BAA2513 SOIL MECHANICS & GEOLOGY

Revision on Soil Compaction

 18.46
Dry unit weight,  d 5 5 17.58 kNym3
1 1 0.05
2.68 3 9.81
Void ratio, e 5 2 1 5 0.495
17.58
0.05 3 2.68
Degree of saturation, S 5 5 0.271 or 27.1%
0.495

Repeating these steps for all six moisture contents, the following table can be
developed.

Moist unit Dry unit

Moisture Specimen weight weight Void Degree of
content (%) mass (g) (kN/m3) (kN/m3) ratio saturation
5 1776 18.46 17.58 0.495 0.271
7 1890 19.64 18.36 0.432 0.434
9.5 2006 20.85 19.04 0.380 0.670
11.8 2024 21.03 18.81 0.398 0.795
14.1 2005 20.84 18.26 0.440 0.859
17 1977 20.54 17.56 0.497 0.917

Part a
Based on the above table, the following graph (Figure 6.10) can be plotted.

19.5

19.0
Dry unit weight (kN/m3)

Zer
o-a

18.5
ir-v
oid
cur
ve

18.0

17.5

17.0
0 5 10 15 20
Moisture content (%)

Figure 6.10
From the graph,
Optimum moisture content 5 10%
Maximum dry unit weight 5 19.1 kN/m3

Part b
The values used for computing the zero-air-void curve using Eq. (6.4) are
shown here:

w (%) gZaV (kN/m3)

13 19.50
14 19.12
15 18.75
16 18.40
17 18.06
18 17.74
19 17.42
20 17.12

The zero-air-void curve is plotted along with the compaction curve, and they
do not intersect. All six test points lie to the left of the zero-air-void curve.

Part c
From the table given in Part a, the variation of void ratio and degree of satura-
tion against moisture content is shown in Figure 6.11.

1.0 1.0

0.9 0.9

0.8 0.8
Degree of
saturation
0.7 0.7
Degree of saturation

0.6 0.6
Void ratio

0.5 0.5
V

0.4 0.4
Void ratio
V
0.3 0.3

0.2 0.2

0.1 0.1

0.0 0.0
0 5 10 15 20
Moisture content (%)

Figure 6.11
Part d
From Figure 6.11, at an optimum moisture content of 10%,
Void ratio 5 0.38

wGs (0.1)(2.68)
Degree of saturation, 5 5 0.7 5 70%
e 0.38
Example 6.9
Laboratory compaction test results for a clayey silt are given in the following table.

Moisture content (%) Dry unit weight (kN/m3)

6 14.80
8 17.45
9 18.52
11 18.9
12 18.5
14 16.9

Following are the results of a field unit-weight determination test performed

on the same soil by means of the sand cone method:
● Calibrated dry density of Ottawa sand 5 1570 kg/m3
● Calibrated mass of Ottawa sand to fill the cone 5 0.545 kg
● Mass of jar 1 cone 1 sand (before use) 5 7.59 kg
● Mass of jar 1 cone 1 sand (after use) 5 4.78 kg
● Mass of moist soil from hole 5 3.007 kg
● Moisture content of moist soil 5 10.2%
Determine:
a. Dry unit weight of compaction in the field
b. Relative compaction in the field

Solution
Part a
In the field,
Mass of sand used to fill the hole and cone 5 7.59 kg 2 4.78 kg 5 2.81 kg
Mass of sand used to fill the hole 5 2.81 kg 2 0.545 kg 5 2.265 kg
2.265 kg
Volume of the hole (V)
V 5
V)
Dry density of Ottawa sand
2.265 kg
5 5 0.0014426 m3
1570 kg/m3

Mass of moist soil

Moist density of compacted soil 5
Volume of hole
3.007
5 5 2.084.4 kg/m3
0.0014426
(2084.4)(9.81)
Moist unit weight of compacted soil 5 5 20.45 kN/m3
1000
Hence,

 20.45
d 5 5 5 18.56 kN/
N/m
N/
/m3
w(%) 10.2
11 11
100 100

Part b
The results of the laboratory compaction test are plotted in Figure 6.29. From
the plot, we see that d(max) 5 19 kN/m3. Thus, from Eq. (6.21),

20

19 kN /m3
kN//m

18
/m3 )
(kN/m
d (kN/

16

14
0 4 8 12 16 20
(%)

Figure 6.29 Plot of laboratory-compaction

test results

d(fififeld) 18.56
R5 5 5 97.7%
d(max) 19.0