Compaction

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 What is compaction?

A simple ground improvement technique, where

the soil is densified through external compactive
effort.

Compactive
effort

+ water =

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Compaction: is the process by which soil particles are
artificially rearranged and packed together into a closer
state of contact by mechanical means in order to
decrease the void ratio of the soil and thus increase its
dry density.

Consolidation: when the soil is fully saturated,

compression of soil occurs mainly due to expulsion of
water from the voids under static pressure. This process
is known as consolidation.

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 Laboratory Compaction Test
 to obtain the compaction curve and define the optimum water
content and maximum dry density for a specific compactive effort.

Standard
Proctor(Light hammer
Modified
compaction test):IS Proctor(Heavy
2720 compaction test):
• 3 layers • 5 layers

• 25 blows per layer • 25 blows per layer

• 2.6 kg hammer • 4.89 kg hammer

• 310 mm drop • 450 mm drop

•Compactive effort 592 1000 cc compaction mould •Compactive effort

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kJ/m3 2700 kJ/m3
 Compaction Curve
Dry density (d)

Soil grains densely packed

- good strength and stiffness

d, max - low permeability

M
b 
V

b
Eq :  d 
1 w
optimum
water content Water content 5
Optimum moisture content(OMC): with increase
in water content, initially the dry density increases, and
becomes maximum. With further increase in water
content the dry density decreases. Water content at
which dry density is maximum, is called optimum
moisture content.
Range of OMC
Sand Sandy silt or silty sand silt clay

6 to 10% 8 to 12% 12 to 16% 14 to 20%

Maximum Dry density(MDD): The dry density

corresponding to optimum moisture content is called
maximum dry density.
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 Compaction Curve
What happens to the relative quantities of the three phases
with addition of water? air
water
Dry density (d)

soil

difficult to expel all air

lowest void ratio and

highest dry density at
optimum w

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Water content
Dry density (d)
Zero Air Void Curve
- Soil containing no air voids is called
zero air void line corresponds to 100%
saturation
Zero air void curve (S=100%)
Gs  w
Eq :  d 
1  wGs
S<100%
S>100% (impossible)

All compaction points should lie

to the left of ZAV curve

Water content 8
 Zero Air Void Curve
 it may be noted that compaction method can not
remove all the air voids and therefore, the soil never
becomes fully saturated.

If Sr=90%, above equation can be written as,

Gs  w
Eq :  d 
1  wG
s / 0.90

In terms of percentage air voids(na)

(1  na )Gs  w
Eq :  d 
1  wGs
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Example 1:- The maximum dry density and optimum moisture
content of soil from standard proctor test are 18 kN/m3 and
16% respectively. Compute degree of saturation of sample
assuming G= 2.68.

Example 2:- Standard compaction test results

Determine 1)optimum water content and maximum dry
density of the soil.
2) Plot 5% air void line
3) Plot Zero air void line
Take G = 2.7

Water content W% 8.8 9.60 12 15 18 21

Bulk unit wt kN/m3 12.62 13.19 15.6 17.2 17.5 17.0

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 Effect of Compactive Effort
Dry density (d)

Increasing compactive
effort results in:
 Lower optimum
water content
E2 (>E1)
 Higher maximum dry
density

E1

Water content 11
 Line of Optimums
Dry density (d)

If the soil is compacted at

different compactive efforts, and
different compaction curve are
drawn, the line joining the
maximum dry density is called
line of optimums

Line of optimum

Water content 12
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 Methods of Field Compaction
The various methods of field compaction:
 Rolling
Different types of Rollers are used.
Factors:1 Contact pressure
2 No of passes (5 to 15)
3 layer thickness(less than 15cm)
4 speed of roller
 Ramming
- Hand operated rammer-3 to 5kg
- Mechanical rammer-30 to 150 kg
 Vibration
Vibrator mounted on drum, is called vibratory
roller, vibrating plate compactor
 Methods of Filed Compaction
Different types of rollers (clockwise
from right):
 Smooth-wheel roller
 Vibratory roller
Pneumatic rubber tired roller
 Sheepsfoot roller
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 Field Compaction
Smooth Wheeled Roller

Compacts effectively only to 200-300 mm; therefore,

place the soil in shallow layers (lifts)
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 Field Compaction
Sheepsfoot Roller

 Provides kneading action; “walks out” after compaction

 Very effective on clays

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 Field Compaction
Vibrating Plates

 for compacting very small areas

 effective for granular soils

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 Field Compaction
Impact Roller

 Provides deeper (2-3m) compaction.

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 Dynamic Compaction
- pounding the ground by a heavy weight
Suitable for granular soils, land fills
and karst terrain with sink holes.

solution cavities in
Pounder (Tamper) limestone

Crater created by the impact

(to be backfilled)
Dynamic Compaction

Pounder (Tamper)
Mass = 5-30 tonne
Drop = 10-30 m
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Dynamic Compaction
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Factors affecting Compaction
1) Water Content:-
 As the water content increased, the soil particle get
lubricated so particles have closer packing.
 At optimum water content the air voids having constant
volume.
 So further increase in water content, the air voids do not
decrease but the dry density decreases.

2) Amount of compaction:-
 The amount of compaction greatly affects the maximum
dry density and optimum moisture content of a soil.
 However, the increase in MDD does not have a linear
relationship with increase of compactive effort.
3) Type of soil :-
The maximum density and optimum
moisture content for different soils
are shown below.

Compacts effectively only to 200-300 mm; therefore,

place the soil in shallow layers (lifts)
4) Thickness of layer:-
 It is play an important role.
 Layer thickness in lab is kept 30 to 40 mm while in the
field the thickness of soil layer is kept about 200mm
to300mm.
 Lesser thickness gives higher dry density.

5) Method of compaction:-
 for the same amount of compactive effort, the dry
density will depend upon whether the method of
compaction utilizes kneading action, dynamic action or
stationary action. density
6) Saturation line:-
 If all the air voids are removed from the soil by compaction,
the soil becomes fully saturated and higher maximum dry
density is achieved.
 Practically 100% saturation is not possible.
7) Admixtures :-
 The compaction characteristics of the soils are improved by
adding some admixtures.
 The most commonly used admixtures are lime, cement and
bitumen.
8) Stone content:-
 with addition of aggregates of 20 to 30 mm size up to 40%
volume, the density of soil increases.