Evaluation of Laboratory Compaction Procedures for ...

1 Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. FHWA/TX-02/1874-1 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient s Catalog No. 4. Title and Subtitle Evaluation OF Laboratory Compaction Procedures FOR specification OF DENSITIES FOR COMPACTING FINE SANDS 5. Report Date JANUARY 2001 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) Brad J. Arcement and Stephen G. Wright 8. Performing Organization Report No. Research Report 1874-1F 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) 9. Performing Organization Name and Address Center for Transportation Research The University of Texas at Austin 3208 Red River, Suite 200 Austin, TX 78705-2650 11. Contract or Grant No.

2 0-1874 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Research Report (9/1999-7/2001) 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Texas Department of Transportation Research and Technology Implementation Box 5080 Austin, TX 78763-5080 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 15. Supplementary Notes Project conducted in cooperation with the Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and the Texas Department of Transportation. 16. Abstract TxDOT utilizes a number of sources of cohesionless soils as fill materials for embankment construction and as backfill for mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. Some problems have been experienced with these materials in the past, especially with settlements of backfills behind retaining walls.

3 The objective of this project was to develop recommendations for Compaction of cohesionless soils used as backfill materials. Emphasis was placed on uniform fine sands, which are used throughout a broad area of the State as fill materials. Fourteen cohesionless soils from around Texas were selected for Laboratory testing. The majority of these soils were classified as uniform fine sands and silty sands. The selected soils were compacted using the following Compaction Procedures : TxDOT's Tx 113-E Laboratory Compaction Characteristics and Moisture-Density Relationship of Base Materials ASTM D 1557 Laboratory Compaction Characteristics of Soil Using Modified Effort British Standard BS-1377 Vibrating Hammer Method ASTM D 4253 Maximum Index Density and Unit Weight of Soils Using a Vibratory Table Based on the results of these tests as well as additional tests to measure the compressibility of the soil, recommendations were made for Compaction .

4 For uniform fine sands like those tested in this study it is recommended that they be compacted to 95 percent of the Modified proctor (ASTM D 1557) maximum dry unit weight for application where settlements are important to performance. It is also recommended that sufficient moisture be added to minimize settlements; Compaction too dry can still result in excessive settlement even when the soil is compacted to the stated density. Alternative Compaction recommendations are also presented based on TxDOT's Tx 113-E Compaction procedure. However, this procedure is judged to be much more complex and less desirable than the ASTM D 1557 procedure.

5 17. Key Words Compaction , Soils, Embankment, Density 18. Distribution Statement No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161. 19. Security Classif. (of report) Unclassified 20. Security Classif. (of this page) Unclassified 21. No. of pages 174 22. Price Form DOT F (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized (9$/8$7,21 2) /$%25$725< &203$&7,21 352&('85(6 )25 63(&,),&$7,21 2) '(16,7,(6 )25 &203$&7,1* ),1( 6$1'6 E\ %UDG - $UFHPHQW 6 WHSKHQ * :ULJKW 5 HVHDUFK 5 HSRUW 1 XPEHU 5 HVHDUFK 3 URMHFW $VVHVVPHQW RI &RKHVLRQOHVV 0 DWHULDOV WR EH 8 VHG DV &RPSDFWHG )LOO &RQGXFWHG IRU WKH 7(;$6 '(3$570(17 2) 75$163257$7,21 LQ FRRSHUDWLRQ ZLWK WKH 8 6 '(3$570(17 2) 75$163257$7,21 )HGHUDO +LJKZD\ $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ E\ WKH &(17(5 )25 75$163257$7,21 5(6($5&+ %XUHDX RI (QJLQHHULQJ 5 HVHDUFK 7+( 81,9(56,7< 2) 7(.))))))))

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