Explanation of Dry Density Distribution Induced by Compaction through Soil/Water/Air Coupled Simulation

Abstract

Most onshore earth structures, such as earthen dams, embankment, and river levees, are constructed by compaction. Transportation geotechnics also includes construction of compacted earth structures, such as road and railway embankment. Optimum compaction can increase shear strength, while decreasing compressibility and permeability of earth structures. For this reason, compaction has been used for earthworks since the dawn of times. Generally, a series of lab compaction tests is conducted to obtain a compaction curve before constructing these structures. The shape of the compaction curve, which determines the maximum dry density at the optimum water content, is very important in the design and construction of structures. However, it is difficult to control compaction quality on the basis of lab tests alone, as soil materials are inhomogeneous. Furthermore, there are differences in the compaction methods used in lab tests and at construction sites. Therefore, it is necessary to explain the mechanisms of compaction in the framework of soil mechanics. In this study, compaction of earthworks is simulated in a similar way. The effect of compaction layer thickness and the number of compaction layers on the distribution of dry densities in an earth structure was investigated through soil/water/air coupled simulation. Consequently, it was found that multi-layered compaction can create a gap in the dry density between two layers and that this gap can be reduced by thinner layer compaction. On the other hand, though the average dry density in a compacted earth structure can be increased by increasing the number of compacted layers, some gap between compaction layers was inevitable. Through these findings, this study contributes to the performance design of compacted earth structures.