Chapter 4: Soil Compaction
• Definition and advantage of soil compaction
• Soil compaction philosophy
• Soil compaction laboratory tests
• Field compaction
• How to obtain most economical compaction condition
• Determination of field unit weight of compaction
Lecture 10 1
Soil Compaction
Compaction is the densification of soil by removal of air using mechanical
energy.
Advantages:
1. Increase the unit weight of the soil
2. Increase the strength characteristics of soil
and, hence bearing capacity
3. Decreases the amount of settlement
4. Increases the stability of slopes of
embankment
Lecture 10 2
Soil Compaction
Effect of water content on dry unit weight:
❖ As shown in the figure the dry unit weight after
compaction first increases as the moisture
content increases
❖ Beyond a certain moisture content (Wopt), any
increase in the water content tend to reduce
the dry unit weight
❖ The moisture content at which the maximum
unit weight obtained is generally referred to as
the optimum moisture content (Wopt)
❖ The density (unit weight) corresponds to the
optimum moisture content is called the
maximum dry density (𝒈𝒅𝒓𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒙 ) 𝒐𝒓 𝜸𝒅𝒓𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒙
Lecture 10 3
Soil Compaction
Why the relationship is like this?
❖ As At low values of water content, most soils
tend to be stiff and are difficult to compact
❖ As the water content is increased the soil
becomes more workable, facilitating
compaction and resulting in higher dry density
❖ As the water content exceeds the Wopt
increasing proportion of the soil volume being
occupied by water
Lecture 10 4
Soil Compaction
Standard Proctor test (ASTM-D-698)
❖ This test is carried out to determine the
optimum water content that can be used
during compaction to reach the optimum dry
unit weight of the soil
Equipment
❖ The standard Proctor mold measures 944 𝑐𝑚3
in volume and 111.43 mm in diameter
❖ 2.5 kg weight hammer with a height of drop
of 300 mm
Lecture 10 5
Soil Compaction
Test procedure
• The soil is mixed with varying amount of water
• The soil is compacted in three layers (equal) by a hammer 25 blow to each layer.
• For each test, the moist unit weight is calculated as:
𝑊
𝛾=
𝑉𝑚
Where, W: weight of compacted soil in the mold , Vm: volume of the mold
• For each test, the moisture content is determined and then the dry unit weight is
calculated from:
𝛾
𝛾𝑑 =
𝑤(%)
1+
100
Lecture 10 6
Soil Compaction
• Values of 𝜸𝒅𝒓𝒚 are plotted against the corresponding water (moisture) content
to obtain 𝜸𝒅𝒓𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒙 and optimum moisture content.
• The relationship between the dry unit weight of the soil and w is shown in the
figure below:
Lecture 10 7
Soil Compaction
The zero-air void unit weight is obtained from the following equation:
𝐺𝑠𝛾𝑤 𝛾𝑤
𝛾𝑑 (𝑧𝑎𝑣) = =
1 + 𝑤𝐺𝑠 𝑤 + 1
𝐺𝑠
where : 𝛾𝑑 (𝑧𝑎𝑣) : zero air void unit weight
To plot the zero-air void curve, use the following procedure:
1. Determine the specific gravity of soil solids Gs
2. Assume several values of w such as 5%, 10% and 15 % and so on
3. Use the above equation to calculate the 𝛾𝑧𝑎𝑣 for various values of
w
❖ this line helps to check that the plotted compaction curve is correct
❖ under no circumstances should any part of the compaction curve lie
to the right of the zero-air void curve
Lecture 10 8
Soil Compaction
Factors affecting Compaction
1. Water content as explained in the preceding
section
2. Soil type
3. Compaction effort (energy)
The effect of soil type depends on:
❖ Grain size distribution
❖ Shape of the soil grains
❖ Specific gravity of the soil grains
As shown in the figure different soil types show
❖ Amount and type of clay minerals present different compaction curves
Lecture 10 9
Soil Compaction
Compaction efforts
The compaction energy per unit volume used for the standard proctor test described before
can be given as:
𝑁𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟 ∗ 𝑁𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟𝑠 ∗ 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑎𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑟 ∗ ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑎𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑟
𝐸=
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑑
2.5∗9.81
25∗2.5∗ ∗0.3
= 1000
= 487 𝑘𝑁. 𝑚/𝑚3
944∗10−6 𝑚3
Lecture 10 10
Soil Compaction
Compaction efforts
If the compaction effort per unit volume of soil is
changed, the moisture unit weight curve also changes, as
can be seen in the figure.
From the figure it can be concluded:
1. The increase in the compaction effort leads to
increase in the maximum dry unit weight
2. The optimum moisture content decreases, as the
compaction effort increase
Lecture 10 11
Soil Compaction
Modified Proctor test (ASTM test designation D-1557 )
It is similar to the standard Proctor test with number of
modifications
• The volume of mold is same (944 𝑐𝑚3 )
• The hammer weight is 4.54 kg
• The falling height of the hammer is 457 mm
• Number of blows per layer is same (25 blow/layer )
• Number of compacted layer is 5
Lecture 10 12
Soil Compaction
Lecture 10 13
Soil Compaction
Example: The laboratory test results of standard proctor test
are given in the following table. Determine the optimum
moisture content and the maximum unit weight.
Volume of mold Weight of moist Moisture content
(ft^3) soil in mold (lb) w%
1/30 3.63 10
1/30 3.86 12
1/30 4.02 14
1/30 3.98 16
1/30 3.88 18
1/30 3.73 20
Lecture 10 14
Soil Compaction
Solution:
Prepare the following table:
Moist unit Dry unit weight 108
Volume of Weight of soil 106
W%
mold V (ft^3) W (lb) weight
Dry unit weight ib/ft3
104
102
1/30 3.63 108.9 10 99.0
100
1/30 3.86 115.8 12 103.4 98
1/30 4.02 120.6 14 105.8 96
94
1/30 3.98 119.4 16 102.9 92
0 5 10 15 20 25
1/30 3.88 116.4 18 98.6
Moisture content %
1/30 3.73 111.9 20 93.3
Optimum moisture content =14.4 %
𝑙𝑏
𝛾𝑑 = 106
𝑓𝑡 3
Lecture 10 15
Soil Compaction
Homework: the results of standard compaction test are shown in the table below.
Determine the maximum dry unit weight and the optimum moisture content.
W% 6.2 8.1 9.8 11.5 12.3 13.2
16.9 18.7 19.5 20.5 20.4 20.1
a. What is the dry unit weight and w at 95% standard compaction?
b. Determine the degree of saturation at the maximum 𝛾𝑑 , Gs = 2.7?
c. Plot the zero air voids line?
Lecture 10 16
