Optimum Moisture Content for Dynamic Compaction of Collapsible Soils
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 124, Issue 8
Abstract
The influence of moisture content on dynamic compaction efficiency was evaluated at six field test cells, each with a progressively higher average moisture content. The soil profile consisted of collapsible sandy silt, and average test cell moisture contents ranged from 6% to 20%. At each cell, compaction was performed with a 4.54 t weight dropped from a height of 24.3 m. Compaction efficiency was evaluated using (1) crater depth measurements, (2) cone penetration tests before and after compaction, and (3) undisturbed samples before and after compaction. Crater depth increased by a factor of 4 as moisture content increased. The degree of improvement increased up to a moisture content of about 17% and then decreased. The optimum moisture content and the maximum dry unit weight are similar to those predicted by laboratory Proctor testing using energy levels comparable to those employed in the field. Maximum dry unit weight decreased with depth, while optimum moisture content increased before the compactive energy decreased with depth below the impact point.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Butler, R. C.(1991). “Ground improvement using dynamic compaction.”Geotech. News, Vancouver, Canada, 9(2), 21–27.
2.
Liausu, P. H., and Varaksin, S. (1989). “Treatment of collapsing sands by dynamic compaction.”Proc., 12th Int. Conf. on Soil Mech. and Found. Engrg., Vol. 1, Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 623–624 (in French).
3.
Lukas, R. G. (1986). Dynamic compaction for highway construction, Vol. 1, Design and construction guidelines. U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Rep. No. FHWA/RD86/133, Washington, D.C.
4.
Mayne P. W., Jones, and J. S., and Dumas(1984). “Ground response to dynamic compaction.”J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE, 110(6), 757–774.
5.
Mayne, P. W. (1985). “Ground vibrations during dynamic compaction.”Vibration problems in geotechnical engineering, Gazetas and Selig, eds., ASCE, Reston, Va., 247–265.
6.
Menard, L., and Broise, Y.(1975). “Theoretical and practical aspects of dynamic consolidation.”Géotechnique, London, U.K., 15(1), 3–18.
7.
Mitchell, J. K. (1981). “Soil improvement: State-of-the-art report.”Proc., 10th Int. Conf. on Soil Mech. and Found. Engrg., Vol. 4, Stockholm, Sweden, 509–521.
8.
Rollins, K. M., and Rogers, G. W.(1994). “Mitigation measures for small structures on collapsible soils.”J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE, 120(9), 1533–1553.
9.
Rollins, K. M., and Rogers, G. W. (1991). “Stabilization of collapsible alluvial soil using dynamic compaction.”Proc., Geotech. Engrg. Congr., Vol. 1, ASCE, Reston, Va., 322–333.
10.
Rollins, K. M., and Kim, J.-H. (1994). “U.S. experience with dynamic compaction of collapsible soils.”In-situ deep soil improvement (Geotech. Spec. Publ. No. 45), ASCE, Reston, Va., 26–43.
11.
Sherard, J. L., Woodward, R. J., Gizienski, S. F., and Clevenger, W. A. (1963). Earth and earth-rock dams. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y., 615–618.
12.
Siskind, D. E., Stagg, M. S., Kopp, J. W., and Dowding, C. H. (1980). “Structure response and damage produced by ground vibration from surface mine blasting.”Rep. RI 8507, U.S. Bureau of Mines, Twin Cities, Minn. (NTIS #PB81-157000).
13.
Wiss, J. F.(1981). “Construction vibrations: State-of-the-art.”J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE, 107(2), 167–182.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Aug 1, 1998
Published in print: Aug 1998
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.