Soil Compaction

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Importance of Soil Compaction
1. In the construction of highway embankments, earth dams, and
many other engineering structures, loose soils must be compacted
to increase their unit weights.
2. Compaction increases the strength characteristics of soils, which
increase the bearing capacity of foundations constructed over
them.
3. Compaction also decreases the amount of undesirable settlement
of structures and increases the stability of slopes of embankments.
Smooth

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Compaction
It is the densification of soil by removal of air, which requires
mechanical energy

General Principles
• The degree of compaction of a soil is measured in terms of its dry unit weight.
• When water is added to the soil during compaction, it acts as a softening agent
on the soil particles.
• The soil particles slip over each other and move into a densely packed position.
• The dry unit weight after compaction first increases as the moisture content
increases.

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Optimum Moisture Content
• The moisture content at which
the maximum dry unit weight is
attained.
• Beyond a certain moisture
content, any increase in the
moisture content tends to
reduce the dry unit weight. This
phenomenon occurs because
the water takes up the spaces
that would have been occupied
by the solid particles.

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Proctor Compaction Test
• The laboratory test generally
used to obtain the maximum dry
unit weight of compaction and
the optimum moisture content.

2 Types:
1. Standard Proctor Test
2. Modified Proctor Test

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Standard Proctor Test Equipment

Mold Hammer

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Comparison between standard Proctor hammer
(top) and modified Proctor
hammer (bottom)

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Summary of Standard and Modified Proctor
Compaction Test Specifications

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Unit Weight Of Compaction

Dry Unit Weight Moist Unit Weight

𝜸 𝑾
𝜸𝒅 = 𝜸=
𝒘 % 𝑽𝒎
𝟏 + 𝟏𝟎𝟎
Where:
𝑮𝒔 𝜸𝒘 𝑊 =weight of the compacted soil
𝜸𝒅 =
𝑮𝒔 𝒘 of the mold
𝟏+ 𝑺
Where: 𝑉𝑚 =volume of the mold (944
𝑤 = percentage of moisture cu.cm)
content.
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Zero-air-void Unit Weight
• For a given moisture content, the theoretical maximum dry unit
weight is obtained when no air is in the void spaces—that is, when
the degree of saturation equals 100%
• The maximum dry unit weight at a given moisture content with zero
air voids

𝑮𝒔 𝜸𝒘 𝜸𝒘
𝜸𝒛𝒂𝒗 = =
𝟏 + 𝒘𝑮𝒔 𝒘 + 𝟏
𝑮𝒔

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Factors Affecting Compaction
1. Effect of Soil Type - grain-size
distribution, shape of the soil
grains, specific gravity of soil
solids, and amount and type of
clay minerals present—has a
great influence on the
maximum dry unit weight and
optimum moisture content.

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Factors Affecting Compaction

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Factors Affecting Compaction
2. Effect of Soil Type

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Sample Problem
1. The laboratory test results of a standard Proctor test are given in
the following table.

a. Determine the maximum dry unit weight of compaction and the optimum
moisture content.
b. Calculate and plot dry unit weight versus the moisture content for degree
of saturation, S=80, 90, and 100% (i.e., g ). Given: G =2.7.
zav s

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Empirical Relationships

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Omar et al. (2003)

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Patra et al. (2010)

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Gurtug and Sridharan (2004)

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Osman et al. (2008)

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Matteo et al. (2009)

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Sample Problem
For a silty clay soil given LL=43 and PL=18. Estimate the
maximum dry unit weight of compaction that can be achieved by
conducting a modified Proctor test. For modified Proctor test, E=2696
kN-m/cu.m. Use Osman et al. (2008) correlations.

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Field Compaction
Compaction Equipment:
1. Smooth-wheel rollers (or
smooth-drum rollers)
2. Pneumatic rubber-tired rollers
3. Sheepsfoot rollers
4. Vibratory rollers

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Field Compaction and Factors Affecting Field
Compaction
Field Compaction - soil is spread in
layers and a pre-determined amount
of water is sprayed on each layer
(lift) of soil, after which compaction
is initiated by a desired roller.
Factors Affecting Field Compaction:
1. Thickness of lift
2. Intensity of pressure applied by
the compacting equipment
3. Area over which the pressure is
applied

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Specifications for Field Compaction
In most specifications for earthwork,
the contractor is instructed to achieve a
compacted field dry unit weight of 90 to
95% of the maximum dry unit weight
determined in the laboratory by either
the standard or modified Proctor test.

Lee and Singh (1971)

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Determination of Field Unit Weight
of Compaction
Standard procedures for
determining the field unit weight
of compaction:
1. Sand cone method
2. Rubber balloon method
3. Nuclear method

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Sample Problem
1. Laboratory compaction test results for a Following are the results of a field unit-weight
clayey silt are given in the following table. determination test performed on the same soil
by means of the sand cone method:
• Calibrated dry density of Ottawa sand =1570
kg/cu.m
• Calibrated mass of Ottawa sand to fill the
cone=0.545 kg
• Mass of jar+cone+sand (before use) =7.59 kg
• Mass of jar+cone+sand (after use) =4.78 kg
• Mass of moist soil from hole=3.007 kg
• Moisture content of moist soil=10.2%
Determine:
a. Dry unit weight of compaction in the field Ans. 18.56%, 97.7%
b. Relative compaction in the field if max dry
unit weight of the soil from the compaction
curve is 19 kN/cu.m
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Sample Problem
2. For a given soil, following are
the results of compaction tests
conducted in the laboratory.
𝐺𝑠 = 2.72
After compaction of the soil in the
field, sand cone tests (control
tests) were conducted at five
separate locations. Following are
the results:

The specifications require that:

a. 𝛾𝑑 must be at least 0.95 𝛾𝑑(𝑚𝑎𝑥) .
b. Moisture content w should be within 2% of 𝑤𝑜𝑝𝑡 . Make necessary
calculations to see if the control tests meet the specifications.
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