Vibratory deep compaction of hydraulic fills

Le compactage vibratorie des remblais hydrauliques

A. Gkalp, R.Dzceer
Kasktas A.S., Istanbul, Turkev, alpgokalpsuperonline.com
KEYWORDS: Hydraulic fill, vibro compaction, vibroflotation, CPT, compaction energy
ABSTRACT: This case history describes the compaction of loose hydraulic sand fills by
vibroflotation method. A total of 1,034,000 m
3
of hydraulic fills covering an area of 181,000 m
2
were
vibro compacted to a minimum relative density of 70 as of February 2003. The physical properties
of the hydraulic fills and the details of the vibro compaction works are presented and the results of the
quality control tests are discussed.
RESUME: Le compactage par la methode de vibroflottation des remblais hydrauliques en sable lches
est decrit dans cet article. Jusqu` a Fevrier 2003, un volume total de 1,034,000 m
3
de remlai couvrant
une superficie de 181,000 m
2
a ete compacte par cette methode, a une densite relative minimale
prescrite de 70. Les proprietes physiques des materiaux de remblai et les details des travaux de
compactage ainsi que les resultats des essais de contrle de la qualite du compactage sont discutes.
1 INTRODUCTION
The proposed port, which is situated on the east cost of the Mediterranea n Sea has been under
operation since 1965. Due to the development of the maritime transport methods and port facilities in
the recent years, a development plan was required to meet future traffic demands.
The development works consist of the extension of the main breakwater by 1,150 m, 1,700 m long
new general cargo and container quays for the handling of containers, a development of the port`s
hinderland, 2,600,000 m
3
of dredging works and 1,300,000 m
3
of vibro compaction works.
Only the general information of the dredging works, the characteristics of the hydraulic fill and the
operational details of the vibro compaction works including the quality control program pursued in the
project are discussed in this paper because of the length restriction.
2 SOIL INVESTIGATIONS & SUBSOIL CONDITIONS
A comprehensive soil investigation programme was implemented at the proposed site. A total of 13
cone penetration tests (CPT) and a total of 65 borings, with standard penetration tests (SPT), in the
range of 28 m to 100 m, sampling of disturbed and undisturbed samples and laboratory tests (grain
size and hydrometer analyses, atterberg limits, consolidation tests, CU triaxial tests) were carried out.
In 1998 an additional soil investigation including a series of 20 vibrocore tests with sampling of
Proc. XIII ECSMGE, Vanek et al. (eds). GtS, Prague, ISBN 80-86769-00-3, (Vol. 1)
Main Session 1 "Man-made deposits - recent and ancient" 107
underwater soil and 10 electric cone penetration tests were also conducted in order to obtain
additional information on the pyhsical properties of material to be dredged and the upper soil layers.
On the basis of the soil investigations, sandy layers have been encountered within the quays area.
These sandy layers contain fines content between 2 to 10 percent, classified as poorly graded sand
(SP) and poorly graded sand with silt (SP-SM). The sandy material consist of 0.4 to 5.6 of gravel,
92.2 to 95.1 of sand and 1.9 to 7.5 of silty and clayey materials. The minimum and maximum
dry densities of the sand fill vary between 12.40 to 14.30 kN/m
3
and 16.20 to 17.73 kN/m
3
respectively. The coefficient of uniformity, C
u
is between 1.5 and 25 and the mean grain size D
50
ranges from 0.13 mm to 0.38 mm.
Figure 1. Site Plan
3 DREDGING WORKS & THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HYDRAULIC FILL
Based on the results of the vibrocore and electric cone penetration t ests carried out in 1998-99, the
dredged sandy material was approved to be used as hydraulic fill material. The dredging works were
mainly performed in the area defined by the Existing Quay 22 and 23, the future Quays 21, 22, 23 and
the turning circle to a level of -14.0 m; in the manoeuvring area limited by the Main Breakwater
extension, Quay 24 and the basin to a level of -15.0 m; and the new entrance channel of the port to a
level of -16.0 m.
A Cutter Suction Dredger was selected as the most suitable equi pment for execution of the
dredging works since the dredged material was dumped into the quay reclamation areas. The dredged
materials were pumped throughout floating and land based pipelines to the reclamation areas.
Pipelines and water outlets were insta lled in several points of the fill areas to provide the adequate
settlement of sand and permit silty and clayey material to run off the reclamation areas. A Trailing
N
SCALE
200m 100 0
LEE BREAKW
ATER
1B
1A
1
2 3
4
5
Q
U
A
Y

2
2
QUAY 21
QUAY 23
Q
U
A
Y

2
4
7 7A
6
8A
8
M
A
I
N


B
R
E
A
K
W
A
T
E
R
M
A
I
N


B
R
E
A
K
W
A
T
E
R

E
X
T
E
N
S
I
O
N
Proc. XIII ECSMGE, Vanek et al. (eds). GtS, Prague, ISBN 80-86769-00-3, (Vol. 1)
Main Session 1 "Man-made deposits - recent and ancient" 108
Suction Hopper Dredger was used for dredging unsuitable and surplus material and disposal into the
open sea.
Sand for hydraulic fill was controlled by obtaining five samples of the dredged material for each
20,000 m
3
of fill material. Sieve analysis tests according to the ASTM E -11 were performed on those
selected samples and the dredged fill materials complying with the following criteria were defined as
suitable for hydraulic fill.
S Percent by weight passing ASTM sieve no.200 : maximum 10
S D
50
: 0.13 0.50 mm
S Percent by weight passing the 5 opening ASTM sieve : 100
The results of sieve analysis are shown in Figure 2., where each line corresponds to the average of
the five sieve tests performed on samples taken from the fill. The average of the coefficient of
uniformity, C
u
and the coefficient of curvature, C
z
of the fill material vary from 2.70 to 4.30 and 0.52
to 1.20 respectively. The suitability number (S
N
) was calculated using the formula suggested by
Brown (1977). The suitability number (S
N
) calculated ranges from 11.7 to 23.8, with an average of
19.5 which means that the hydraulic fil l material is Good to Fair as a hydraulic fill material.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0,001 0,01 0,1 1 10
Particle Size (mm)
C
u
m
u
l
a
t
i
v
e

p
e
r
c
e
n
t
a
g
e

p
a
s
s
i
n
g

(

)
Figure 2. The results of sieve analysis tests performed on samples taken from the hydraulic fill
4 VIBRO COMPACTION WORKS
Since the predicted settlements for the fou ndations of the various structures and container storage
areas are not tolerable and the risk of liquefaction is high, the loose hydraulic sand fills whose
thickness varies from 3.0 m to 12.0 m are implemented to be vibro compacted by vibrofloatation
method to a minimum relative density of 70 down to a depth of 1 m below the existing seabed
level.
A 100 kW vibratory probe, having a maximum operating speed of 3000 rpm (50Hz) with a
corresponding maximum centrifugal force of 400 kN was selected for the vib ro compaction works. In
October 2001, a test area of 1,000 m
2
prepared at Zone 8 was vibro compacted. Installations were
carried out with an equilateral triangular grid having a triangular side of 2.5 m and a compaction
energy of min. 750 KJoule per meter was applied to the hydraulic fill.
Proc. XIII ECSMGE, Vanek et al. (eds). GtS, Prague, ISBN 80-86769-00-3, (Vol. 1)
Main Session 1 "Man-made deposits - recent and ancient" 109
After the treatment two sets of three CPT tests each, located at the mid (C -8 & C-12) and quarter
(C-9 & C-11) of one of the triangular grid sides and at its centroid (C -6 & C-10) were carried out four
days upon compl etion. The construction specification required that after compaction minimum D
R
of
70, 75 and 85 of the hydraulic fill are to be achieved at the centroid of the triangular grid, the
mid and quarter of one of the triangular grid sides respectively. The c orresponding curves of q
c
along
the vertical beneath a certain point for the required value of D
R
were calculated, based on the
following relationship (Jamiolkowski, 1985). See equation (1). The average and standard deviation of
the q
c
values along the depth of a certain point obtained from CPT tests were calculated and compared
with the minimum required D
R
Criteria after q
c
values were normalized by the in situ state of stress.
Since the results of the CPTs performed after the treatment were in good confor mity with the
compaction criteria, the method of statement used in the installations of the preliminary test was
approved as the operational parameters.
( 1 )
5 QUALITY CONTROL TESTS
A strict quality control and quality assurance program pursued in the project, implemented the static
cone penetration test with pore pressure measurement (CPTU) as a primary quality control. Each
CPTU is carried out for every 1,600 m
2
of vibro-compacted area in order to verify compliance with
the specified compaction criteria. Thus as of February, 2003 a total of one hundred fourteen CPTU
tests were performed by an independent laboratory. (Table 1) Based on the test results it was not only
concluded that the average relative density of the compacted h ydraulic fill successfully exceeded the
specified minimum relative density of 70 , but also revealed that the measured density values are in
conformity with the values obtained for similar soil conditions.
Table 1. Results of quality control tests as of February 2003
Quay No Zone No Completed Area Completed Volume CPTs Performed
Zone-8 63,000 m
2
268,640 m
3
37 no.
Zone-8A 58,400 m
2
394,560 m
3
30 no.
Zone-6 14,600 m
2
112,550 m
3
7 no.
Zone-7 3,500 m
2
37,050 m
3
6 no.
23
Zone-7A 10,000 m
2
91,205 m
3
16 no.
Zone-3 3,300 m
2
15,250 m
3
1 no.
Zone-2 14,500 m
2
64,200 m
3
9 no.
21
Zone-1 13,700 m
2
50,800 m
3
8 no.
Total : 181,000 m
2
1,034,255 m
3
114 no.
The compaction process is monitored using an electronic process control system capable of
recording actual compaction data in real time; compaction energy, amount of water and depth of the
vibratory probe versus time in order to assist the operator and to control and collect the actual vibro
compaction data.
Two sets of CPTs performed before and after the vibro compaction installations at two different
areas in Zone 8A and the compaction energy applied to the soil by the vibratory probe in the vicinity
of CPT test locations were shown in Figure 3 and tabulated in Table 2. It was observed that the

log 66 98
5 . 0
(
(

'
+ =
vo
c
R
q
D
8
Proc. XIII ECSMGE, Vanek et al. (eds). GtS, Prague, ISBN 80-86769-00-3, (Vol. 1)
Main Session 1 "Man-made deposits - recent and ancient" 110
increase in q
c
decreases as the fines content in the hydraulic fill increases although the compaction
energy applied to the fill is the same.
Figure 3.CPTs performed before and after vibro compaction & compaction energy applied to the fill (At two
different areas in Zone 8A)
Table 2. Increase in q
c
obtained from CPTs and the corresponding compaction energy applied to the fill
Zone
No.
Area No.
Average qc
(Before Compaction)
Average qc
(After Compaction)
Ave. Compaction Power
(kW / m)
Increase in qc ()
(qc
aftter
- qc
before
) / qc
before
8A M05 - N06 12.10 MPa 23.70 MPa 30.9 kW 75 to 375
8A M08 - N09 17.50 MPa 26.10 MPa 32.7 kW 50 to 390
-9
-8
-7
-6
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
0 10 20 30 40 50
Zone: 8A - Area: M08-N09
qc ( MPa )
E
I
e
v
a
t
i
o
n


(
m
)
Bef ore Compaction
Af ter Compaction
-9
-8
-7
-6
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
20,0 25,0 30,0 35,0 40,0 45,0 50,0
Zone: 8A - Area: M08-N09
Compaction Power ( kW / m )
E
I
e
v
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
)
-9
-8
-7
-6
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
0 10 20 30 40 50
Zone:8A - Area:M05-N06
qc ( MPa )
E
I
e
v
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
)

Bef ore Compaction
Af ter Compaction
-9
-8
-7
-6
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
20,0 25,0 30,0 35,0 40,0 45,0 50,0
Zone:8A - Area:M05-N06
Compaction Power ( kW / m )
E
I
e
v
a
t
i
o
n


(
m
)
Proc. XIII ECSMGE, Vanek et al. (eds). GtS, Prague, ISBN 80-86769-00-3, (Vol. 1)
Main Session 1 "Man-made deposits - recent and ancient" 111
6 CONCLUSION
As a result, the successful execution of vibro -compaction in this project illustrates the effectiveness of
the selected method for densification of loose hydraulic fill. The specific findings of the project are:
1. Installations were successfully carried out with an equilateral triangular grid having a triangular
side of 2.5 m and a compaction energy of min. 750 KJoule per meter was applied by a 100 kW
vibratory probe, having a maximum operating speed of 3000 rpm (50Hz) with a corresponding
maximum centrifugal force of 400 kN to the hydraulic fill during installati ons.
2. The compaction process is successfully monitored by an electronic process control system
capable of recording the actual compaction data in real time in order to assist the operator and to
control and collect the actual vibro compaction data.
3. Based on the quality control test results it was not only concluded that the average relative
density of the compacted hydraulic fill successfully exceeded the specified minimum relative
density of 70 , but also revealed that the measured density values are in co nformity with the
values obtained for similar soil conditions. It is also observed that the cone resistance (q
c
) could
be increased by a factor of 1 to 4.
4. It is observed that even thin layers of sil t and clay in hydraulic fill can negatively affect the
densification process. Thus a detailed soil investigation including CPTU is recommended in
order to detect soil strafication exactly.
5. Since the dredging works were carried out by different types of dredgers (cutter suction dredger
and trailing suction hopper dredger) and the methods used for placement of the dredged material
were also different, the hydraulic fill was encountered as non -homogeneous.
6. The suitability number (S
N
) was calculated using t he formula suggested by Brown (1977) and it
is observed that the hydraulic fill material is Good to Fair.
REFERENCES
Brown R.E. (1977) 'Vibroflotation compaction of cohesionless soils, Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering
Division, pp.1437-1451.
Dzceer R., Gkalp A. (2001) 'Technical Report on densification of hydraulic fills by vibro compaction method
at Extension of Ashdod Port, Internal Technical Report, Istanbul, Turkey.
Lee, K.M., (1999), 'Effects of placement method on geotechnical behavior of hydraulic fill sands, Journal of
Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Eng., No. : October, pp.832- 846.
Sladen J.A., Hewitt K.J., (1989) 'Influence of placement method on the in situ density of hydraulic sand fills,
Can. Geotech. Journal, Vol. 26, pp.453 466.
Slocombe B.C., et.al. (2000) 'The densification of granular soils using vibro methods, Getechnique 50, No.6,
pp. 715-725.
Proc. XIII ECSMGE, Vanek et al. (eds). GtS, Prague, ISBN 80-86769-00-3, (Vol. 1)
Main Session 1 "Man-made deposits - recent and ancient" 112