Utility Trench Backfill Compaction Using Vibratory Plate Compactor versus Excavator-Mounted Hydraulic Plate Compactor
Publication: Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice
Volume 8, Issue 4
Abstract
Excavator-mounted hydraulic plate compactors are widely used in utility trench backfill compaction due to their efficiency. However, there are industry concerns about the possibility of pipe damage due to the combination of static downward earth pressure exerted by the excavator arm and dynamic earth pressure induced by the excavator-mounted hydraulic plate compactor. This paper presents the results of a field study that aims to compare the performances of utility trench compaction using a conventional walk-behind vibratory plate compactor with a lift thickness of 200 mm (8 in.) and an excavator-mounted hydraulic plate compactor with a lift thickness of 200 mm (8 in.), 300 mm (12 in.), 450 mm (18 in.), and 600 mm (24 in.). Three types of pipes are used. The field test results indicate that the excavator-mounted hydraulic plate compactor delivers compacted dry mass densities with a lift thickness of 200 and 300 mm comparable to the walk-behind vibratory plate compactor with a lift thickness of 200 mm; however, the excavator-mounted hydraulic plate compactor is not able to consistently achieve adequate compacted dry mass densities with a lift thickness of 450 and 600 mm. The excavator-mounted hydraulic plate compactor induces larger dynamic vertical earth pressures than does the walk-behind vibratory plate compactor. The excavator-mounted hydraulic plate compactor does not induce pipe damages in this study because the maximum strains in all pipes are smaller than 0.3%.
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Acknowledgments
Support for this study was provided by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), and the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute at the Pennsylvania State University. This support is gratefully acknowledged. The authors thank Mr. Joseph Cribben, P.E., of PennDOT Bureau of Project Delivery for his assistance with the project and comments on this paper. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of FHWA and PennDOT.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice
Volume 8 • Issue 4 • November 2017
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 22, 2016
Accepted: Apr 21, 2017
Published online: Jul 22, 2017
Published in print: Nov 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Dec 22, 2017
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