Compaction

Madhira R. Madhav
JNT University
[email protected]
with acknowledgement to
Sri Jaibhagwan
Introduction

• Pavement failures due to settlement

of embankment fill and subgrade

• Need for suitable materials and

proper quality control during
execution

• Adoption of MORTH specifications

Soil Compaction
• Compaction process
• Purpose of a laboratory compaction
test
• Difference between compaction and
consolidation
• Compaction of cohesionless soils
• Compaction of fine-grained cohesive
soils
Objectives of soil compaction
• Increase in strength
• Reduction in compressibility
• Reduction in tendency for subsequent
changes in moisture content
• Reduction in erodability
• Reduction in frost susceptibility
Laboratory Compaction (Proctor) Test

• Standard compaction (IS:2720 (Part 7)

-1980)

• Modified compaction (IS:2720 (Part 8)

-1983)

• Comparison of compaction curves

• Soil samples susceptible to crushing

Standard Proctor
(IS:2720 Part-7, 1980)
Soil Sample: Passing 20 mm Sieve
Mould Size: 1000 CC
Number of Layers: 3
Number of Blows: 25 for each layer
Wt. of Hammer: 2.6 kg
Height of Fall: 310 mm
No. of Trials: 5 different moisture
contents
Standard Proctor
(IS:2720 Part-7, 1980)
Contd.
For Coarse grained Soils upto
37.5 mm

Sieve: 40 mm if amount retained on 20

mm sieve is more than 5%
Mould Size: 2250 cc
Layers: 3
Blows: 56 in each layer
Hammer size: 2.6 kg
Modified Proctor
IS:2720 Part-8 (1983)
Sieve: 20 mm or 40 mm depending
upon the soil
Layers: 5 instead of 3 in Standard
Proctor
Hammer Wt. & Height of fall: 2.6
kg & 310 mm or 4.9 kg & 450 mm
Blows: 56 for each layer
 Testing of soils (Contd.)

4.89 kg hammer

1000 c.c mould 2250 c.c mould

Mould and Hammer used for compaction Tests

Compaction test apparatus
 Calculations
Testing of soils (Contd.)

Type of test : Standard/Modified

Weight of mould :
Dia of mould :
Height of mould :
Volume of mould (V) :
Sl.No Wt.of Wt. Of Bulk Moisture Dry
mould + soil density = content density
soil Wt. Of (bulk)/
soil/V
(1+w)
(bulk)

3
 Comparison of Compaction Tests
Standard Test Modified Test

Soil passing 20 mm/37.5 mm IS Soil passing 20 mm/37.5 mm IS

sieve sieve
Soil compacted in 3 layers, 25 Soil compacted in 5 layers, 25
blows/56 blows blows/56 blows

Soil compaction by 2.6 kg Soil compaction by 4.89 kg

hammer, 31 cm ht. of fall hammer 45 cm ht. of fall

- Adopted by MORTH
specifications
Used for Internal roads in Urban Used for NH, SH, MDR and ODR
areas and village roads
depending upon the traffic
Factors influencing compaction
• Type of soil

• Gradation (Well-graded/Uniformly-
graded)

• Clayey soil

• Silty soil

• Sandy soil

• Gravel
Moisture-density relationship
for different types of soils
Factors influencing compaction
(contd.)
• Moisture content
• Dry of optimum
• Optimum
• Wet of optimum
• Compactive effort
• Energy applied per unit weight of soil
• Weight of rammer, height of fall, number of
blows
• Weight of roller, number of passes
Moisture-density relationship
Effect of compaction on soil properties

• Unconfined compressive strength

• California Bearing Ratio (C.B.R)

• Unsoaked C.B.R
• Soaked C.B.R

• Permeability

• Settlement
 Relation between density and
unconfined compressive strength
Relation between density and CBR
for a heavy clay
Variation of CBR of silty clay with compaction
Compaction-permeability relation for clay
 Field control of compaction

• Measurement of dry density/Unit Weight

• Core cutter method (IS: 2720 (Part 29) - 1975)

• Sand replacement method (IS: 2720 (Part 28) - 1974

• Nuclear method (ASTM, D- 2922)

 Testing of soils (Contd.)

Field density by core-cutter method

 Suitable for fine grained soils

 Core cutter = 10 cm dia., 13 cm long

 Steel Dolly = 2.5 cm dia., 10 cm dia
 Rammer = 14 cm dia.,7.5 cm
height L = 90 cm, W = 9 kg
 Core cutter apparatus for
determination of dry density in field
 Testing of soils (Contd.)

Field density by Sand Replacement

Method (Contd.)
 Sand Pouring Cylinder
Dia=11.5 cm, L=38 cm
(Suitable for soils upto 90%
passing through 20 mm sieve)

 Metal Tray with hole (Tray =

30 cm x 30 cm, Hole dia.=10
cm)

 Calibrating container (Dia. 10

cm, Depth = 15 cm)

 Pespex glass plate (45 cm x

45 cm)
Field control of compaction
(contd.)
• Measurement of moisture content

• Pan drying method

• Speedy moisture meter (IS 2720 (Part 2) - 1973)

• Microwave oven method (ASTM D: 4643-1989)

Field compacting machinery

• Compactors
 Smooth wheel rollers
 Sheepsfoot rollers
 Pneumatic tyred rollers
 Vibratory rollers

 Other compacting equipments

 Small vibratory rollers
 Plate vibrators
 Rammers
 Field compacting machinery
(Contd)
• Smooth wheel roller

• Used for compacting subgrade, base and asphaltic

surfaces

• Suitable for compacting gravels, sand, and crushed

rock
• 8 to 10 tonne rollers

• Appropriate speed of the roller should be 3 - 6 km/h.

Field compacting machinery
(Contd)
• Sheepsfoot roller
• Used in road and earthen dam works

• Suitable for compacting heavy clays and silty

clays

• Important parameters affecting compaction

• Weight of roller
• Area of each foot
• Number of foots/lugs in contact with the ground at any
time
• Contact area of the foot
Field compacting machinery
(Contd)
• Pneumatic tyred rollers
• Used for both earthwork and bituminous works
• Suitable for compacting cohesionless gravel,
sand and cohesive soils
• Important parameters affecting compaction
• Tyre inflation pressure
• Area of contact
 Field compacting machinery
(Contd)
• Vibratory rollers
• Higher compaction level can be achieved with
minimum work
• Compaction extends to greater depths
• Output is many times more than conventional rollers
• Suitable for compacting sand and gravels
• Important parameters affecting compaction
• Dead load
• Frequency
• Amplitude
• Area of contact
 Field compacting machinery
(Contd)
• Vibratory plate compactors
• Useful for small road works and narrow areas such as trench
backfilling
• Suitable for compacting thin layers
• Can be tractor-towed

• Rammers
• Provide impact load
• Suitable for compacting small areas, back filling of trenches in
foundations
• Suitable for compacting cohesive as well as non-cohesive soils
• Operated manually (driven by petrol engines)
Lift thickness during compaction
• Depends on different factors

• Type of roller

• Weight of roller

• Type of soil

• Number of passes

• Prevailing moisture content

• Degree of compaction required

Machinery for earthwork
Dozers
 JCB
(Backhoe
cum loader)

Motor
grader
 Tractor as
grader

Tractor as
plough
 Tandem
vibratory
roller

Standard
roller
 Vibratory
roller(L&T)

Vibratory
roller
(Escorts)
& water
tanker
 Small
vibratory
roller

Plate
compactor
Earthwork for embankment/subgrade
• Suitability of materials
• Free from peat, perishable and other organic
material
• Should not be spontaneously combustible
• LL less than 70, PI less than 45
• Soils having salts are not suitable
• Free Swell Index more than 50 % should not be
used
• Total sulphate content more than 0.5 % must be
avoided
Earthwork for embankment/subgrade
(contd.)

• Size of material

• Maximum size of clod < 75 mm in

embankment fill

• Maximum size of clod < 50 mm in

subgrade

• Maximum particle size < 2/3 of

compacted layer thickness
Density requirements for embankment and subgrade
(MORTH specifications)
S.No Type of work Maximum
laboratory dry unit
weight when tested
as per IS: 2720
(Part 8)

1 Embankments up to 3
metres height, not
> 15.2
subjected to extensive kN/cu.m
flooding

2 Embankments exceeding
3 metres height or
> 16.0
embankments of any kN/cu.m
height subject to long
periods of inundation

3 Subgrade and earthen

shoulders/verges/backfill
> 17.5
kN/cu.m
Density requirements for embankment and subgrade
(For rural roads)
S.No Type of work Maximum
laboratory dry unit
weight when tested
as per IS: 2720
(Part 7)

1 Embankments up to 3
metres height, not
> 14.4
subjected to extensive kN/cu.m
flooding

2 Embankments exceeding
3 metres height or
> 15.2
embankments of any kN/cu.m
height subject to long
periods of inundation

3 Subgrade and earthen

shoulders/verges/backfill
> 16.5
kN/cu.m
Earthwork for embankment/subgrade
(contd.)
• Spreading of material in layers and
bringing to appropriate moisture

content.
 Max. compacted thickness = 20 cm
 Moisture content (-2 % to + 1% of OMC)
 Expansive soils (at OMC or on wet
side of optimum)
 Compaction requirements for embankment and subgrade
(MORTH specifications)

S.No. Type of work/material Relative compaction

as percentage of
max. laboratory dry
density as per IS:
2720 (Part 8)

1. Subgrade and earthen Not less than 97

shoulders

2. Embankment Not less than 95

3. Expansive clays  
(a)               Subgrade and Not allowed
500 mm portion just  
below the subgrade  
(b)               Remaining Not less than 90
portion of embankment

 
 Compaction requirements for embankment and subgrade
(Rural roads)
S.No. Type of work/material Relative compaction
as percentage of max.
laboratory dry density

1. GSB and stabilised sub- Not less than 98 %

base
as per IS: 2720 (Part 8)

2. Embankment Not less than 97 % as

per IS: 2720 (Part 7)

3. Subgrade (Natural  
soil or stabilised soil, 30 Not less than 100 % as
cm in two layers) and per IS: 2720 (Part 7)
earthen shoulders

 
 Quality control tests
Sl.No Test Relevant Frequency of
code test

1. Deleterious content IS:2720 : Min 2 tests per

Part - 27 borrow area

2. Moisture content IS:2720 : 1 test / 250 m3

Part - 2

3. Sand content IS:2720 : 2 tests / 3000

Part - 4 m3

4 Plasticity Index IS:2720 : 2 tests / 3000

Part - 5 m3

5. Compaction tests IS:2720 : 2 tests / 3000

Part - 8 m3

6. C.B.R IS:2720 : 1 test / 3000 m3

Part - 16

7. Field density  
(a)   Embankment IS:2720 : 1 test / 1000 m2
(b)  Part – 28 1 test / 500 m2
Subgrade/shoulders  
Quality control

• Tolerances in surface levels in subgrade

+ 20 mm, -25 mm
• Acceptance criteria
Mean density should not be less than
specified density +
1.65 - 1.65 times the standard deviation
(No. of samples)0.5
Earthwork under special
conditions
• Compacting ground supporting
embankment/Subgrade

• Earthwork over existing road surface

• Embankment construction under water

• Construction of embankment over soft

soils
Investigations of Damages to
Approaches of High Level
Bridge across Sirsa River on
NH-21, near Ropar
General view of Road Surface Investigated on
NH-21
A Typical View of An Exposed Test Pit at Km
52/384 showing all pavement layers
View of large (oversize) rounded boulders
used in construction of GSB layer (Pit No 2)
View of large (oversize) rounded boulders
used in construction of GSB layer(Pit No 4)
A set up for measurement with Dynamic Cone
Penetrometer (DCP)
Tripod arrangement set up for SPT test
Inducement of Selby Tube in the
Embankment
Loading arrangement for Insertion of Selby
Tube at great depth
 Stabilisation of Slopes in
Coast Guard Area Port Blair
Sinking of road at the location of failed
retaining wall
Cracks in road pavement due to subsidence
Slope failure at the location of displaced
retaining wall
Tilted posts showing mass movements on
the slope
Displaced retaining wall near Coast Guard
Officers’ Mess
Tilted/displaced retaining wall
Surface erosion behind Coast Guard
Headquarters’ office
THANK YOU