Compaction

Purposes of Compaction
 Compaction is the application of energy to soil to reduce the
void ratio
– This is usually required for fill materials, and is sometimes used for
natural soils

 Compaction reduces settlements under working loads

 Compaction increases the soil strength

 Compaction makes water flow through soil more difficult

 Compaction can prevent liquefaction during earthquakes

 Factors affecting Compaction

 Water content of soil

 The type of soil being compacted

 The amount of compactive energy used

 Laboratory Compaction tests
 Equipment Handle

collar (mould
extension)
Sleeve guide

Cylindrical
soil mould
Hammer for
compacting soil
Base plate
 Laboratory Compaction tests
 Equipment Handle

collar (mould
extension)
Sleeve guide

Cylindrical
soil mould
Hammer for
compacting soil
Base plate

Mould Hammer Hammer

volume mass drop
Standard 1000 2.5 300

Modified 1000 4.9 450

 Presentation of results
 The object of compaction is to reduce the void ratio, or to
increase the dry unit weight.
Gs  w
 dry 
1 e
 Presentation of results
 The object of compaction is to reduce the void ratio, or to
increase the dry unit weight.
Gs  w
 dry 
1 e
 In a compaction test bulk unit weight and moisture content are
measured. The dry unit weight may be determined as follows
W Wt of Solids  Wt of Water Ws  Ww
 bulk   
V TotalVolume V
 Presentation of results
 The object of compaction is to reduce the void ratio, or to
increase the dry unit weight.
Gs  w
 dry 
1 e
 In a compaction test bulk unit weight and moisture content are
measured. The dry unit weight may be determined as follows
W Wt of Solids  Wt of Water Ws  Ww
 bulk   
V TotalVolume V

 Ww
1  W s
 Ws
 b u lk 
V
 Presentation of results
 The object of compaction is to reduce the void ratio, or to
increase the dry unit weight.
Gs  w
 dry 
1 e
 In a compaction test bulk unit weight and moisture content are
measured. The dry unit weight may be determined as follows
W Wt of Solids  Wt of Water Ws  Ww
 bulk   
V TotalVolume V

 Ww 
1  Ws
 Ws 
 b u lk   (1  m )  dry
V
 Presentation of Results

(d ry)ma x
Dry unit weight

mo p t

Moisture content

From the graph we determine the optimum moisture

content, mopt that gives the maximum dry unit weight,
(dry)max.
 Presentation of results
 To understand the shape of the curve it is helpful to develop
relations between dry and the percentage of air voids, A.
Va
A (%)   100
V
 Presentation of results
 To understand the shape of the curve it is helpful to develop
relations between dry and the percentage of air voids, A.
Va
A (%)   100
V
A V  Vs
1   w
100 V
 Presentation of results
 To understand the shape of the curve it is helpful to develop
relations between dry and the percentage of air voids, A.
Va
A (%)   100
V
A V  Vs
1   w
100 V
A
(Ws  Ww ) (1  )
 bulk Ws  Ww 100
 dry   
1 m V (1  m) (Vs  Vw ) (1  m)
 Presentation of results
 To understand the shape of the curve it is helpful to develop
relations between dry and the percentage of air voids, A.
Va
A (%)   100
V
A V  Vs
1   w
100 V
A
(Ws  Ww ) (1  )
 bulk Ws  Ww 100
 dry   
1 m V (1  m) (Vs  Vw ) (1  m)
Ws Ww mWs
Vs  Vw  
Gs  w w w
 Presentation of results
 To understand the shape of the curve it is helpful to develop
relations between dry and the percentage of air voids, A.
Va
A (%)   100
V
A V  Vs
1   w
100 V
A
(Ws  Ww ) (1  )
 bulk Ws  Ww 100
 dry   
1 m V (1  m) (Vs  Vw ) (1  m)
Ws Ww mWs
Vs  Vw  
Gs  w w w
A  Gs  w 
 dry  (1  ) 
100  Gs m  1
 Presentation of results
 Gs  w 
If the soil is saturated (A = 0) and  dry  
G m  1

 s 
 Presentation of results
 Gs  w 
If the soil is saturated (A = 0) and  dry  
G m  1

 s 

Impossible
Dry unit weight

Zero-air-
voids line

S = 90%
S = 50% S = 75%

Moisture content
 Effects of water content
 Adding water at low moisture contents makes it easier for
particles to move during compaction, and attain a lower void
ratio. As a result increasing moisture content is associated with
increasing dry unit weight.

 As moisture content increases, the air content decreases and

the soil approaches the zero-air-voids line.

 The soil reaches a maximum dry unit weight at the optimum

moisture content

 Because of the shape of the no-air-voids line further increases

in moisture content have to result in a reduction in dry unit
weight.
 Effects of varying compactive effort
inc re a s ing c o mp a c tive
e ne rg y
Dry unit weight

Moisture content
 Increasing energy results in an increased maximum dry
unit weight at a lower optimum moisture content.
 There is no unique curve. The compaction curve depends
on the energy applied.
 Use of more energy beyond mopt has little effect.
 Effects of soil type
Typical Values
3
dry )max (kN/m ) mopt (%)
Well graded sand SW 22 7
Sandy clay SC 19 12
Poorly graded sand SP 18 15
Low plasticity clay CL 18 15
Non plastic silt ML 17 17
High plasticity clay CH 15 25

 Gs is constant, therefore increasing maximum dry unit weight

is associated with decreasing optimum moisture contents
 Do not use typical values for design as soil is highly variable
 Field specifications
During construction of soil structures (dams, roads) there is
usually a requirement to achieve a specified dry unit weight.

Accept
Dry unit weight

Reject

Moisture content

(a) > 95% of (modified) maximum

dry unit weight
 Field specifications
During construction of soil structures (dams, roads) there is
usually a requirement to achieve a specified dry unit weight.

Accept Reject Accept

Dry unit weight

Dry unit weight

Reject

Moisture content Moisture content

(a) > 95% of (modified) maximum (b) >95% of (modified) maximum dry
dry unit weight unit weight and m within 2% of mopt
 Compaction equipment
Equipment Most suitable soils
Smooth wheeled rollers, static or Well graded sand-gravel, crushed rock,
vibrating asphalt
Rubber tired rollers Coarse grained soils with some fines
Grid rollers Weathered rock, well graded coarse
soils
Sheepsfoot rollers, static Fine grained soils with > 20% fines
Sheepsfoot rollers, vibratory as above, but also sand-gravel mixes
Vibrating plates Coarse soils, 4 to 8% fines
Tampers, rammers All types
Impact rollers Most saturated and moist soils

Also drop weights, vibratory piles

 Sands and Gravels
For (cohesionless)soils without fines alternative specifications are
often used. These are based on achieving a certain relative density.
emax  e
Id 
emax  emin

e = current void ratio

emax = maximum void ratio in a standard test
emin = minimum void ratio in a standard test
 Sands and Gravels
For (cohesionless)soils without fines alternative specifications are
often used. These are based on achieving a certain relative density.
emax  e
Id 
emax  emin

e = current void ratio

emax = maximum void ratio in a standard test
emin = minimum void ratio in a standard test

Id = 1 when e = emin and soil is at its densest state

Id = 0 when e = emax and soil is at its loosest state
 Sands and Gravels
We can write Id in terms of dry because we have
Gs  w
e   1
 dry
 Sands and Gravels
We can write Id in terms of dry because we have
Gs  w
e   1
 dry
 dry ( dry   drymin )
Id  max

 dry ( dry max

  drymin )
 Sands and Gravels
We can write Id in terms of dry because we have
Gs  w
e   1
 dry
 dry ( dry   drymin )
Id  max

 dry ( dry max

  drymin )

The terms loose, medium and dense are used, where typically
loose 0 < Id < 0.333
medium 0.333 < Id < 0.667
dense 0.667 < Id < 1
 Sands and Gravels
We can write Id in terms of dry because we have
Gs  w
e   1
 dry
 dry ( dry   drymin )
Id  max

 dry ( dry max

  drymin )

The terms loose, medium and dense are used, where typically
loose 0 < Id < 0.333
medium 0.333 < Id < 0.667
dense 0.667 < Id < 1
The maximum and minimum dry unit weights vary significantly
from soil to soil, and therefore you cannot determine dry unit