14.

330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

SOIL COMPACTION BASICS

Figure courtesy of Soil Compaction: A Basic Handbook by MultiQuip.

Soil Compaction:
Densification of soil by
the removal of air.
Courtesy of http://www.extension.umn.edu
Revised 02/2015

Slide 1 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

WHY COMPACT SOILS?

Revised 02/2015

Figure courtesy of Soil Compaction: A Basic Handbook by MultiQuip.

Slide 2 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

MOIST UNIT WEIGHT () VS.

MOISTURE CONTENT (w)

Conceptual
(Figure 4.1. Das FGE (2005))

Revised 02/2015

Weight (W)
=
Volume (V)

Silty Clay (LL=37, PI =14) Example

(from Johnson and Sallberg 1960, taken
from TRB State of the Art Report 8, 1990)

Slide 3 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

LABORATORY COMPACTION TESTS (i.e. PROCTORS)

Standard Hammer
Ejector

Soil Plug
6 inch
Mold

Scale

Modified Hammer

4 inch Mold

Soil Plug

Typical Proctor Test Equipment

Revised 02/2015

(Figure courtesy of test-llc.com)

Slide 4 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

LABORATORY COMPACTION
TEST SUMMARY
Test

Hammer Hammer Compaction

ASTM/
Drop
Effort
Weight
AASHTO
(lb)
(in)
(kip-ft/ft3)

Standard
(SCDOT)

D698
T-99

5.5

12

12.4

Modified

D1557
T-180

10

18

56

Revised 02/2015

Slide 5 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

LABORATORY COMPACTION TEST SUMMARY

Test
Method

STANDARD
ASTM D698/AASHTO T-99
A

Material

20%
Retained by
#4 Sieve

>20%
Retained on
#4
20%
Retained by
3/8 in Sieve

Use Soil
Passing Sieve

#4

Mold Dia. (in)

MODIFIED
ASTM D1557/AASHTO T-180
A

>20%
Retained on
3/8 in
< 30%
Retained by
3/4 in Sieve

20%
Retained by
#4 Sieve

>20%
Retained on
#4
20%
Retained by
3/8 in Sieve

>20%
Retained on
3/8 in
< 30%
Retained by
3/4 in Sieve

3/8 in

in

#4

3/8 in

in

No. of Layers

No. Blows/Layer

25

25

56

25

25

56

Revised 02/2015

Slide 6 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

LABORATORY COMPACTION
TEST SUMMARY

Figure courtesy of Soil Compaction: A Basic Handbook by MultiQuip.

Revised 02/2015

Slide 7 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

LABORATORY COMPACTION TESTS (i.e. PROCTORS)

Revised 02/2015

Automated Proctor
Equipment

Manual Proctor Test

(What you WILL be doing)

(Figure courtesy of Humboldt)

(Figure courtesy of westest.net)

Slide 8 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction
SP-SM
% Fines = 6%
Maximum Dry
Density
MDD or d,max =
112.2 pcf

Zero Air Voids

(ZAV) Line
Gs = 2.6

From Soil
Composition
notes:

d =
1+ w
Revised 02/2015

Optimum Moisture Content

OMC = 11.5%

Slide 9 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

ZERO AIR VOIDS LINE

Dry Unit Weight (d) (i.e. no water):

Weight of Solids (Ws )

d =
=
Volume (V)
1+ w

zav = Zero Air Void Unit Weight:

zav

Revised 02/2015

Gs w
Gs w
w
=
=
=
1 + e 1 + wGs w + 1
Gs
Slide 10 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

FACTORS AFFECTING SOIL

COMPACTION
1. Soil Type
Grain Size Distribution
Shape of Soil Grains
Specific Gravity of Soil Solids
2. Effect of Compaction Effort
More Energy Greater Compaction
Revised 02/2015

Slide 11 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

TYPES OF
Lee and Suedkamp (1972)
COMPACTION CURVES A. Single Peak
Dry Unit Weight d

(Most Soils)

B. 1 Peak
Cohesive Soils LL<30
C

C. Double Peak
Cohesive Soils LL<30
or
Cohesive Soils LL>70

D. No Definitive Peak
Moisture Content w

after Figure 4.5. Das FGE (2005)

Revised 02/2015

Uncommon
Cohesive Soils LL>70
Slide 12 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

EFFECT OF
COMPACTION ENERGY

In general:
Compaction Energy =

d,max

Compaction Energy =

OMC

Revised 02/2015

Figure 4.6. Das FGE (2005).

Slide 13 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

EFFECT OF COMPACTION ON
COHESIVE SOILS
Dry Side

Wet Side

Dry Side Particle

Structure
Flocculent
OMC

Revised 02/2015

Figure 4.22. Das FGE (2005).

Wet Side
Particle
Structure
Dispersed

Slide 14 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

EFFECT OF
COMPACTION ON
COHESIVE SOILS
Hydraulic Conductivity (k):
Measure of how water flows
through soils
In General:
Increasing w = Decreasing k
Until ~ OMC, then increasing w
has no significant affect on k
Revised 02/2015

Figure 4.23. Das FGE (2005).

Slide 15 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

EFFECT OF
COMPACTION ON
COHESIVE SOILS
Unconfined Compression
Strength (qu) :
Measure of soil strength
In General:
Increasing w = Decreasing qu
Related to soil structure:
Dry side Flocculent
Wet Side Dispersed
Revised 02/2015

Figure 4.24. Das FGE (2005).

Slide 16 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

FIELD COMPACTION EQUIPMENT

4 Common Types:
1. Smooth Drum Roller
2. Pneumatic Rubber Tired Roller
3. Sheepsfoot Roller (Tamping Foot)
4. Vibratory Roller (can be 1-3)

Pneumatic Rubber
Tired
Revised 02/2015

Sheepsfoot

Smooth Drum

Vibratory Drum
Slide 17 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

FIELD COMPACTION EQUIPMENT

Photographs courtesy of:

myconstructionphotos.smugmug.com
http://cee.engr.ucdavis.edu/faculty
/boulanger/
Holtz and Kovacs (1981)
Revised 02/2015

Slide 18 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

FIELD COMPACTION EQUIPMENT

Fine
Grained
Soils

Coarse
Grained
Soils

Coarse
Grained
Soils
Revised 02/2015

Slide 19 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

FIELD COMPACTION EQUIPMENT

Revised 02/2015

from Holtz and Kovacs (1981)

Slide 20 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

FIELD COMPACTION TESTING

Relative Compaction (R or C.R.):

d ( field )
R(%) =
100
d ,max
5 Common Field Test Methods:
1. Sand Cone (ASTM D1556)
2. Rubber Balloon Method (D2167)
3. Nuclear Density (ASTM D2922)
4. Time Domain Reflectometry (D6780)
5. Shelby Tube (not commonly used)
Revised 02/2015

Slide 21 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

FIELD COMPACTION TESTING

SAND CONE

BALLOON

(ASTM D1556)

(ASTM D2167)

NUCLEAR

TDR

(ASTM D2922 &

ASTM D3017)

(ASTM D6780)

Large Sample
Accurate

Large Sample
Direct Reading
Obtained
Open graded
material

Fast
Easy to re-perform
More Tests

Fast
Easy to re-perform
More Tests

Disadvantages

Time consuming
Large area
required

Slow
Balloon breakage
Awkward

No sample
Radiation
Moisture suspect

Under research

Errors

Void under plate

Sand bulking
Sand compacted
Soil pumping

Surface not level

Soil pumping
Void under plate

Miscalibration
Rocks in path
Surface prep req.
Backscatter

Under Research

METHOD

Advantages

Revised 02/2015

after Soil Compaction: A Basic Handbook by MultiQuip.

Photographs courtesy of Durham Geo/Slope Indicator and myconstructionphotos.smugmug.com.

Slide 22 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

FIELD COMPACTION TESTING

Balloon Method
(D2167-08)

F
ig
u
re1
3

F
ig
u
re1
2

Sand Cone Method

(D1556-07)
Revised 02/2015

Nuclear Method
(D2922-05 & D3017-05)

Figures courtesy of Soil Compaction: A Basic Handbook by MultiQuip and TRB State of the Art Report 8, 1990.

Slide 23 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

FIELD COMPACTION: TEST FREQUENCY

Reference

City of
Lynchburg

SCDOT
QC

SCDOT
QA

USBR
Earth
Manual

NAVFAC
DM7.02

FM 5-410

Year

2004

1996

1996

1998

1986

1997

Roads

1 per lift
per 300 LF

1 per lift
per 500 LF

1 per lift
per 2500 LF

Buildings or
Structures

1 per lift
per 5000 SF

1 per lift
per 250 LF

1 per lift
per 250 LF

Airfields
Embankment
Mass Earthwork

1 per lift
per 500 LF

Canal/Reservoir
Linings
Trenches &
Around Structures

1 per lift
per 300 LF

Parking Areas

1 per lift
per 10000 SF

Misc.
Revised 02/2015

1 per lift
per 2500 LF

2000 CY

500 CY

1000 CY

500-1,000 CY

200 CY

200-300 CY

1 per lift
per 50 LF
1 per lift
per 250 SY

1 per areas of
doubtful
compaction

1 per areas of
doubtful
compaction

Slide 24 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

FIELD COMPACTION: LIFT HEIGHTS

State DOTs

Maximum Lift
Height

Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio,

Oklahoma

Max. 0.15 m (6 in) lift

before compaction

Connecticut, Kentucky

Max. 0.15 m (6 in) lift after

compaction

Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois,

Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia,
Washington, Wisconsin

Max. 0.2 m (8 in) lift before

compaction

Louisiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Texas,

Wyoming

Max. 0.3 m (12 in) lift before

compaction

New York

Depends on Soil &

Compaction Equipment

Revised 02/2015

After Hoppe (1999), Lenke (2006), and Kim et al. (2009).

Slide 25 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

FIELD COMPACTION: ONE POINT PROCTOR

SC-T-29: Standard Method of
Test for Field Determination of
Maximum Dry Density and
Optimum Moisture Content of
Soils by the One-Point Method

General Procedure:

Family of Curves
Revised 02/2015

Run one (1) Proctor Test DRY

of OMC.
Plot Test on Family of Curves
Match to a specific curve:
Take MDD and OMC Values
from Table.
Slide 26 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

COMPACTION CHARACTERISTICS & RATINGS: USCS SOILS

USCS Compaction
Sym. Equipment

Evaluation for Use as Fill

d,max
D698
(lb/ft3)

Compression
& Expansion

Embankment

Subgrade

Base Course

GW

Rubber Tired
Smooth Drum
Vibratory Roller

125 135

Almost
None

Very Stable

Excellent

Good

GP

Rubber Tired
Smooth Drum
Vibratory Roller

115 125

Almost
None

Reasonably
Stable

Excellent to
Good

Poor to Fair

GM

Rubber Tired
Sheepsfoot

120 135

Slight

Reasonably
Stable

GC

Rubber Tired
Sheepsfoot

115 - 130

Slight

Reasonably
Stable

Revised 02/2015

Excellent to
Good

Good

after U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (now ERDC). (1960). The Unified
Soil Classification System, Technical Memorandum No. 3-357, Vicksburg, MS.

Fair to Poor

Good to
Fair

Slide 27 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

COMPACTION CHARACTERISTICS & RATINGS: USCS SOILS

USCS Compaction
Sym. Equipment

Evaluation for Use as Fill

d,max
D698
(lb/ft3)

Compression
& Expansion

Embankment

Subgrade

Base Course

110-130

Almost
None

Very Stable

Good

Fair to Poor

100-120

Almost
None

Reasonable
stable when
dense

Good to
Fair

Poor

Good to
Fair

Poor

Good to
Fair

Fair to Poor

SW

Rubber Tired
Vibratory Roller

SP

Rubber Tired
Vibratory Roller

SM

Rubber Tired
Sheepsfoot

110-125

Slight

Reasonable
stable when
dense

SC

Rubber Tired
Sheepsfoot

105-125

Slight to
Medium

Reasonable
stable

Revised 02/2015

after U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (now ERDC). (1960). The Unified
Soil Classification System, Technical Memorandum No. 3-357, Vicksburg, MS.

Slide 28 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

COMPACTION CHARACTERISTICS & RATINGS: USCS SOILS

USCS Compaction
Sym. Equipment

Evaluation for Use as Fill

d,max
D698
(lb/ft3)

Compression
& Expansion

Embankment

Subgrade

Base Course

ML

Rubber Tired
Sheepsfoot

95-120

Slight to
Medium

Poor Stability

Fair to Poor

Not
Suitable

CL

Sheepsfoot
Rubber Tired

95-120

Medium

Good Stability

Fair to Poor

Not
Suitable

MH

Sheepsfoot
Rubber Tired

70-95

High

Poor Stability
Should not be
used

Poor

Not
Suitable

CH

Sheepsfoot

80-105

Very high

Fair Stability

Poor to
Very Poor

Not
Suitable

Revised 02/2015

after U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (now ERDC). (1960). The Unified
Soil Classification System, Technical Memorandum No. 3-357, Vicksburg, MS.

Slide 29 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

DYNAMIC COMPACTION

Figure courtesy of www.betterground.com

Figure 1. FHWA-SA-95-037.
Revised 02/2015

US44 Expansion
Carver, MA.

Slide 30 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

DYNAMIC COMPACTION

Revised 02/2015

after Figure 5 (FHWA-SA-95-037).

Slide 31 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

DYNAMIC COMPACTION: US 44

Revised 02/2015

Slide 32 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

DYNAMIC COMPACTION: US 44

Revised 02/2015

(from Hajduk et al., 2004)

Slide 33 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

DYNAMIC COMPACTION: US 44

Revised 02/2015

(from Hajduk et al., 2004)

Slide 34 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

VIBROFLOTATION

Photograph courtesy of http://www.vibroflotation.com

Figure 4.18. Das FGE (2005) (after Brown, 1977).

Revised 02/2015

Slide 35 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

VIBROFLOTATION

Figure 4.19. Das FGE (2005) (after Brown, 1977).

Revised 02/2015

Slide 36 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

VIBROFLOTATION
PROBE SPACING

Figure 4.20. Das FGE (2005).

VIBROFLOTATION
EFFECTIVE GRAIN
SIZE
DISTRIBUTIONS
Revised 02/2015

Figure 4.21. Das FGE (2005).

Slide 37 of 38

14.330 SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Compaction

COMPACTION: ASSOCIATED COSTS

Revised 02/2015

Figure courtesy of www.groundimprovement.ch.

Slide 38 of 38