SOIL MECHANICS

Compaction of Soil

5.1 Definition and purposes of soil

compaction
5.2 Dry density and water content
relationship
5.3 Laboratory test to obtain
compaction characteristics
5.4 Factors affecting compaction
5.5 Effect of compaction on
engineering behavior of fine
grained soil
5.6 Methods of compaction and
compaction control at field,
relative compaction

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 SOIL COMPACTION

• Compaction is a process of pressing soil particles close

to each other by mechanical methods.

• In compaction air is expelled from the void space in

soil mass and thus dry density of soil is increased.

• In other words, compaction is the densification of soil

by removal of air which requires mechanical energy.

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 PURPOSE OF SOIL COMPACTION
• To increase the dry density of soil.

• Soil compaction is done to improve engineering

properties such as shear strength, stability and

bearing capacity.

• To decrease the undesirable settlement of

structures.

• To control undesirable volume changes.

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 DRY DENSITY AND WATER CONTENT RELATIONSHIP
• For any soil there exist a definite relationship between the soil
water content and dry density to which the soil can be
compacted and that for a specific amount of compaction energy
or effort applied on the soil there is a particular water content at
which the soil attains its maximum dry density.

• The water content corresponding to the maximum dry density is

known as Optimum Moisture Content (O.M.C.) or Optimum
Water Content (O.W.C.).

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 DRY DENSITY AND WATER CONTENT RELATIONSHIP
• At a water content lower than the optimum, the soil is rather stiff
and has lot of void spaces and, therefore the dry density is low.

• As the water content is increased, the soil particles get lubricated

and slip over each other, and move into densely packed positions
and the dry density is increased.

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 DRY DENSITY AND WATER CONTENT RELATIONSHIP
• However, at a water content more than the optimum, the
additional water reduces the dry density, as it occupies the space
that might have been occupied by solid particles.

• The curve between water content and dry density is known as

the water content-dry density curve or the moisture content-
dry density curve or the compaction curve.

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LABORATORY TEST TO OBTAIN COMPACTION
CHARACTERISTICS
• Standard Proctor Test
• Modified Proctor Test

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 STANDARD
PROCTOR TEST • Similarly, second and third layer of soil are filled and
• Procedure compacted.
• Collar is removed and soil above mould is trimmed off.
• 2.5 kg of air-dried soil passing • Then mass of mould with base plate and compacted soil is
through 4.75mm is taken. taken (M2). So, the mass of compacted soil = M2-M1
Water
• Sand isor Siltyadded
Sandy Silt Sand Siltto soil Clay
(4% for • Now, Bulk Density (ρ) = (M2-M1)/V
coarse grained and 8% for fine
6 to 10% 8 to 12% 12 to 16% 14 to 20%

𝜋𝑑 2
grained), such that the water Where, V = Volume of the mould =
4
∗𝐻

content is less than expected Dry density (ρd) =

𝜌
1+𝑤
, w = water content obtained
optimum moisture content. from oven drying method.
• Again, add some more water to increase the water content
by (2-3) % and test is repeated. Plot ρd vs. w curve and
• Take mass of mould with base plate determine the OMC and Maximum dry density.

but without collar (M1). The collar 8

is fitted and soil is placed on the

 MODIFIED
•
PROCTOR TEST
It is the method developed during second world war
due to the requirement of higher subgrade resistance
of pavements.
• In this method same mould as in standard proctor
test is used but the compaction effort is increased by
using 4.5kg of rammer falling through a height of
450mm.
• The compaction of soil is done in 5 layers with each
layer receiving 25 blows of rammer.

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 FACTORS AFFECTING
COMPACTION
• Water Content
• Amount of Compaction
• Type of Soil
• Method of Compaction
• Admixtures

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 FACTORS AFFECTING
COMPACTION
• Water Content

• Initially ρd increases with increase in water

content due to lubricating effect and results
ease in compaction.

• However, at a water content more than the

optimum, the additional water reduces the dry
density, as it occupies the space that might
have been occupied by solid particles.

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 FACTORS AFFECTING
COMPACTION
• Amount of Compaction

• The effect of increasing the amount of

compactive effort is to increase the maximum
dry density and to decrease the optimum
water content.

• At a water content less than the optimum, the

effect of increased compaction is more
predominant.

• At a water content more than OMC, the

volume of air voids become almost constant
and the effect of increased compaction is not
significant.

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 FACTORS AFFECTING
COMPACTION
• Type of Soil

• Coarse-grained soils can be compacted to a

higher dry density than fine-grained soils. With
the addition of even a small quantity of fines to
a coarse-grained soil, the soil attains a much
higher dry density for the same compactive
effort. But when fines are excessive, the dry
density decreases.
• Well graded sand attains a much higher dry
density than a poorly graded soil.
• Cohesive soils attain a relatively lower maximum
dry density as compared to cohesionless soils
due to high air voids.
• Clays of high plasticity have very low dry density
and a very high OMC.

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 FACTORS AFFECTING
COMPACTION
• Method of Compaction

• The dry density achieved depends not only upon

the amount of compactive effort but also on the
method of compaction.

• For the same amount of compactive effort, the

dry density will depend upon whether the
method of compaction utilizes kneading action,
dynamic action or static action.

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 FACTORS AFFECTING
COMPACTION
• Admixtures

• The compaction characteristics of the soils are improved by adding other materials, known as admixtures.

• The most commonly used admixtures are lime, cement and bitumen.

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 FACTORS AFFECTING
COMPACTION
• Admixtures

• The compaction characteristics of the soils are improved by adding other materials, known as admixtures.

• The most commonly used admixtures are lime, cement and bitumen.

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 EFFECT OF COMPACTION ON
•
ENGINEERING PROPERTIES
The water content of a compacted soil is expressed with reference to the OMC. Thus, soils are said to be
compacted dry of optimum or wet of optimum (i.e. on the dry side or wet side of OMC). The structure of a
compacted soil is not similar on both sides even when the dry density is the same, and this difference has a
strong influence on the engineering characteristics.
• Soil Structure
• Permeability
• Compressibility
• Pore Water Pressure
• Swelling
• Shrinkage
• Stress-Strain Relationship

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 EFFECT OF COMPACTION ON
ENGINEERING PROPERTIES
• Soil Structure

For a given compactive effort, soils have a flocculated structure on the dry side (i.e. soil particles are
oriented randomly), whereas they have a dispersed structure on the wet side (i.e. particles are more
oriented in a parallel arrangement perpendicular to the direction of applied stress). This is due to the
well-developed adsorbed water layer (water film) surrounding each particle on the wet side.

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 EFFECT OF COMPACTION ON
ENGINEERING PROPERTIES
• Permeability

The randomly oriented soil in the dry side exhibits the same permeability in all directions, whereas the
dispersed soil in the wet side is more permeable along particle orientation than across particle
orientation.

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 EFFECT OF COMPACTION ON
ENGINEERING PROPERTIES
• Compressibility

The flocculated structure developed on the dry side of the optimum offers greater resistance to
compression than the dispersed structure on the wet side. Thus, the soils on the dry side are less
compressible.

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 EFFECT OF COMPACTION ON
ENGINEERING PROPERTIES
• Pore Water Pressure

A sample compacted dry of the optimum has low water content. The pore water pressure for the soil
compacted dry of the optimum is therefore less than that for the same soil compacted wet of the
optimum.

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 EFFECT OF COMPACTION ON
ENGINEERING PROPERTIES
• Swelling

Due to a higher water deficiency and partially developed water films in the dry side, when given access
to water, the soil will soak in much more water and then swell more.

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 EFFECT OF COMPACTION ON
ENGINEERING PROPERTIES
• Shrinkage

During drying, soils compacted in the wet side tend to show more shrinkage than those compacted in
the dry side. In the wet side, the more orderly orientation of particles allows them to pack more
efficiently.

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 EFFECT OF COMPACTION ON
ENGINEERING PROPERTIES
• Stress-Strain Relationship

The soils compacted dry of optimum have steeper stress-strain curve than those on the wet side. The
modulus of elasticity for the soils compacted dry of the optimum is therefore high. Such soils have brittle
failure.
The soils compacted on the wet of the optimum have relatively flatter stress-strain curve and a
corresponding lower value of modulus of elasticity. The failure in this case occurs at a large strain and is
of plastic type.

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 METHOD OF
COMPACTION
Compaction methods in field depends upon soil
types, maximum dry density required and
economic considerations. Commonlyused
compaction methods are:
• Tampers
• Rollers The compaction achieved will depend on the
• Smooth Wheeled Rollers thickness of lift (or layer), the type of roller,
• Pneumatic tyred Rollers the no. of passes of the roller, and the
• Sheep-footed Rollers intensity of pressure on the soil.
• Grid Rollers
• Vibrating Plates

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 METHOD OF
COMPACTION
Equipment Most suitable soils Least suitable soils

Smooth steel drum rollers (static or Well-graded sand-gravel, crushed rock, asphalt Uniform sands, silty sands, soft clays
vibratory)

Pneumatic tyred rollers Most coarse and fine soils Very soft clays

Sheepsfoot rollers Fine grained soils, sands and gravels with > 20% Uniform gravels, very coarse soils
fines

Grid rollers Weathered rock, well-graded coarse soils Uniform materials, silty clays, clays

Vibrating plates Coarse soils with 4 to 8% fines

Tampers and rammers All soil types

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 METHOD OF
COMPACTION

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 ZERO-AIR-VOID LINE
(ZAV LINE)
Dry density can be related to water content and degree of
saturation (S) as

Thus, it can be visualized that an increase of dry density

means a decrease of voids ratio and a more compact soil.
Similarly, dry density can be related to percentage air
voids (na) as
The relation between moisture content and dry unit weight for
a saturated soil is the zero air-voids line. It is not feasible to
expel air completely by compaction, no matter how much
compactive effort is used and in whatever manner.

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 COMPACTION
CONTROL AT FIELD
• The laboratory compaction tests give the optimum water
content and the maximum dry density.

• In the field, during the compaction of the soils, it is

essential to check the dry density and the water content
in order to effect proper quality control.

• Compaction control is done by measuring the dry density

and the water content of the compacted soil in the field.

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 COMPACTION
CONTROL AT FIELD
• Dry Density

• Sand Replacement Method (Suitable for

cohesionless, firm, gravelly soil)

• Core-cutter Method (Suitable for loose cohesive soil)

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 COMPACTION • After the soil has been compacted at a given water

CONTROL AT FIELD
content in the compaction test in laboratory, the rod with

• Water Content a suitable needle point is forced into the soil mass by
7.5cm at the rate of 1.25cm/sec.
• The maximum force used to penetrate the needle is read
• The oven-drying method of the determination of the water
out of the scale. This force when divided by the needle
content takes 24 hours.
(tip) area, will give the penetration resistance.
• The water content can be determined indirectly using a Proctor
• A number of such measurements area made in the lab
needle also known as plasticity needle.
during compaction test, and a calibration curve is obtained
• The proctor needle consists of a rod attached to a spring-loaded
between the penetration resistance (R) and the water
plunger. The stem of the plunger is marked to read the resistance
content.
in Newton.
• To determine the water content of the compacted soil in
• The needle-shank has graduations to indicate the depth of
the field, the soil is compacted in the standard compaction
penetration.
mould in the field. The penetration resistance of the
• For cohesive soil, the needle points of larger cross-sectional areas
compacted soil is measured.
are required and for cohesionless soil, those of smaller cross-
• The moisture content is then obtained from the calibration
sectional areas are used.
curve.
3131
 COMPACTION
CONTROL AT FIELD

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RELATIVE COMPACTION / PERCENT
COMPACTION
• The dry density achieved in the field is compared with the maximum dry density obtained in the standard proctor
test or that in the modified proctor test. The ratio of the dry density in the field to maximum dry density in the
laboratory is known as the relative compaction or percent compaction.
• For cohesive soils, the dry density of the order of 95% of the maximum dry density of the standard proctor test can
be achieved using a sheep-foot roller or a pneumatic-tyred roller.
• For moderately cohesive soils, the dry density of the order of 95% of that in modified proctor test can be achieved
using pneumatic tyred roller with an inflation pressure of 600KN/m2.
• For very heavy clay, sheep-foot rollers are effective.
• For cohesionless soils, the dry density of the order of 100% or even more of that in the modified proctor test can
be obtained using pneumatic-tyred rollers, vibratory rollers and other vibratory equipment.

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 COMPACTION
SPECIFICATION
• End-Product Specification

Relative compaction or percentage compaction is specified.

• Method Specification

• Type and weight of roller.

• The number of passes.

• Suitable for large projects only.

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COMPACTION AND
CONSOLIDATION
Compaction Consolidation
Volume reduces for partially saturated Reduction in volume of soil (saturated)
soil due to expulsion of air without by squeezing of water.
altering water content.

It is a rapid process by mechanical Gradual process under sustained static

means such as rolling, tamping, loading.
vibrations.
It is an artificial process. It is a natural process.

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