UNIVERSITY OF BAGHDAD

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Assigned to: Dr. sawsan

By: Mohammed Thamer Lafta
Ms.c construction management student

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 Contents:

Definition of compaction;
Importance of Compaction;
Compaction methods;
Choosing the right machine for proper soil
compaction;
Compactor Productivity;
Factors affecting output of compaction
equipments;
Conclusions.

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Definition of compaction (4)

In geotechnical engineering, soil compaction is the

process in which a stress applied to a soil causes
densification as air is displaced from the pores between
the soil grains. When stress is applied that causes
densification due to water (or other liquid) being
displaced from between the soil grains,
then consolidation, not compaction, has occurred.
Normally, compaction is the result of heavy machinery
compressing the soil, but it can also occur due to the
passage of (e.g.) animal feet.
In construction, Soil compaction is a vital part of the
construction process. It is used for support of structural
entities such as building foundations, roadways, and
earth retaining structures For a given soil type certain
properties may deem it more or less desirable to perform
adequately for a particular circumstance. In general, the
preselected soil should have adequate strength, be
relatively incompressible so that future settlement is not
significant, be stable against volume change as water
content or other factors vary, be durable and have
proper permeability.

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Importance of Compaction:

Good compaction:

I. Increases strength;
II. Reduces settling;
III. Increases durability;
IV. And lower costs;

Poor compaction:

I. Reduced strength;
II. Increased settling;
III. Reduced durability;
IV. And higher costs;

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Compaction methods; (4)

Vibrating - a stress is applied repeatedly and rapidly via a

mechanically driven plate or hammer. Often combined
with rolling compaction (see below).
Gyrating - a static stress is applied and maintained in one
direction while the soil is a subjected to a gyratory
motion about the axis of static loading. Limited to
laboratory applications.
Rolling - a heavy cylinder is rolled over the surface of the
soil. Commonly used on sports pitches. Roller-
compactors are often fitted with vibratory devices to
enhance their effectiveness.
Kneading - shear is applied by alternating movement in
adjacent positions. An example, combined with rolling
compaction, is the 'sheepsfoot' roller used in

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Choosing the right machine for proper soil
compaction: (2), (3)

There are many factors that influence the choice of

compaction equipment selected for a project. Sometimes
it is based on the contractors previous experience and
other times by the type of soil, climatic and traction
conditions, method specification or available equipment,
There is no single compactor that will do all things in all
applications. Each type has a definite material and
operating range on which it is most economical.
In many cases, there are applications where machines of
different sizes and types can achieve the compaction
target; but choosing the machine that is most suitable
will complete the work most economically and efficiently
due to reduced passes, reduced fuel use and less working
time The soil compaction Equipments can be divided
into two groups:
Light soil compacting equipments
Heavy soil compacting equipments

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 Light soil compacting equipments
i. Rammers:
Rammers are used for compacting small areas by
providing impact load to the soil. This equipment is light
and can be hand or machine operated. The base size of
rammers can be 15cm x 15cm or 20cm x 20cm or more.
For machine operated rammers, the usual weight varies
from 30kg to 10 tonnes (6 lbs to 22000 lbs). These
hammers with 2- 3 tonnes (4400 to 6600 lbs)weights are
allowed to free fall from a height of 1m to 2m (3ft to 7ft)
on the soil for the compaction of rock fragments.
Rammers are suitable for compacting cohesive soils as
well as other soils. This machine in areas with difficulty
in access.

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ii. Vibrating Plate Compactors:

Vibrating plate compactors are used for compaction of

coarse soils with 4 to 8% fines. These equipments are
used for small areas. The usual weights of these
machines vary from 100 kg to 2 tonne with plate areas
between 0.16 m2 and 1.6 m2.

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2. Heavy Soil Compaction Equipments:
These compacting machines are used for large areas for
use on different types of soils. The heavy compaction
equipments are selected based on moisture content of
soil and types of soil. Following are different types of
these equipments:

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Smooth Wheeled Rollers:
Smooth wheeled rollers are of two types: Static smooth
wheeled rollers, Vibrating smooth wheeled rollers
The most suitable soils for these roller type are well
graded sand, gravel, crushed rock, asphalt etc. where
crushing is required. These are used on soils which does
not require great pressure for compaction. These rollers
are generally used for finishing the upper surface of the
soil. These roller are not used for compaction of uniform
sands.

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Sheepsfoot Roller:
Sheepsfoot rollers are used for compacting fine grained
soils such as heavy clays and silty clays. Sheepsfoot
rollers are used for compaction of soils in dams,
embankments, subgrade layers in pavements and rail
road construction projects.
Sheepsfoot rollers are of static and vibratory types.

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Pneumatic Tyred Rollers:
Pneumatic tyred rollers are also called as rubber tyred
rollers. These rollers are used for compaction of coarse
grained soils with some fines. These rollers are least
suitable for uniform coarse soils and rocks. Generally
pneumatic tyred rollers are used in pavement subgrade
works both earthwork and bituminous works.

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Grid Rollers:

Grid rollers are used for compaction of weathered rocks,

well graded coarse soils. These rollers are not suitable for
clayey soils, silty clays and uniform soils. The main use
of these rollers are in subgrade and sub-base in road
constructions.

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Tamping Rollers:

These rollers are similar to sheepsfoot rollers with lugs of

larger area than sheepsfoot rollers Pad foot or tamping
rollers are best suitable for compacting cohesive soils.

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Compactor Productivity (1)

WSL
Q= E
P

Q = compacted volume / hour (cy/hr or m3/hr)

W = compacted width, (ft or m)
S = average speed, (mph or km/h)
L = compacted lift, (in or cm)
P = number of passes required to achieve density
E = efficiency factor

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Factors affecting output of compaction
equipments:

Output of the equipment varies with various conditions.

Various factors which affect the output of the earth
compaction equipments are broadly grouped under two
headings.
Controllable factors (management condition
factors).
Uncontrollable factors (job condition factors).

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Controllable factors (management condition
factors).

I. Operators skill;
II. Equipment repairs and maintenance facilities;
III. Planning and level of motivation;
IV. Working efficiency;
V. Task efficiency factor;
VI. Life of equipment and control of equipment;

Uncontrollable factors (job condition factors)

I. Type of soil;
II. Effect of temperature;
III. Rain, snow and wind effect;
IV. Effect of altitude on the performance of the engine;
V. Availability of working space;
VI. Condition of haul roads;

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Calculation The relative effect
percentages of factors affecting:

According to a questionnaire about the factors

affecting the productivity of compaction:

1. The number of samples is 25 samples.

2. The calculation of the relative impact of factors affecting by
Excel program
3. The results were as shown in the charts below.

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The relative effect percentages of
management factors

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The relative effect percentages of job
condition factors

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Conclusions:

From the result of a questionnaire, it has been realized that

the Output of earth compaction depends on various job
conditions and management conditions. Job length, working
space, soil condition are Main factors which affect the output
of grading equipments. The ratings given in the
manufacturers catalogues represents optimum figures under
ideal conditions which can rarely be realized at site. It will
have to be multiplied by a utilization factors which may vary
depending on normal working site conditions. Output of
grading equipment is an important basis for its selection to do
an operation as well as also for economic analysis and
replacement decision.

References:
1) H. T. Kadivar Case Study on Output/Productivity of Pneumatic Tired
Vibratory Roller (Earth Compaction Equipment) under Different Job and
Management Conditions. Department of Civil Engineering Lukhdhirji
Engineering College Morbi
2) Jzsef Kroly Construction Equipment Earthwork & Soil Compaction.
Budapest Univesity of Technology and Economics.
3) Ropert l. peorifoy construction planning equipment and methods
4) Wikipedia soil compaction

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1
2
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4
5
6
7
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1
2
3
4
5
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1 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 1
1 3 4 2 3 4 3 4 2
4 4 3 2 4 3 3
2 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 4
2 3 4 4 3 3 3 4 5
2 3 3 4 4 4 4 6
3 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 7
2 4 3 3 3 3 3 4 8
1 1 3 3 3 4 3 4 9
2 4 3 2 3 4 3 4 10
3 2 3 2 3 4 4 4 11
2 2 4 3 3 3 4 3 12
2 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 13
1 4 4 2 3 3 2 4 14
3 3 4 3 4 3 4 4 15
2 2 3 4 4 4 4 4 16
3 3 3 4 4 3 4 4 17
1 3 2 3 3 2 3 4 18
1 3 1 2 4 4 4 3 19
2 4 4 3 3 4 3 3 20
3 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 21
3 1 3 3 3 3 3 4 22
3 3 3 4 2 3 4 4 23
2 4 2 2 3 4 3 4 24
3 4 4 4 4 2 4 4 25
50 75 79 71 79 82 86 94
4.84% 7.25% 7.64% 6.86% 7.64% 7.93% 8.32% 9.09%

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3 3 2 3 3 3 1
1 1 3 4 2 3 2
2 2 3 3 3 4 3
2 2 3 3 3 3 4
3 3 2 3 3 3 5
1 1 3 3 1 4 6
3 3 3 4 4 4 7
3 3 2 3 2 3 8
3 3 4 3 3 3 9
3 3 2 4 3 4 10
2 3 3 3 2 3 11
1 2 3 4 2 4 12
2 3 4 3 1 2 13
3 3 2 4 3 3 14
3 1 2 3 4 4 15
3 2 3 2 2 3 16
2 2 4 3 3 3 17
1 1 2 4 1 2 18
2 3 3 3 4 3 19
3 3 3 3 4 4 20
2 3 3 4 3 3 21
1 2 2 4 3 4 22
3 1 4 4 2 4 23
2 3 3 3 3 3 24
3 3 2 4 2 3 25
418 57 59 70 84 66 82
5.51% 5.70% 6.77% 8.12% 6.38% 7.93%

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COMMUNICA MONITO APPROPR LIFE OF WORK REPAIRS INCENTIVE OPERATO
TIONS RING AITE EQUIPEM EFFICIE AND RS SKILL
CHOSEN ENT NCY MAINTEN
OF ANCE
EQUIPEM FACILITIES
ENT
4.84% 7.25% 7.64% 6.86% 7.64% 7.93% 8.32% 9.09%

HAUL WORKIN EFFECT RAIN, EFFECTIVE TYPE OF
ROADS G SPACE OF SNOW OF SOIL
ALTITU AND WIND TEMPERAT
DE EFFECT URE
5.51% 5.70% 6.77% 8.12% 6.38% 7.93%

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