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Soil Compaction

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10 views22 pages

Soil Compaction

Uploaded by

isithkesara23
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Determining Moisture-Unit Weight Relations of Soil

(Compaction Test)

Dr. U.P. Nawagamuwa


Department of Civil Engineering
University of Moratuwa

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Class Outlines
 Standard Proctor Compaction Test
 Effect of Compaction Energy
 Modified Proctor Compaction Test
 Specification for Field Compaction

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Compaction
 In construction of highway embankments,
earth dams and many other engineering
structures, loose soils must be compacted to
improve their strength by increasing their unit
weight
 Compaction - Densification of soil by removing
air voids using mechanical equipment
 The degree of compaction is measured in
terms of its dry unit weight
Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa
Compaction Effect

Air
Water Air
Water

Solid Solid

Loose soil Compacted soil

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Compaction Advantages
 As compaction increases, the following
occurs:
 Increase soil strength
 Increase bearing capacity
 Decrease potential for settlement
 Control undesirable volume changes
 Reduction in hydraulic conductivity

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Effect of Water on Compaction
 In soils, compaction is a function of water content
 Water added to the soil during compaction acts as a
softening agent on the soil particles
 Consider 0% moisture - Only compact so much
 Add a little water - compacts better
 A little more water - a little better compaction
 Even more water – Soil begins to flow
 What is better compaction?
 The dry unit weight (gd) increases as the moisture
content increases TO A POINT
 Beyond a certain moisture content, any increase in
moisture content tends to reduce the dry unit weight
Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa
Compaction Curve

 Compaction curve
plotted gd vs. w
 The peak of the curve is
the Maximum
Compaction (gd max) at
Optimum Moisture
Content (wopt )

g Gs g w
gd  or g d 
1
w (%) 1 e
100
Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa
Standard Proctor Compaction Test

 The standard was originally developed to simulate


field compaction in the lab
 Purpose: Find the optimum moisture content at which
the maximum dry unit weight is attained
 ASTM D 698
 Equipments;
 Standard Proctor
3
 1/30 ft mold

 5.5 lb hammer

 12” drop

 3 layers of soil

 25 blows / layer

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Compaction - Lab Equipment

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Procedure
1. Obtain 10 lbs of soil passing No. 4 sieve
2. Record the weight of the Proctor mold without the base and
the (collar) extension, the volume of which is 1/30 ft3.
3. Assemble the compaction apparatus.
4. Place the soil in the mold in 3 layers and compact using 25
well distributed blows of the Proctor hammer.
5. Detach the collar without disturbing the soil inside the mold
6. Remove the base and determine the weight of the mold and
compacted soil.
7. Remove the compacted soil from the mold and take a sample
(20-30 grams) of soil and find the moisture content
8. Place the remainder of the molded soil into the pan, break it
down, and thoroughly remix it with the other soil, plus 100
additional grams of water.
Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa
Compaction - Procedure

4
5

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Results
 Plot of dry unit
weight vs moisture
content
 Find gd and wopt
(max)
 Plot Zero-Air-Void
unit weight
(only S=100%)

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Standard Proctor Test Modified Proctor Test
Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa
Effect of Compaction Energy
 With the development of heavy rollers and their uses
in field compaction, the Standard Proctor Test was
modified to better represent field compaction
 As the compaction effort increases,
 the maximum dry unit weight of compaction increase
 The optimum moisture content decreases to some
extend
 Compaction energy per unit volume

E
No. of blows per layer  No. of layers  weight of hammer  height of drops
Volume of mold

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Effect of Compaction Energy (Cont.)

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Modified Proctor Test
 The modified was developed to simulate
larger compaction effort for more serious
loads and bigger equipment
 ASTM D 698
 Modified Proctor
 1/30 ft3 mold
 10 lb hammer
 18” drop
 5 layers of soil
 25 blows / layer
Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa
Specification for Field Compaction

 Specifications will refer to % Relative Compaction


 Relative to what?
 Proctor Test – standard or modified

 % Relative Compaction
g d  field 
R%  100 R ~ (90 – 100%)
g d max lab
 If R > 100 % use Modified Proctor Test
 Soil will be compacted to 98% relative compaction as
compared to a standard proctor test, ASTM D-698
 The soil moisture content will be ± 2% of optimum.
Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa
Specification for Field Compaction

 98% means the soil in the field should be


98% of the lab result
 For example, if the peak of the curve is at
100 pcf and 22% moisture
 The field compaction must be at least 98 pcf
and within the stated moisture range (20
~24%)

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Measurement of Field
Compaction
 Most common
methods are
 Core-cutter Method
 Sand Cone method
 Rubber Balloon method
 Nuclear Method

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Sand Cone Method

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa


Quantity
Test Steps

Obtaining the unit weight of the sand used


1. Weight of Proctor mold, W1 4.178 kg

2. Weight of proctor mold + Sand, W2 5.609 kg

3. Volume of the mold, V1 0.00095 m3

4. Dry unit weight, gd (sand) = (W2 - W1) / V1 1506 kg/m3

Calibration cone
5. Weight of plastic Gallon+Cone+Sand (before use), W3 5.466 kg

6. Weight of plastic Gallon+Cone+Sand (after use), W4 3.755 kg

7. Weight of the sand to fill the cone, Wc = W4- W3 1.711 kg

Results from field tests


8. Weight of plastic Gallon+Cone+Sand (before use), W5 7.387 kg

9. Weight of plastic Gallon+Cone+Sand (after use), W6 3.919 kg

10. Volume of hole, V2 = (W5-W6-Wc)/ gd (sand) 0.00117m3

11.Weight of evaporating dish, W7 0.507 kg

12. Weight of evaporating dish + wet soil from the field, W8 2.334 kg

13. Weight of evaporating dish + dry soil after 24hrs, W9 2.251 kg

14. Moist unit weight of the soil in the field, gt (in-situ soil) = (W8 -
1561 kg/m3
W 7) / V 2

15. Water content in the field, w(%)= (W8 - W9) / (W9- W7)*100 4.76%

16. Dry unit weight in the field, gd (in-situ soil)=gt (Row 14)] / [1+
1490 kg/m3
w(%) / 100]

Conversion factors (Unit weight):


Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa
1000 kg/m3 = 9.81 KN/m3 = 62.4 lb/ft3
 Thank you!

Dept of Civil Eng, University of Moratuwa

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