SOIL AND ROCK MECHANICS
UNIT 4
SOIL COMPACTION
Why compaction is necessary for Geotechnical Engineering works
The soil may be weak,
Highly compressible
A high permeability
Solution
Relocate the project
Consider design for structural members
Stabilize or improve the properties of the soil (soil compaction is one method)
SOIL COMPACTION is the application of energy to densify soil by expulsion of air from the soil-water system.
Compaction of soil increases the density producing the following:
An increase in the strength
Decreasing its compressibility (future settlement)
Decreasing its permeability
Increase in bearing capacity
Increases stability of slopes of embankments
Increase shear strength
The degree of compaction is measured in terms of dry unit weight.
The dry density achieved from compaction is dependent on the energy applied and the amount of water in the soil.
Laboratory compaction helps to establish the optimum moisture content that will enable us to achieve the maximum
dry density for a given compaction efforts.
FACTORS AFFECTING COMPACTION
Moisture content
Soil type
Grain distribution
Shape of the soil grain
Amount of clay minerals
Type of clay minerals
Compactive effort
TWO MAIN TESTS
Standard Proctor test (ASTM D-698 & AASHTO T-99)
Modified proctor test (ASTM D-1557 & AASHTO T-180)
PROCESS OF COMPACTION Standard Proctor Equipment
Samples are mixed at different water contents
Compaction according to the compaction test (standard or
modified)
VARIOUS COMPACTION TEST
Compaction Standard ASTM
Equipment Data Proctor test Modified
proctor
Volume of mould 944cm3 2124cm3
# of layers 3 5
Mass of hammer 2.5kg 4.57
Drop of hammer 30.5cm 45.7cm
# of hammer blows 25 56
COMPACTION ENERGY
The amount of energy used (compaction effort) depends on the following:
Number of blows per layer (Nb) (56)
Number of layers (Nl) (5)
Wt. of hammer (Wh) 4.57kg =(4.57x9.81/1000)kN
Height of drop of hammer (Hd) (0.457m)
Volume of compaction mould (Vm) (2124x10-6)m3
Nb∗Nl∗Wh∗Hd
Energy (E) 𝐸= 2124
(56)x(5)x(4.57x9.81/`1000kN)x(0.457)
𝐸= = 2700kN-m/m3
2124x10−6(m2)
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.
COMPACTION PROCESS
1. Obtain representative air-dried soil sample after sieving through 19mm sieve
2. Weigh the compaction mould with its base plate
3. Determine the weight of the compaction mould with the spacer block inside
4. Mix the soil sample thoroughly with an amount of water
5. Fill the mould and compact in layers by dropping the hammer a specified number of uniformly distributed
blows per layers
6. Remove the extension collar carefully and trim the soil to the mould height.
7. Determine the mass of the mould with the base plate and compacted soil
8. Remove the base plate and extrude the sample.
9. The process is repeated by increasing the moisture content
10. The dry density of each moisture content can be determined from its measured wet mass and moisture content.
11. Compaction is quantified in terms of soil dry-unit weight (dry density)
12. A compaction curve is plotted to determine the maximum dry density and optimum moisture content.
DETERMINATION OF DENSITY
Determine the volume of mould
V = π*D2*H/4
Determine mass of compacted wet sample for each trial MT
Calculate the Bulk density (ρbulk)
γbulk = MT/VT
Dry density is computed from the bulk density and moisture content
γdry = γbulk /(1+w)
Moisture content (w) is the ratio of moisture of water to mass of solid expressed as percentage
W = (Mw/Ms)*100%
Obtain the dry wet sample in oven maintained at 105oC to 110oC
Plot the dry density (Mg/m3) for the different trials as ordinates against the corresponding moisture content
(O.M.C) as abscissa.
Determine the maximum dry density (MDD) and the optimum moisture content (OMC).
WORKED EXAMPLE 1
In a laboratory compaction test the following data were collected.
Moisture content
(%) 5 8 10 13 16 19
Bulk Density
(Mg/m3) 1.87 2.04 2.13 2.20 2.16 2.09
Gs = 2.7
a) Draw the graph of dry density against moisture content and from it determine the maximum dry density and
optimum moisture content
b) Determine the void ratio and degree of saturation
c) Determine the air-void content at the maximum dry density
d) Determine the mass of water Mg/m3 that must be added to reach full saturation.
SOLUTION
γd=γ/(1+m)
Compaction Curve
2
1.95
Dry density (gm/cc)
1.9
1.85
1.8
1.75
1.7
0 5 10 15 20
Water Content (%)
Plotting these figures, the curve shown in Fig 2 is obtained
a) From the curve: maximum dry density (γd) = 1.96Mg/m3
Optimum moisture content (w) = 11.9%
Specific gravity (Gs) = 2.7
𝐺𝑠γw 2.7𝑥1
b) γd = 1+ⅇ
= 1.96 = 1+ⅇ
therefore,
2.7𝑥1
1+e = = 1.377
1.96
Void ratio (e) = (1.377 – 1) = 0.377
m𝐺𝑠 0.119x2.7
Saturation (Sr) = = = 0.852
ⅇ 0.377
= 0.852 or 85.2%
(c) Air-void content at maximum dry density
𝐺𝑠γw
γd = 1+mGs (1 − Av)
γd(1+mGs) 1.96(1+0.119x2.7)
(1 − Av) = = = 0.959
𝐺𝑠γw 2.7𝑥1
Av = 1- 0.959 = 0.041 or 4.1
4%
WORKED EXAMPLE 2
The result of a density test are given in the following table. Determine (1) the maximum dry density of compaction and
(2), the optimum moisture content. Also determine (3), the moisture content required to achieve 95% of maximum dry
density.
Volume of Mass of Wet Moisture content
mould Soil (kg) %
943.3 1.47 10
943.3 1.88 12.5
943.3 2.05 15.0
943.3 1.98 17.5
943.3 1.75 20.0
943.3 1.68 22.5
SOLUTION
Volume of Mass of Moisture Wt. of Wet Moist Unit w Dry Unit
mould Wet Soil content Soil weight % weight
(kg) % (kN) (kN/m3) (kN/m3)
943.3 1.47 10 14.42 15.29 10.0 13.90
943.3 1.88 12.5 18.44 19.95 12.5 17.73
943.3 2.05 15.0 21.09 22.36 15.0 19.44
943.3 1.98 17.5 20.42 21.65 17.5 18.40
943.3 1.75 20.0 18.87 20.00 20.0 16.67
943.3 1.68 22.5 17.48 18.50 22.5 15.10
COMPACTION MC - DRY DENSITY RELATIONSHIP
21
20
19
DRY DENSITY
18
17
16
15
14
13
9.0 11.0 13.0 15.0 17.0 19.0 21.0 23.0
COMPACTION MOISTURE CONTENT %
(1) the max. Dry density (γdmax) = 19.5kN/m3
(2) the Optimum Moisture Content (womc) = 15.2%
(3) the moisture content required to achieve 95% γd = 0.95x19.5
95% of γdmax = 18.52kN/m3
From the graph moisture content (w) = 13.4% @ 0.95 γd
FIELD COMPACTION
FIELD COMPACTION EQUIPMENTS
Field compaction is carried out by Rollers and hand-held vibrators.
COMMON TYPES
1. Smooth-wheeled roller
2. Pneumatic rollers
3. Sheep-foot rollers
4. Vibratory rollers.
Smooth-wheeled roller
For finishing operation of fills with sandy
and clayey soils
Provide 100% coverage
For proof rolling of subgrade materials
Contact pressure is 310 – 389 kN/m2
Not suitable for producing high density for
thicker layers
Pneumatic rollers
For heavily loaded with several rows of tires
Provide 70 – 80% coverage
Contact pressure is 600 – 700 kN/m2
Combination of pressure and kneading
Tires are closely spaced 4-6 in a row.
Sheep-foot rollers
Drums with a large number of projections
Area of each projection 25 – 85cm2
Most effective in compacting clayey soils
Contact pressure is 1400 – 7090 kN/m2
Vibratory rollers.
Efficient in compacting granular soils
Vibrators can be attached to smooth-wheel, pneumatic, rubber-tired, or sheep-foot rollers to provide vibratory
effects to the soil.
FACTORS AFFECTING FIELD COMPACTION
1. Soil type
2. Moisture content
3. Thickness of lift
4. Number of roller passes
5. Area over which the pressure is applied
6. Intensity of pressure.
SPECIFICATION FOR FIELD UNIT WEIGHT OF COMPACTION
It is required for the compaction to achieve a compacted field dry unit weight of say 90 -95% of the maximum unit dry
weight determined in the laboratory by the test.
Relative Compaction, R = R (%) = Field density/Laboratory Max. dry density
= (γdfield /γdmax)x100
DETERMINATION OF FIELD UNIT WEIGHT OF COMPACTION
Common methods
Sand cone replacement method
Rubber balloon method
Nuclear/Electrical method