Constructing and Controlling Compaction of Earth Fills

Abstract

This book represents the efforts of a number of authors who presented papers at the Symposium tifled, Constructing and Controlling Compaction of Earth Fills, held in Seattle, Washington, on July 1 and 2, 1999. The book is devoted to papers written on the use of various standardized methods for specifying and controlling the compaction of soils for engineered constructed earth fills. In at least one case, a paper was accepted and written, but the author was unable to be present. The introduction to the symposium, as contained in the symposium program, offered the following information as a focus for the presentations: Soil is compacted to improve its performance as a structural building material. The degree of compaction, method of compaction, moisture content, and gradation of the soil materials all have an impact on the final product achieved by the process involved. ASTM has numerous test methods that address different aspects of the compaction process. It is the objective of this symposium to look at soil compaction control in construction activities from a number of perspectives. These perspectives include the historical background, current state-of-the-art practices, case histories of challenging situations, new concerns regarding appropriate design parameters for compaction control, and new methods to evaluate soil compaction and other related qualities. The final session of the symposium will feature a review and discussion of a manual currently being developed by ASTM Committee DI 8 on Soil and Rock, the symposium sponsor. This manual is titled, "Testing Compaction of Earth Fills Using ASTM Standards". The symposium papers were grouped into three categories for the purpose of presentation at the symposium. These papers covered all of the topics referred to in the program introduction. The history of the development and use of the nuclear gage in the quality control of constructed earth fills was covered in the keynote address by W.F. Troxler of Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc. His presentation on "Development and Industry Acceptance of the Nuclear Gauge" was accompanied by a written paper. This paper has been included in this publication. The nuclear gage has had the single largest impact of any technology in the last 30 years in the field of compaction control. Many papers that followed in the symposium used the nuclear gage as a basis for comparison of the results of field density and water content measurements. A review of the three sessions follows.