Compaction, Earthwork, and Hydraulic Fills

Most construction projects move soil, and how well that is done affects the finished structure. This chapter covers embankment cross-section design, compaction requirements and procedures, and embankment compaction control.

It also covers borrow excavation, hydraulic and underwater fills, the compaction tests used to set and check specifications, and compaction tests for earth-rock mixtures. Contractors, inspectors, and designers all use this material. Understanding the reasoning behind a compaction specification makes it easier to meet it and to spot a problem early.

In this chapter

• Introductionpage 614
  • Purpose of Compaction
  • Applications
  • Types of Fill
• Embankment Cross-Section Designpage 614
  • Influence of Material Type
  • Embankments on Stable Foundation
  • Embankments on Weak Foundations
  • Embankment Settlement
  • Earth Dam Embankments
• Compaction Requirements and Procedurespage 619
  • Compaction Requirements
  • Compaction Methods and Equipment
  • Influence of Material Type
• Embankment Compaction Controlpage 624
  • Ground Preparation
  • Field Test Section
  • Requirements for Control Tests
  • Analysis of Control Test Data
  • Indirect Evaluation of Compaction in Deep Fills
  • Problem Soils
• Borrow Excavationpage 626
  • Borrow Pit Exploration
  • Excavation Methods
  • Utilization of Excavated Materials
• Hydraulic and Underwater Fillspage 627
  • General
  • Placement Methods
  • Performance of Hydraulic Fills
  • Consolidation of Hydraulic Fills
• Compaction Testspage 628
  • Introduction
  • Standard Compaction Test
  • Modified Compaction Test
  • Possible Errors
• Compaction Test for Earth-Rock Mixturespage 643
  • Introduction
  • Apparatus
  • Quantity of Sample
  • Processing Of Sample
  • Special Considerations
  • Preparation of Test Specimen
  • Compaction Procedure
  • Computations
  • Presentation of Results
  • Possible Errors