Soil Compaction

SOIL
COMPACTION
COMPACTION
Compaction, in general, is the densification of soil by removal of air, which
requires mechanical energy. The degree of compaction of a soil is measured in terms
of its dry unit weight.
Effects of Compaction in Soil
 Compaction increases the strength characteristics of soils, which

increase the bearing capacity of foundations constructed over them
 Compaction also decreases the amount of undesirable settlement of
structures
 Compaction decreases the permeability on the soil
 Compaction increases the stability of slopes of embankments
Compaction Equipment
•
• Pneumatic Rubber-Tired Roller
Smooth-Wheel Roller
• Sheepsfoot Roller • Handheld Vibrating Plate
• Vibratory Roller
Specifications for field Compaction
 In most specifications for earthwork, the contractor is instructed to achieve a compacted
field dry unit weight of 90 to 95% of the maximum dry unit weight determined in the
laboratory by either the standard or modified Proctor test
where R relative compaction

 For the compaction of granular soils, specifications sometimes are written in terms of the
required relative density Dr or the required relative compaction. Relative density should
not be confused with relative compaction
The relationship of Relative Compaction and Relative Density
Laboratory Compaction Test Method
Standard Proctor Test
In the Proctor test, the soil is compacted in a mold that has a volume of 944 cm3 .
The diameter of the mold is 101.6 mm. The soil is mixed with varying amounts of
water and then compacted in three equal layers by a hammer that delivers 25 blows
to each layer
 The procedure for the standard
Proctor test is elaborated in
ASTM Test Designation D-698
(ASTM, 2010) and AASHTO
Test Designation T-99
(AASHTO, 1982).
Factors Affecting Compaction
1.Effect of Soil Type

2.Effect of Compaction Effort
Effect of Soil Type
Lee and Suedkamp (1972) studied compaction curves for 35 soil samples. They observed that
four types of compaction curves can be found. These curves are shown in Figure 6.5. The following table
is a summary of the type of compaction curves encountered in various soils with reference to Figure 6.5.
Effect of Compaction Effort
The compaction energy per unit volume used for the standard Proctor test described
can be given as
Modified Proctor Test
 With the development of heavy
rollers and their use in field
compaction, the standard
Proctor test was modified to
better represent field conditions.
This revised version sometimes
is referred to as the modified
Proctor test (ASTM Test
Designation D-1557 and
AASHTO Test Designation T-
180)
Example 1.The laboratory test results of a standard Proctor test are given in the following
table
a. Determine the maximum dry unit

weight of compaction and the
optimum moisture content.
the maximum dry unit

weight (max) 17.15
kN/m3 gdand the
optimum moisture
content is 14.4%
Determining the field unit weight of compaction
1. Sand cone method

2. Rubber balloon method
3. Nuclear method
1. Sand cone method
 The sand cone device consists of a glass or plastic jar with a metal cone attached at its top
(Figure 6.23)
 In the field, a small hole is excavated in the area where the soil has been
compacted. If the weight of the moist soil excavated from the hole (W2) is
determined and the moisture content of the excavated soil is known, the dry
weight of the soil can be obtained as
After that, the combined weight of the jar, the cone, and the remaining sand in the jar is
determined (W4), so
The volume of the excavated hole can then be determined as:
Rubber Balloon Method
 However, the volume of the hole is determined by introducing into it a rubber
balloon filled with water from a calibrated vessel
Nuclear Method
 Nuclear density meters are often used for determining the compacted dry unit
weight of soil. The instrument measures the weight of wet soil per unit volume
and the weight of water present in a unit volume of soil.

Soil Compaction

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SOIL

 Compaction increases the strength characteristics of soils, which

where R relative compaction

1.Effect of Soil Type

a. Determine the maximum dry unit

the maximum dry unit

1. Sand cone method

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