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3 - Soil Compaction

This document discusses soil compaction. It defines consolidation, compressibility, and compaction. It then covers general principles of compaction including densification by removing air, measuring dry unit weight, and the effect of water. The document outlines standard and modified Proctor tests to determine maximum dry unit weight and optimum moisture content. It also discusses zero air void unit weight and factors affecting compaction like soil type, compaction effort, and machinery used.

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Hafizah Fadil
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186 views21 pages

3 - Soil Compaction

This document discusses soil compaction. It defines consolidation, compressibility, and compaction. It then covers general principles of compaction including densification by removing air, measuring dry unit weight, and the effect of water. The document outlines standard and modified Proctor tests to determine maximum dry unit weight and optimum moisture content. It also discusses zero air void unit weight and factors affecting compaction like soil type, compaction effort, and machinery used.

Uploaded by

Hafizah Fadil
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 3

SOIL COMPACTION

FKAAS, UTHM
3.0 INTRODUCTION
 Differences between ‘consolidation’,
‘compressibility’ and ‘compaction’:

• ‘Consolidation’= rate of volume change (with


Soilgiving time to produce an amount of
time)-
settlement; changes in soil volume due to the
expulsion of water from the soil voids over a
long period.

• ‘Compressibility’= volume changes in soil


when subjected to pressure- giving amounts
of settlement

• ‘Compaction’= changes in soil volume due to


the expulsion of air from soil by application of
a compaction energy
Fig. 2 Components of soils.
3.1 GENERAL PRINCIPLES

• Densification of soils by removal of air-


requires mechanical energy

• Degree of compaction- measured in terms


of its dry unit weight

• When water is added-act as softening agent


on the soil particles

• The dry unit weight after compaction first


increases as the moisture content increases
(Figure 5.1).
3.2 STANDARD PROCTOR TEST

• To obtain the maximum dry unit weight,  d


of compaction and optimum moisture
content (omc)
• Test equipment- mold and hammer
• The soil is mixed with varying amounts of
water-compacted into 3 equal layers by a
hammer
• 27 blows to each layer with hammer weighs
• (2.5kg)
3.2 STANDARD PROCTOR TEST
• Unit weight () is the weight of soil per unit
• volume. Thus,
W
 
V
• The relationship of unit weight, dry unit
• weight, and moisture content can be given
as

d 
1 w
3.3 ZERO AIR VOID UNIT WEIGHT

• For a given moisture content-the theoretical


• maximum dry unit weight is obtained when
• there is no air in the void spaces
• That is-the degree of saturation equals
• 100%.Thus,

Gs w
 zav 
1 e
where zav = zero-air void unit weight
w = unit weight of water
e = void ratio
Gs = specific gravity of soil solids sample
3.4 MODIFIED PROCTOR TEST

• To better represent field condition-Same


• mold in standard proctor testis used
• The soil is compacted- 5layers by hammer
• that weight (4.5kg)
• The number of hammer blows for each layer
• is kept at 27blows
• The compaction energy for unit volume of
• soil in the modified test can be calculated as

(27blows / layer )(5layers )( 44.5 x103 kN )(0.4572m)


E  2696 kNm / m 3

943.3x106 m3
3.5 FACTORS AFFECTING COMPACTION
• Effect of Soil type
• Grain size distribution, shape of soil grain
• and specific gravity. Normal LL (30%-70%)
• Effect of compaction effort
• compaction energy , E per unit volume. If
• compaction effort >,MD Unit weight > and
• OMC also <

• Machineries used
• 4 common types of rollers: smooth wheel
roller , pneumatic rubber tired roller,
sheepsfoot roller and vibratory roller
Fig. 5:
Three separate phases
of a soil element with
volume of soil solids
equal to one.
Take Vs = 1

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