9/20/2021

Geotechnical Engineering - 1

Course instructor

Dr. Trudeep N. Dave

Institute of Infrastructure Technology Research and Management
E-mail: trudeepdave@iitram.ac.in

Class timings:
Monday: 11:15 to 12:15
Tuesday: 12:15 to 13:15
Wednesday: 11:15 to 12:15

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By Impact loading

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Problem: 1
The laboratory test results of a standard Proctor test are given in the
following table.

a. Determine the maximum dry unit weight of compaction and the

optimum moisture content.
b. Calculate and plot gd versus the moisture content for degree of
saturation, S = 80, 90, and 100% (i.e., gzav). Given: Gs = 2.7.

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From the plot,

we see that the maximum dry unit weight gd(max) = 17.15 kN/m3 and the
optimum moisture content is 14.4%.

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Problem: 2
Laboratory compaction test results for a clayey silt are given in the
following table.

Following are the results of a

field unit-weight
determination test performed
on the same soil by means of
the sand cone method:

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The results of the laboratory compaction test are plotted in Figure.

From the plot, gd(max) =19 kN/m3.

For a given soil, following are the results of compaction tests

conducted in the laboratory.

After compaction of the soil in the field, sand cone tests (control tests)
were conducted at five separate locations. Following are the results:

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From the plot, it appears that the tests at locations 1 and 2 meet the
specifications. The test at location 3 is a borderline case. Also note that
there is some error for the test in location 5, since it falls above the
zero-air-void line.

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Smooth Wheel
Roller

Track Laying Vehicles

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Selection of equipment for effective compaction in soils

Sr. Type of For Effective Compaction in
No. Equipment
1. Rollers
(i) Sheep Foot Silty soils, clayey soils, clayey silts,
Roller not effective for cohesionless soils
(ii) Smooth Wheel Crushed rocks, gravels, sands and
Rollers any other material where crushing
action is needed
(iii) Pneumatic Sands, gravels, silty soils, clayey
tired rollers soils
2. Rammers Soils in confined zones, backfills of
abutment of a bridge, bed of
drainage trenches etc.
3. Vibrators Granular soils like gravels and
sands

Smooth Wheel Rollers

 They are usually self-propelled and are equipped with a clutch

type reversing per gear
 They can be operated back and forth without turning
 Most suited for rock, hard core, mechanically stable gravel,
sands etc.
 Can also be used for moderately cohesive soils
 They are generally of three types

1. The conventional three wheel type with tow large smooth

faced steel wheels in the rear and one smaller smooth-faced
drum in the front
2. Tandem rollers
3. Three axle tandem rollers

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Conventional Three
Wheel Roller

(Weight: 20 to 150 kN)

Tandem Roller

(Weight: 10 to 140 kN)

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Three Axle Tandem Roller

(Weight: 120 to 180 kN)

Pneumatic Type Rollers

 Their size ranges from smaller wobble wheel rollers to the very
heavy rollers
 It consists of a box or platform mounted between two axles, the
rear of which has one more wheel than the front
 The action of pneumatic tyred rollers is combination of pressure
and kneading
 They are suitable both for cohesionless sands and gravels and on
cohesive soils
 The tyre pressures in small rollers are of order of 250 kN/m2 with
tyre load of 7.5 kN and in the heavier rollers the pressure ranges
from 400 to 1050 kN/m2 with tyre load ranging from 100 kN to
500 kN per tyre

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Pneumatic Tired Roller

Sheep Foot Rollers

 It consist of hollow cylindrical steel drum on which projecting

feet are mounted.
 The weight of the drum can be varied by filling it partly or fully
with water or sand and they are mounted either singly or in pairs
on a steel frame
 Recommended for compacting cohesive soils, but are not
considered effective on coarse grained soils
 Kneading action of the sheep foot rollers results in better bond
between compacted layers compared to other types of rollers
 The loaded weight per drum ranges from about 15 to 130 kN,
and the foot pressure from 800 to 3500 kN/m2.

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Sheep Foot Roller

Rammers
 Suitable for compacting in confined places
 It comprise of pneumatic and internal combustion type weighing
from 300 N to 1500 N.
 Internal combustion type jumping rammers, known as frog
hammers, weigh upto one tonne.

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Placement Water Content

 The water content used in the field compaction is called placement

water content
 It may be equal to, lower than or higher than the optimum water
content determined from the laboratory study.
 Cohesive subgrades under pavements should preferably be
compacted on wet of optimum so that they may not exhibit large
expansions and swelling pressure on submergence.
 Highway embankments on cohesive soils should be compacted on
dry side of optimum in order to achieve high strength and resistance
to deformation and low volume compressibility.
 High earth dams should be compacted at a placement water content
1-2.5 % less than OMC to reduce probability of the development of
high pore pressure. However, the impervious cores of earth dams
should desirably be compacted on wet-side of OMC in order to
achieve low permeability, and greater safety against cracking due to
differential settlements or other causes

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Compaction of Cohesive Subgrade

Wet side of optimum

Compaction of Highway
Embankment

Dry side of optimum

Compaction of High Earth Dam

Shell of the Dam

Dry side of optimum

Core of the Dam

Wet side of optimum

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