Compaction

Compaction- Densification of Soil

To increase the unit weight of soil
Compaction is a process where soil particles are artificially
rearranged and packed together into a closer state of
contact by mechanical means in order to decrease the
porosity of soil and increase the dry density.
Why compaction is
important?
Increase in soil
strength
SETTLEMENT
REDUCTION/
PREVENTION
 Advantages of Compaction

01. Improve the load bearing capacity of soil

02. Increase soil strength
03. Reduction in the flow of water (Water seepage)
04. Decrease future settlement of foundation (Lower Compressibility)
05. Increase the shear strength of soil
06. Increase Soil Stability
07. Reduction in soil swelling (Expansion) and collapse (Soil Contraction)
Does water have any
role in compaction?
Relationship b/w Water Content and Dry Density
(Compaction Curve)
Standard Proctor
Test
Lab Test to find out Max. Density
to which soil may be compacted
Zero Air Void Line
Line connecting the points of max. dry density(theoretically at zero air voids) for given soil
Placement Water
Content
Water Content used in field compaction which may be equal to, lower or higher than
OMC calculated in lab
Modified Proctor Test
MODIFIED PROCTOR TEST

STANDARD PROCTOR TEST

How compaction can be
done in the field?
Tamping
Vibrations
Rolling
Instruments to carry out
Compaction?
PLATE COMPACTOR
Plate compactors are best for gravel, sand or silt
and larger areas and compact through vibration
Plate compactors work by using vibration to get the job done. You push the machine across the
surface being compacted, and its heavy, flat plate tamps down the soil by vibrating up and down.
Tamping Rammer
Tamping rammers are better for
clay soils and smaller areas.
They compact the soil through
impact
Can you guess the capacity
of these compacting
instruments?
Smooth Wheel Roller
 Vibrating Smooth
Wheel Rollers
Pressure, Impact and Vibrations
How do we carry out
compaction of clay?
On compaction, flocculated structure of clay
changes to dispersed one.

Loose structure(before compaction) Dense Structure (After Compaction)

Sheeps foot
Roller
Kneading Action
Clayey Soils
 Factors
affecting Compaction?
 Compactive Effort
Effort taken by the equipment used for compaction of the soil

• Type of roller

• Weight of roller

• Contact pressure of drum, load duration

• Number of roller passes

• Layer thickness-200 to 300 mm layer thickness is used in the

field to achieve homogeneous compaction.
How MDD and OMC
will be affected ?
 MDD increases with increase in
compactive effort
OMC decreases to some extent with
increase in compactive effort
 Type of soil?
Which soil will be
compacted to higher density?
Effect of compaction on
soil properties
1. Soil Structure
2. Permeability
3. Swelling and Shrinkage in case
of Clay soils
Soil compacted dry of
optimum shrink lesser
than wet of optimum
Soil compacted dry of optimum has
higher water deficiency and random
orientation so it will swell more.
Soil compacted wet of optimum has
dispersed structure so it will pack
more efficiently and shrink lesser.
Soil compacted dry of optimum is
more permeable than soil
compacted wet of optimum
What's the difference?