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COMPARISION OF DIFFERENT SOIL

COMPACTION TEST METHODS
Andrus Aavik, D.Sc. (Tech.)
Department of Transportation
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Introduction
Currently the quality control of embankment construction is
determined by the Technological Requirements for Road Works
established with the Decree of the Ministry of Transportation and
Communication of the Republic of Estonia.
The Technological Requirements are not determining specific test
methods which can be used for determination of the soil compaction
coefficient.
The main objective of the research project was to compare different
soil compaction test methods:
core testing with the cutting ring and penetration with the
BELDORNII penetrometer with determination of the compaction
coefficient and
E-modulus and compaction factor determination with the
LOADMAN and INSPECTOR devices.
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What is compaction?
Compaction is the reduction in the void ratio on a soil by
mechanical means (rolling or tamping) at constant moisture.
It is not possible to remove water from the voids by compaction, but
the addition of water to a slightly moist soil facilitates compaction by
reducing surface tension.
There is an optimum moisture content which can be determined in
laboratory using the Proctor test and above which the addition of
water causes an increase in voids.
Compactness of the embankment can be characterized with the
compaction coefficient (K
c
) which is the ratio of
actual dry density of the soil sample () and
maximum dry density of the same soil at the optimum moisture
content (
o
) determined with the Proctor method:
K
c
= /
o
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What is compaction?
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Soil Compaction Test Methods
There are 6 main on site compaction test methods:
Core test using cutting ring; method is not suitable for coarse
grained soils;
Sand replacement (sand cone test) method is precise and is
used for calibration of compaction meters with radioactive
isotope; inaccurate in porous soils;
Rubber balloon similar to the sand replacement test but
instead of sand the rubber balloon is used to fill the hollow in the
compacted layer;
Nuclear gauge (compaction meter with radioactive isotope)
problems can occur when testing crushed stone and calcareous
materials, needs to be calibrated;
Plate bearing test suitable for gravels and crushed stone;
time-consuming;
Penetrometer (dynamic or static) suitable for fine (sandy)
soils; fast results.
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Soil Compaction Requirements
Estonian Highway Design Norms are determining that the
compactness of the road embankment, characterized with the
compaction coefficient, has to fulfill the following requirements:
Comments:
H
p
thickness of the pavement structure, m.
Subgrade of the embankment in low fill, in 0-profile or in cut has to be compacted
until the compaction coefficient values presented in the first row of the table.
Wet zone type description is provided in the Highway Design Norms
Minimum values of the compaction
coefficient K
c
for different pavement types Layer of the embankment or
wet zone type
Depth h from the
pavement surface,
m
Permanent
pavement
Light or transient
pavement
Active zone
h< H
p
+ 0,5
H
p
+ 0,5 h < 1,5
1,00
0,98
0,98
0,95
Wet zone type I h1,5 0,95 0,95
Wet zone type II and III h1,5 0,98 0,95

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Soil Compaction Requirements
There does not exist any requirements to the E-modulus values
determined with INSPECTOR or LOADMAN equipment on top of
the compacted layer which can be compared with the value of
density or compaction coefficient of that layer.
As result of this the designer can not specify any appropriate
justified E-modulus values for INSPECTOR or LOADMAN in the
design project.
INSPECTOR and LOADMAN measurement results are not directly
the values of the compaction coefficient (K
c
).
It is possible to calculate the compaction factor (T) based on the E-
modulus values measured by the INSPECTOR or LOADMAN on
the top of the compacted layer.
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Soil Compaction Requirements
Usually at least 8 parallel E-modulus measurements are performed
at the same spot with INSPECTOR or LOADMAN and based on
those results the compaction factor (T) can be calculated:
T = ((E6+E7+E8)/3)/E2 = (E6+E7+E8)/(3 E2),
where: E2, E6, E7, E8 E-modulus measurement results
with INSPECTOR or LOADMAN on the top of
compacted layer, accordingly 2
nd
, 6
th
, 7
th
and 8
th
measured value at the same spot, MPa.
The correlation between the compaction coefficient (K
c
) and the
compaction factor (T) determined with INSPECTOR or LOADMAN
has not been determined.
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Scope of the Research
Current research covers experimental determination of the change
of granular sandy soils (4 types) density during compaction.
Measurements were performed with INSPECTOR and LOADMAN
devices and recording the measured E-modulus values.
Based on those compaction factors (T) were calculated.
Parallel to the INSPECTOR and LOADMAN measurements the
BELDORNII penetrometer and core testing (with cutting ring) were
used for determination of the compaction coefficients (K
c
) of same
soils at the same stage of compaction.
The main objective of the research project was to find the
correlation between the compaction coefficients (K
c
) and
compaction factors (T).
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Main Results of the Research (1)
Compaction coefficient values (K
c
) determined with the core test
and penetrometer test are almost equal (Fig.).
The compaction coefficient determined with the core test is about
1,2 % higher than the compaction coefficient determined with the
penetrometer.
y = 1,012x
R
2
= 0,5622
y = 0,9484x + 0,0602
R
2
= 0,5647
0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1
1,2
0,82 0,84 0,86 0,88 0,9 0,92 0,94 0,96 0,98 1 1,02
Compaction coefficient deter mined with penetr omet er
C
o
m
p
a
c
t
i
o
n

c
o
e
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
t

d
e
t
e
r
m
i
n
e
d

w
i
t
h

c
o
r
e

t
e
s
t
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Main Results of the Research (2)
E-modulus values determined on the top of compacted layer with
INSPECTOR are about 12 % smaller than the same values
determined with LOADMAN (Fig.).
y = 0,72x + 12,069
R
2
= 0,7758
y = 0,8841x
R
2
= 0,7326
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
E-modulus det er mined wit h LOADMAN, MPa
E
-
m
o
d
u
l
u
s

d
e
t
e
r
m
i
n
e
d

w
i
t
h


I
N
S
P
E
C
T
O
R
,

M
P
a
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Main Results of the Research (3)
Relationship between the compaction factor values (T) of sandy soil
calculated based on the INSPECTOR and LOADMAN
measurement data and the compaction coefficient values (K
c
):
Using INSPECTOR:
Kc = -0,1264*T
I
+1,1449,
where: K
c
- compaction coefficient;
T
I
- compaction factor determined on bases of
INSPECTOR measurement data.
Using LOADMAN:
K
c
= -0,1537*T
L
+1,1712,
where: K
c
- compaction coefficient;
T
L
- compaction factor determined on bases of
LOADMAN measurement data.
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Main Results of the Research (4)
The value of the compaction factor (T) equal to 2 which is taken
over from Finnish requirements and indicating that the layer of a
sandy soil has reached the required density, is not correct:
using LOADMAN the compaction factor value 2 equals to the
compaction coefficient value 0,86 and
using INSPECTOR the compaction factor value 2 equals to the
compaction coefficient value 0,89.
Both compaction coefficient values are not satisfying the minimum
required compaction coefficient value of embankment equal to 0,95.
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Main Results of the Research (5)
Using the determined relationships between the compaction
coefficients (K
c
) and compaction factors (T) the minimum allowable
values of the compaction factors (T) can be determined:
Comments:
Hp thickness of the pavement structure, m.
Subgrade of the embankment in low fill, in 0-profile or in cut has to be compacted until the
compaction coefficient values presented in the first row of the table.
Wet zone type description is provided in the Highway Design Norms
Permanent pavement Light or transient pavement
Minimum allowable values
Compaction
factor T
Compaction
factor T
Layer of the
embankment or
wet zone type
Depth h from the
pavement
surface,
m
Com-
paction
coeffi-
cient
K
c

LOAD-
MAN
INSPE
CTOR
Com-
paction
coeffi-
cient
K
c

LOAD-
MAN
INSPE
CTOR
Active zone
h< H
p
+ 0,5
H
p
+ 0,5 h < 1,5
1,00
0,98
1,11
1,24
1,15
1,30
0,98
0,95
1,24
1,43
1,30
1,54
Wet zone type I h1,5
0,95 1,43 1,54 0,95 1,43 1,54
Wet zone type II
and III
h1,5
0,98 1,24 1,30 0,95 1,43 1,54

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