Suitability Of Various Compaction Equipment

a) Smooth wheeled rollers are most suited for compacting crushed rock, hard core, mechanically stable gravel, and sand. They also give satisfactory results for moderately cohesive soils.

b) Vibrating-type equipment, crawler tractors, and rubber-tyred rollers are effective for compacting cohesionless sand and gravels.

c) Sheep-foot roller is another heavy equipment that is used for compacting cohesive soils like – silty & clayey sand, clayey silt, and heavy clay soil. This roller is mostly used in road, dam, and heavy building foundation work.

d) Pneumatic tyred rollers are very suitable for compacting for both cohesive soils.

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Importance of Compaction of Soil

Standard Proctor Compaction Test

Field Compaction Methods of Soil

Compaction of soils of subgrade of roads, earthen embankment, and other earth fills may be done in the field by three methods:

a) Rolling
b) Ramming
c) Vibration

Use of Equipment For Field Compaction of Soil

The following equipments are used for field compaction of soil:

The rolling equipment

a) Smooth wheeled roller.
b) Pneumatic tyred roller.
c) Sheep foot roller.
d) Lorries and pneumatic tyred roller.
e) Track laying vehicle.

The ramming equipment

a) Dropping weight type
b) Internal combustion type
c) Pneumatic type

The vibrating equipment

a) Dropping weight type
b) Pulsating hydraulic type

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Role of Water in Compaction Of Soil

Suitability Of Various Compaction Equipment

8 Factors Affecting The Compaction Of Soil

Factors Affecting The Compaction Of Soil

8 Factors that affect the performance of compaction are as follows:
1. Type of compaction.
2. Compacting effort.
3. Type of soil.
4. Uniformity of soil water mixture.
5. The particle size distribution of the soil sample.
6. Moisture content in the sample.
7. Original soil condition
8. Addition of admixture.

Type of soil

The maximum dry density achieved depends largely on the soil type. Well-graded coarse-grained soils achieve a much higher density and lower optimum water content than fine-grained soils.

Addition of admixture

A number of admixtures can change the compaction property of soil. These admixtures are particularly applied in stabilized soil construction.

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Field Compaction Methods of Soil and Equipment Use

 Role of Water in Compaction Of Soil

Role of Water in Compaction Of Soil

Water plays an important role in compaction. When water is added to dry soil, the soil grains get surrounded by a film of absorbed water.

If more water is added, then this becomes thicker and soil grains surrounded by such films can slide over each other more easily.

The grains thus become capable of occupying closer spacing more easily on the application of external loading. The water thus acts only as a lubricant in the compaction process and closer packing of soil grains is achieved on rolling by the expulsion of air from the voids.

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Field Compaction Methods of Soil and Equipment Use

 8 Factors Affecting The Compaction Of Soil

8 Importance of Compaction of Soil

The process of compaction changes the characteristics of the soil mass in the following way:

1. Improves the dry density of the sample.
2. Increase the cohesive value of the sample.

3. Increase the angle of internal friction.
4. Improves shear strength of soil mass.

5. Reduces the shrinkage and compressibility.
6. Reduces seepage through the soil mass.

7. Improves bearing capacity.
8. Reduces the chances of the settlement of the structure.

Read More:

Role of Water in Compaction of Soil

Laboratory Compaction Test – Standard Proctor Test

Factors Affecting the Compaction of Soil

What is Compaction?

Compaction may be defined as the process of packing the soil particles by reducing the air voids in the soil, be mechanical means the compaction process can be achieved by rolling, tamping or vibration for a short duration.

It reduces the air voids mainly and thereby reduces the volume of soil mass with the increase of its dry density. Compaction is measured in term of dry density of the soil mass.

Read More:

Role of Water in Compaction of Soil

Importance of Compaction of Soil