COMPACTION

COMPACTION

Soil compaction is defined as the method of mechanically increasing the density of soil. In construction, this is a significant part of the building process. If performed improperly, settlement of the soil could occur and result in unnecessary maintenance costs or structure failure. Almost all types of building sites and construction projects utilize mechanical compaction techniques. Compaction is a process that brings about an increase in soil density or unit weight accompanied by decrease in air volume No change in water content

Why Compact?
There are five principle reasons to compact soil: Increases load-bearing capacity Prevents soil settlement and frost damage Provides stability Reduces water seepage, swelling and contraction Reduces settling of soil

COMPACTION

The process by which the porosity of a given form of sediment is decreased as a result of its mineral grains being squeezed together by the weight of overlying sediment or by mechanical means. To obtained the compaction curve and define the optimum water content & maximum dry density for specific compactive effort Result of poor compaction 1. basement & pool cracks or leaks 2. slab leakage & breaks 3. Foundation erosion

Objectives of compaction

To reduce void ratio and thus the permeability of the soil To increase the shear strength and therefore the bearing capacity of the soil To make the soil less susceptible to subsequent volume change and therefore the tendency to settlement under load or under influence of vibration

What affects Compaction?

Moisture content Compactive effort (weight, vibration, no of phases)

Compaction energy per unit volume (function of number of blows per layer)

For the stand proctor test: 12,400 ft-lb/ft3 For the modified proctor test: 56,000 ft-lb/ft3

Type of soil
Grain size distribution Specific gravity of solids Type and amount of clay materials

Field compaction equipment

1. smooth wheel roller (well graded sand and gravels, silt & clay or low plasticity 2. vibratory roller 3. pneumatic rubber tired roller (coarse, fines soils) 4. Sheepsfoot roller (fine grained soil, sand, gravel with >20% fines) 5. grid roller (well graded sand, soft rocks)

Soil Compaction in the Field: 5- Sheep foot Roller

1- Rammers

2- Vibratory Plates

6- Dynamic Compaction 3- Smooth Rollers

4- Rubber-Tire

Soil Compaction in the Lab: 1- Standard Proctor Test 2- Modified Proctor Test

Standard Proctor Test

Modified Proctor Test

Gyratory Compaction

Field density testing

Sand cone Balloon dens meter Shelby tube Nuclear gauge Sand replacement test

Compaction

Compaction expelling air from the void space

Consolidation extrusion of water

Effects of compaction
Increase soils shear strength Decrease in future settlement of the soil Decrease in its permeability

How to quantify use dry unit weight of soil

d
1 w wet unit weigh t w moisture content

Definition: Soil compaction is defined as the method of mechanically increasing the density of soil by reducing volume of air.

Load

soil (2) > soil (1)

Air

Air Water

Soil Matrix

Water

Compressed soil
Solids Solids

soil (1) =

WT1 VT1

soil (2) =

WT1 VT2

Compaction

What does water do for compaction?

Lubricant Too much water lesser density Optimum moisture content (=maximum dry unit weight) best compaction

How to use maximum dry unit weight?

Target unit weight at the job site

Need to know how much the soil can be compacted.

Compaction Test

to obtain the compaction curve and define the optimum water content and maximum dry density for a specific compactive effort.

ASTM D 698

Standard Proctor Compaction Test 3 layers 25 blows per layer Hammer: 2.5 kg Drop Height: 300 mm Modified Proctor Compaction Test 5 layers 25 blows per layer Hammer: 4.5 kg Drop Height: 450 mm

ASTM D 1557

Soil Compaction in the Lab: 1- Standard Proctor Test

5.5 pound hammer

Gs w dry 1e

ZAV =
Dry Density

Gs w
1+ WcGs Sr
Zero Air Void Curve Sr =100%

H = 12 in

d max

4
2 5 1 25 blows per layer

wc1 d1

wc2
d2

wc3
d3

wc4 d4

wc5
d5

Wet to Dry to Optimum Optimum (OWC)

Compaction Curve

Water Content

Increasing Water Content

4 inch diameter compaction mold. (V = 1/30 of a cubic foot)

Optimum Water Content

dry =

wet
1+ Wc% 100

Soil Compaction in the Lab:

1- Standard Proctor Test
ASTM D-698 or AASHTO T-99
Energy = 12,375 foot-pounds per cubic foot
Dry Density Zero Air Void Curve Sr = 60% Zero Air Void Curve Sr =100%

d max

Zero Air Void Curve Sr < 100%

d max

2- Modified Proctor Test ASTM D-1557 or AASHTO T-180

Energy = 56,520 foot-pounds per cubic foot

Compaction Curve for Modified Proctor

Compaction Curve for Standard Proctor (OMC) (OMC) Moisture Content

Energy =

Number of blows per layer x Number of layers x Weight of hammer x Height of drop hammer
Volume of mold

Effect of Energy on Soil Compaction

Increasing compaction energy Lower OWC and higher dry density

Dry Density

Higher Energy

In the field increasing compaction energy = increasing number of passes or reducing lift depth In the lab increasing compaction energy = increasing number of blows

Water Content

Field Soil Compaction

Because of the differences between lab and field compaction methods, the maximum dry density in the field may reach 90% to 95%.

Dry Density

ZAV

95%

d max

d max

(OMC)

Moisture Content

Compaction Curve
Dry density (d)

Soil grains densely packed - good strength and stiffness

d, max

- low permeability

1 w wet unit weigh t w moisture content

optimum water content

Water content

Zero Air Void Curve

Dry density (d)

- corresponds to 100% saturation

Zero air void curve (S=100%)

Gs w (1 Ar ) Eq : d 1 wGs

S<100%

S>100% (impossible)
All compaction points should lie to the left of ZAV curve

Water content 22

The following results are obtained from a standard compaction test:

1978 11.3 2083 12.2 2147 13.0 2208 14.2 2188 15.1 2147 16.4

Bulk density (kg/m3) Moisture content (%)

The specific of solids is 2.7. plot the compaction curve and obtain the maximum dry density and optimum moisture content. Plot also 0% and 5% air void curves

Field compaction

Factor affecting field compaction: soil type Moisture content The thichness of lift The intensity of pressure applied The area over which the pressure is applied During the compaction dry unit weight of soil is also affected by the number of roller passes

Specification for field compaction

Normally dry unit weight 0f 90-95% of maximum dry unit weight determined in the laboratory is required The relative compaction can be expressed as:

R(%)

d ( field ) d d (max field )

X 100

In term of the required density Dr :

Dr

d ( field ) - d (min) d (max) d (max field ) d ( field )

Ro R 1 Dr (1 Ro )

Therefore:

Determination of field density measurement sand replacement method

The apparatus is sand-pouring cylinder First, a small hole is dug about 100 mm in diameter and not more than 150 mm in depth and the soil is then determined by pouring sand into it from the pouring cylinder. The sand-pouring cylinder is weighted before and after operation, and the mass of sand filling the hole is determined. Since the density of sand is known, the volume of can be determined, hence the bulk density of the in situ soil can be found.

example

A sand replacement test was carried out to determine the in-situ bulk density of a soil. Given the following, find the value of density required. Given: Mass of soil remove from hole Initial total mass of sand-pouring cylinder Final total mass of sand-pouring cylinder volume of cone in sand-pouring cylinder Density of pouring sand = 5724 g = 3172 g = 248 cm3 = 1560 kg/m3 = 2764 g

solution

Mass of sand run out of cylinder = (5724 3172) 10-3 = 2.552 kg Mass of sand in cone of cylinder = 248 x 10-6 x 1560 = 0.387 kg Mass of sand required to fill the hole = 2.552 - 0.387 = 2.165 kg Volume of the hole = 2.165 = 1.388 x 10-3 m3 1560

Bulk density of the in situ soil = 2764 x 10-6 = 1.99 Mg/m3 1.388 x 10-3