RAPID IMPACT

RAPID IMPACT COMPACTION

COMPACTION (RIC)
(RIC)

E-mail: braam@ricsa.net Web: www.ricsa.net

SOUTH AFRICA NAMIBIA

RIC Africa (PTY)Ltd RIC Nam (PTY)Ltd

Office: +27 (21) 975 0933 Office: +264 (61) 413 550
Fax: 086 591 2661 Fax: 086 591 2661
Mobile: +27 82 656 4111 Mobile: +264 81 343 0800
 RAPID IMPACT COMPACTION (RIC)

What is Rapid Impact Compac on?

RIC is a technique allied to Dynamic Compac on that can be used to increase the bearing capacity of soils through
controlled Impact.
The treatment is effec ve in the top layers typically up to 6m depth, though improvements up to 9m have been seen in
some condi ons.
A drop weight of 5 to 16 tonnes (depending on size) is dropped nto a special foot assembly 40-60 mes a minute. The
foot remains in contact with the ground at all mes.
Benefits
Control: The machine is accurately controlled from excavator cab and the degree of compac on electronically
monitored.
Safety: The impact foot is in contact with the ground at all mes and eliminates the risk of flying debris.
Unlike conven onal DC; other ac vi es can take place in close proximity
Quality Assurance: The impact energy and soil deflec on are recorded by the on -board computer for
presenta on of compac on data to site managers. Results can verify work done to the client.
The data can highlight weak zones where extra fill is required, or zones where underground
obstruc ons were present (i.e. previously hidden old founda ons)
Speed: The unit is mounted on standard excavators, typically in the 40-85 tonne class and can be mobilised in
minutes from arrival on site.
Applica ons
Surface Consolida on: Final treatment of upper strata following tradi onal DC of the deeper layers.
Founda ons Support: Increase bearing capacity and reduce se lement.
Floor Slab Support: S ffen soils and create uniform bearing condi ons.
Liquefac on Mi ga on: Increase shear wave modulus to help raise seismic site class.
Waste Stabiliza on: Reduce waste volume and improve proper es of loose fills.
RIC has been successfully used to consolidate Gravel, Sands, Silts*, Miscellaneous fills and industrial and mining waste
fills. The ability to dump and compact sand or stone to depths up to 6m simplifies remedia on prac ses. RIC is also less
expensive than over-excava on and replacement techniques.
Methodology:
The method for efficiently covering the ground varies from country to country.
A Common pa ern used to cover uses a track in three passes. [see diagram below] The outer (black) points being
compacted first, followed by the intermediate (orange) lastly the infilling (blue) posi ons.
This has the effect achieving the best depth of influence. The first pass effec ng the ground to a deeper level than the
la er.
Results:
Most granular fills and some silts are compactable, The best results being achieved where the fill is well-graded par cle
size. An area of 800m² -16000m² can be covered in an average day (depending on the ‘blow-per-posi on’ se ng.) This
also allows me for rou ne maintenance and rota on of the special dolley pads located in the foot assembly which
transfers the force of the blow through to the ground.

3m 3m

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 RAPID IMPACT COMPACTION (RIC)

Depth of Influence
The RIC sits readily in the zone between conven onal rolling techniques and tradi onal Dynamic Compac on.
This is only a guide. The depth of influence is affected by site condi ons – soil type, moisture content, and the target
improvements required, therefore each job has to be take on its own merits.

VIBRATORY ROLLING DYNAMIC ROLLING RIC D.C.

0.2 m
0,4 m
0.5 m
1,0 m

4m

7m

10 m

Normal expected range

Observed range in
good condi ons 14 m

Depth of Influence Calcula on R

Dynamic Compac on is tradi onally specified in terms of dropweight mass and the height
of drop. (Z = n√MH)
RIC uses many more blows in a ghter pa ern than DC. Each blow is smaller in magnitude,
but the depth of influence is affected by the momentum effect of the dropweight and the
accumula on of energy into the ground. Z Compacted
The depth and radius of the compacted zone are in propor on to the logarithm of the Area
cumula ve ram momentum. The compacted zone can be es mated by the desired
cumula ve ram momentum, as shown in Soil Mechanics by TW Lambe and RV Whitman
(1969) ΔDr (%)
contour
Z = aZ + bZ log (mvN) Where ΔDr (%) aZ bZ aR bR
40 -7.2 3.2 -2.2 1.2
R = aR + bR log (mvN) 20 -8.2 3.8 -4.7 2.1

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 RAPID IMPACT COMPACTION (RIC)

Data Logging
A standard machine has the ability to record work done. Target criteria se ngs are adjusted
for finale set, depth and blow counts. The driver then compacts un l one of those criteria is
reached before moving the machine on.
A visual representa on of the data is seen in the cab and recorded by the on -board monitor.

Posi on Monitoring
It is possible to add GPS coordinates to the compac on points.
This allows the data logged to be precisely allocated to real
posi on. Data presenta ons to the client can then be greatly
enhanced.

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 RAPID IMPACT COMPACTION (RIC)

Designing for RIC

Considera on of the following criteria is necessary for
effec ve use of RIC
SOIL Variables METHOD Variables
Ini al Dry Density Grid Pa ern
Silt Content Blow Counts
Moisture Content Number of Passes
Grain Size

Soil Evalua on
Normal prac se is to conduct PRE and POST ground tes ng on a sample test area of the site. Ini al Qc determined by
CPT or ‘N’ values by SPT or soil E value measured by Con nuous Wave test. Material strength parameter can be
determined by shear-box and triaxial tests

Soil Behaviour Predic ons:

It is becoming more common to engage the services of Geotech’s
recognised as experts in the use and specifica ons of RIC. Computer
modelling of different soil and the effect of different energy inputs
and blow counts is possible in many cases.

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 RAPID IMPACT COMPACTION (RIC)

RIC Ground Condi ons

On the previous page; the Soil variables listed play a part determining the effec veness of RIC. How this effects the RIC
process and what methods can be used to overcome problems are explained below.
Ini al Dry Density
The more dense the soil is to start with, the less penetra on -per-blow will be achieved.
If the soil is very loose the foot will penetrate very easily and it will be necessary to fill the craters and return for a
second or third pass.
Silt Content
The presence of a high percentage of silt will affect the
compac on process. High pore water pressures build up in
such soil and it is easy liquefy to the material. In such
condi ons it is common to use mul ple techniques such as
[a] compac ng stone into the material to form shallow
columns. These act as both pore water drains and strength
bearing columns.
[b] performing soil-mixing with lime/chalk material to
change the proper es of the soil into one which is easier to
compact.
Note: if the silt content is located in thin lens then the soil
can be compacted as the process of moving the plug into Water-Logged Site
the soil will act as crude form of soil mixing and break up the
silt layers into the surrounding strata.
Moisture Content
When the water table is close to the surface, good compac on is s ll able to be done. The effect on the site is that
water will be forced to the surface, and is likely to fill the crater.
In some materials – par cularly calcareous sand, the more sand that lays above water, making a thicker hard crust, the
more effort is required to break through to compact the moisture laden strata beneath.

In water-logged condi ons it is be er to start work away from the

body of water and work towards the edge/shore, thus forcing
ground water out in a controlled manner
Grain Size

The ideal soil is ‘well-graded’ material in which the smaller

par cles can be pressed into the voids surrounding the larger
ones . If the material is uniform in grain size then compac on will
be reduced. In such material it is possible to lay a blanket of larger
material over the site and compact the material into the strata
beneath. This mixes the grains and enables be er compac on.

Mixing large gravel into

uniform grain sand

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E-mail: braam@ricsa.net Web: www.ricsa.net
SOUTH AFRICA NAMIBIA

RIC Africa (PTY)Ltd RIC Nam (PTY)Ltd

Office: +27 (21) 975 0933 Office: +264 (61) 413 550
Fax: 086 591 2661 Fax: 086 591 2661
Mobile: +27 82 656 4111 Mobile: +264 81 343 0800

Chenoweth Street 80 Van Niekerk Street 38 Nguni Street

Durbanville Largo, Springs Northern Industrial Area
7535 1750 Windhoek
Cape Town Johannesburg NAMIBIA
SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA