that must remain dry. Limiting the areas of a building that are routinely wet
because of their use (e.g., bathrooms, spas, kitchens and janitorial closets) and drying them
out when they do get wet.
3.Compaction equipment
A) Tamping Roller varies from light unit test weight 6,000 to 10,000 lbs. for an 8ft width. For giant
fully loaded roller, 75,000lbs for a l0 ft. width.
B) Grid Rollers is effective in breaking down clods and soft rock.
C) Pneumatic Tire Roller with rubber tires, weighing g tons or more. 200 tons for airport.
D) Smooth Tired Roller of two or three-wheeled type used to compact bases and bituminous surface.
E) Vibratory Compactor is effective in compacting stones of Macadam road.
F) Hauling and Spreading equipment
Embankment on Swampy Areas

Conventional construction of roadways in swampy area is not

advisable because record shows that muck and plate provide
unstable support for fills causing failure of highways and
railroads. Construction of roadway through swampy area
requires either of the following methods:

1.Removal and replacement of unsuitable materials.

2. Displacement under the following methods:

a) Surcharging method
b) Vertical sand drain
c) Fabric reinforcement
d) weight reduction
• Removal and Replacement Method is applicable where the unstable material is shallow or thin. Unstable
materials are removed to the level of the underlying materials before filling.
• Displacement Method. Imported materials are carefully placed along the advancing slope allowed to flow under
the dense muck to displace it. Sometimes a trench almost equal to the width of the embankment may 6e blasted
out and backfilled at once with stable materials. The blast pushes part of the muck out of the trench and the
other portion is liquified for easy displacement. Where muck is deeper or thick, the under-fill method of
displacement is applied. The trench is blasted and a large volume of the fill material is dropped to settle into the
peak. The Relief Method is also employed after the fill materials are dumped in place. Relief ditches are blasted
along the side of the fill to displace the underlying muck.
• Surcharging Method is applied on low fill over shallow muck up to 30 or 40 centimeters depth. Where top of the
muck is soft, displacement through careful filling is done. The fill is then built-up in compacted layers to its
elevation allowing settlement to its final grade. Surcharge of un-compacted fill material is laid to add weight and
accelerate the flow of water from the muck speeding up consolidation. care should be exercised not to exceed
the shearing strength of the muck otherwise, displacement of the muck and settlement of the fill may take place.
After a period of consolidation, the surcharge material is removed and replaced with base course and temporary
pavement.
• The Vertical Sand Drain Method provides rapid consolidation of deep layer muck. sand drains are vertical columns of sand
that penetrate the muck almost to solid materials. Across this top is a horizontal blanket extending through the side slope of
the fill. under the pressure induced by fill and surcharge, subsurface water flows up the drain and out of the fill. Rapid
consolidation of the muck follows:
• The Fabric Reinforcement Method is covering the muck with permeable fabrics.
• Weight Reduction Method is installing a block of styrofoam over the muck to reduce the weight of the fill.
• DPWH Specifications on Embankment (Item-104)
• Embankment shall be constructed of suitable materials defined as:
1.Suitable Materials are materials acceptable that could be compacted in accordance with the contract as specified. Selected
Borrow for topping. Soils graded particles that passes a 75 mm (3") sieve square openings and not more than 15 mass percent
will pass the 0.075 mm (No. 200) sieve. The material shall have a Plastic lndex not more than 6 and liquid limit not more than 30.
2.Unstable Materials are
a) materials other than suitable materials such as: a) Materials containing detrimental quantities of organic substances like
grass, roots and sewage.
b) Highly organic soils like peat and muck.
c) Soils with liquid limit exceeding 80 and or plastic index exceeding 55.
d) Soils with natural water content exceeding I00yo
e) Soils with very low natural density of 800 kg./^t or lower.
• Methods of Construction
1. Where embankment lower than 120 centimeters below the sub-grade is to be made, all sods and vegetable matters are
removed from the surface" The cleared surface should be totally broken-up by plowing, scarifying or steeping to a minimum
depth of 15 centimeters. Sods not required for removal should be disc harrowed or scarified before the construction of
embankment.
2. Roadway embankment on earth materials are placed in horizontal layers not exceeding 20 centimeters loose volume than
compacted as specified before the next layer is placed.
3. When excavated materials contains more than 25 mass percent of rock larger than 15 centimeters in greatest diameter and
cannot be placed in layers of the thickness prescribed without crushing, pulverizing or further breaking down into pieces, such
materials may be placed on the embankment in layers not exceeding in thickness the approximate average size of the larger
rocks but not greater than 60 centimeters.
4. Lifts of materials containing more than 25 mass percent of rock larger than 15 centimeters in greatest dimension should not
be constructed above an elevation of 30 centimeters below the finished sub-grade. The balance of embankment should be
composed of suitable material placed in layers not exceeding 20 centimeters in loose thickness and compacted as specified for
embankment.
5. Hauling and leveling equipment should be routed and distributed over each layer of the fill to make use of compaction efforts
affording and to minimize rutting and uneven compaction.
Compaction
The contractor shall carry out full-scale compaction trials on
areas not less than 10 meters wide and 50 meters long.
Compaction trials with the main types of fill materials to e used
in the work should be completed before any work with the
corresponding materials is allowed to start. Definition of field compaction trial
Tests carried out under site conditions to
determine the best combination of (1) type of
compaction equipment; (2) thickness of loose
Protection of Roadbed During Construction. soil layer; (3) number of passes; and (4)
moisture content (where variation is possible)
in order to achieve the highest possible soil
During the construction of roadway, the roadbed should be well densities.
maintained and drained at all times. slide ditches or gutters
emptying from cuts to embankment or otherwise should be
constructed to avoid damages to embankment by erosion.
 Rounding and Warping Slope
• Rounding. Except solid rocks, the top and bottom of all slopes
including the slopes of drainage, ditches, are rounded as planned.
A layer of earth overlapping rock is rounded above as was done in
earth slope.
• Warping. Adjustment in slopes are made to avoid injury to
standing trees or marring of weather head rock or to harmonize
with, existing landscape features adjusting to the gradual slope.
At the intersections of cuts and fills, slope are adjusted and
warped to flow into each other or into the natural ground surface
without noticeable break.
Sub-Grade Preparation
Sub-grade preparation is categorized under item 105 of the DPW standard specifications. The sub-grade is prepared for the
support of overlying structural layers extended to the full width of the roadway.
Material Requirements
1.Except when the sub-grade is in rock cut, all materials below the sub-grade is leveled to a depth of 15 centimeters or more as
specified to meet the requirements of selected borrow toppings
2. Prior to start of the sub-grade preparation, all culverts cross drains, conduits and the like including the backfill, ditches. drains
and drainage outlets are thoroughly compacted. Any work on the preparation of the sub-grade should not be allowed to start
unless approved by the supervising engineer.
Sub-Grade Level Tolerance
Compaction and Stabilization
Whether the soil is used as foundation material to support vertical structures, roads or other structures it is
important to know if the in place materials possesses the following properties:
1. That, the soil must have adequate strength.
2. The soil must be relatively incompressible to avoid insignificant future settlement.
3. The soil must be stable against volume change as water content or other factors varv.
4. The soil must be durable and save against deterioration.
5. The soil must possess proper permeability.
The thickness of the initial fill should be greater than the normal fill in order to create a working pad
capable of supporting equipment used for the subsequent placement and compaction of the fill.

Equipment for Compaction

1. The Pneumatic or rubber tired rollers.
2. The drum type roller with projecting feet or logs called the sheep's foot roller.
3. Vibratory compactors.
4. Smooth drum rollers
• The Pneumatic Tire Roller Tire Roller can be used effectively on all
types of soils. It compacts by kneading available as selfpropelled unit or
as towed units. Load sizes vary from 20 tons to 200 tons of which, 50
tons is commonly used.
• Light rollers of 20 tons type can compact 6 inches thick layer with few
passes. The 40 to 50 tons roller can compact 12 inches thick layer with 3
to 4 passes. The heavy 200 tons type was proven to compact layers up
to 18 inches thick with limited number of passes.
• Tire Sheep's Foot Roller is limited to cohesive soils. Its pressure varies
from 700 N/m to 4,200N/m
• The Vibratory Compactor is the most effective compactor on non-
cohesive soils available as:
1. Vibrating drum type.
2. Vibrating pneumatic tire.
3. Vibrating plate equipment.
• On some vibratory compactors, the vibrating frequency can be varied
by operation. The frequency ranges between 1500 and 2,500 cycles
per minute that is within the natural frequencies of most soil.
• This natural frequency refers to the value at which the soil particles
tend to oscillate in unison giving maximum effect to the repeated
impact imposed by the compactor instead of having a random
oscillation of particles that would create damping effect. Thus,
shaking the particles into a more compacted arrangement.
The Smooth Drum Roller has limited depth of compaction' This is not
suited for compacting earth fill due to the size of the drum and the large
soil contact. This $pe can be utilized for compacting limited thickness
such as granular base course on highways and the like. The smooth
drum roller can be used on earth moving projects to seal the surface of
the fill at the end of each workday providing smooth surface for the
water to rapidly run-off from the work area.
Compaction Equipment and Density Control Strips
• Compaction equipment should be capable of obtaining compaction
requirements without detrimentally affecting the compacted
materials. The compacting unit may be of any type, provided that
they are capable of compacting each lift of material as specified and
meet the minimum requirements.
Minimum Requirements for Road Roller
1. Pneumatic Tire Roller must have smooth thread tires of equal size that
will provide uniform compacting pressure for the full width of the roller
and capable of exerting ground pressure ofat least 550 kN ( psi).
2. Sheepfoot Tamping as grid roller should be capable of exerting a force
of 45 Newton per millimeter (250 psi) of length of roller.
3. Vibratory Steel Wheel Roller must have a minimum mass of 6 tons. The
compactor is equipped with amplitude and frequencY controls.
4. Steel Wheel Roller. Other than vibrato{, should be capable of exerting a
force not less than 45 Newton per milli meter of width of the compression
roll or rolls.
• SOURCES
• https://www.google.com/search?q=field+density+test+requirements&oq=density+test+requ&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l7.8398j1j7&sourceid
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moisture+control+in+cons&gs_l
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HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
REPORT
JERICK MAGALANG GALLANO
BSCE-4

ENGR. LEO SAURO

PROFESSOR