Introduction
PLAXIS 2D Ground Improvement
Practice Techniques:
Course Dynamic Compaction
Eng.:AhmedAbdelmgeed.M.Sc.PhD.Cand.
Ahmed Abd El-Maged, MSc.
SeniorGeotechnical Engineer,Geoharbour
Mohamed Abd Al-Galel, BSc. Email:
[email protected] Introduction to Dynamic compaction Outline
Outlines
01. Introduction to DC
04. Design of DC
02. Advantgaes & Disadvanatages
Verification Test And Acceptance
05. Procedure
03. Suitability of DC
06. DC Vibrations
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Introduction
Introduction
Ground improvement= Watermelon ?
Design assumption
improvement system
introduction
Ground improvement= Blackbox?
Design assumption Satisfy criteria
Input Output
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Introduction
Introduction
▪ Dynamic Compaction is a ground improvement technique that densifies granular materials by using a drop
weight and it is applicable to both saturated and unsaturated soils. The basic principle of this technique is
the transmission of high energy impacts to loose granular soil which initially have low bearing capacity and
high compressibility potentials in order to significantly improve their characteristics with depth.
Ground improvement is mainly used for:-
o Increase bearing capacity
o Decrease settlement
o Mitigate liquefaction
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Introduction
Introduction
▪ Typically drop weights for pounder range from 6-20 ton dropped from heights up to 20m.
Weights are typically constructed using steel plates, box steel and concrete (also suitably
reinforced mass concrete).
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Introduction
Introduction
▪ Dynamic compaction (DC) is applied in different passes to improve the ground efficiently:
o Pass 1: ‘Deep’ treatment
o Pass 2: ‘Intermediate treatment’
o Pass 3: ‘Shallow treatment (RIC or roller compactor may be used)
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Adv & Disadvantages
Advantages and Disadvantages of DC
Advantages Disadvantages
• Capable of compacting a wide variety of weak soils ▪ It cannot be used within 30m from buildings and
• Increased bearing capacity 15m from underground services..
• Reduced settlement ▪ It cannot be applied if soft cohesive soils are
located in the upper part of the compaction.
• Treated granular soils and fills have increased
density, friction angle, and stiffness ▪ Dynamic compaction is not effective when soils
have fines content in excess of 20%.
• Can improve soil conditions on marginal sites to
extent that shallow foundations can be used ▪ Requires an intensive in situ testing programme to
without deep excavation or piling. examine the result of compaction.
• Helps mitigate deep foundation costs in liquefiable ▪ Noise and vibration issues.
areas ▪ Limited depth effectiveness (9.0m)
• Highly cost-effective when compared to other
forms of ground improvement
• Load transfer platform is not required
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Suitability of DC
Suitability For D
▪ The soil suitable For DC could be summarized as the following:-
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Suitability of DC
Suitability For DC
▪ The soil suitable For DC based on CPT results:-
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Design of DC
Design of Dynamic compaction (DC)
▪ The typical approach of (DC) is extensively detailed in the FHWA technical report by Lukas, summa:-
A. Conducting a thorough pre-compaction site investigation to ascertain crucial design parameters,
such as depth, strength, classification, and uniformity of loose layers. This investigation also includes
factors like groundwater levels, potential constraints due to nearby super or underground
structures, and any other relevant data that could impact the compaction plan's design.
B. Designing compaction plan based on the collected dataas follows:
o Estimating the total required energy per unit volume (specific energy) based on soil classification
(cohesive soil needs more energy than granular one) and desire degree of compaction (more
compacted soil needs more energy).
o Selecting tamper weight and dropping height based on classification and depth of loose layer and
available equipment.
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Design of DC
Design of Dynamic compaction (DC)
o Determining the grid pattern of compaction based on site plan and tamper diameter (grid spacing
should be between 1.5 to 2.5 tamper diameter).
o Calculating required energy per point by dividing the required specific energy by volume (grid
spacing2 x layer thickness)
o Calculating the required total number of drops per point by dividing the required energy per point by
the energy of single drop (tamper weight x dropping height)
o Dividing the total number of drops into several passes if needed (generally the maximum , 7-15 drops
per point are made in each pass).
o After applying all passes, a surface stabilizing layer may be applied if needed; it should be compacted
by flat tamper
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Design of DC
Design of Dynamic compaction (DC)
The Dynamic Compaction design was developed considering the desired enhancement characteristics.
This involved determining the compaction parameters, including the following: -
o Grid spacing
o Pounder weight
o Drop height.
o Number of drops
o Number of passes
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Design of DC
Design of Dynamic compaction (DC)
• Determine effective depth based on the available machines
D=n(WH)^(0.5)
Where:
D:Depth of depth of Influence in meters,
W:Mass of tamper in tons,
H:Drop height in meters
n:Empirical coefficient (0.3 to 0.8 as per FHWA)
• Popular tamper weight is 20 ton and with height reach to 20m
• The mentioned figure suggests that factors as high as 0.9 could apply for
shallow depths of loose granular soils (typical values are lower)
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Design of DC
Design of Dynamic compaction (DC)
A sufficient amount of energy must be applied during dynamic compaction to cause ground
compression to result in property improvements that are necessary for design. The applied
energy is generally given as the average energy applied over the entire area. It can be calculated
as follows:
AE=(N)(W)(H)(P)/("grid spacing" )^2
Where:
AE: Applied energy N:Number of drops at each specific drop point location,
W:Tamper mass H:Drop height
P:Number of passes
Recommended Energy Levels based on soil type are as follows:
o Pervious Coarse-Grained Soils (Zone 1) – 200 to 250 kJ/m3
o Semi-Pervious Soils (Zone 2 and 3) – 250 to 350 kJ/m3
o Landfill Material – 600 to 1,100 kJ/m3
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Outline Design of DC
Design of Dynamic compaction (DC)
A sufficient amount of energy must be applied during dynamic compaction to cause ground
compression to result in property improvements that are necessary for design. The applied
energy is generally given as the average energy applied over the entire area. It can be calculated
as follows:
AE=(N)(W)(H)(P)/("grid spacing" )^2
Where:
AE: Applied energy N:Number of drops at each specific drop point location,
W:Tamper mass H:Drop height
P:Number of passes
Recommended Energy Levels based on soil type are as follows:
o Pervious Coarse-Grained Soils (Zone 1) – 200 to 250 kJ/m3
o Semi-Pervious Soils (Zone 2 and 3) – 250 to 350 kJ/m3
o Landfill Material – 600 to 1,100 kJ/m3
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Outline Design of DC
Principle of DC - Granular soils
In dry granular materials tampering improves engineering properties of the soil.
Physical displacement of particles and low-frequency excitation will:
- reduce the void ratio and
- increase the relative density
to provide improved load bearing and enhanced settlement criteria.
The existing density and grading of the soil are major factors how efficiently a granular soil
deposit can be improved.
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Design of DC
Principle of DC - Granular soils (Below water level)
High energy Low energy
▪ Below the ground water table and after a suitable number of ▪ DC can be used without inducing the liquefied state
surface impacts, pore pressure rises to a sufficient level to (which is almost impossible in loose sandy deposits
introduce liquefaction. with high ground water tables…)
▪ Low frequency vibrations caused by further stress impulses will ▪ The treatment without liquefaction is aimed to
then re-organise the particles into a denser state. provide compaction by displacement without
▪ Dissipation of pore water pressures in conjunction with the dilation or high excess pore pressure by using a
effective surcharge of the liquefied layer by the soils above, smaller number of drops from a lower drop height.
results in further increase in relative density over a relatively ▪ This approach, where applicable, requires
short time period.(1-2 days in well graded sands to 1-2 weeks significantly lower energy input than the
in silty sands liquefaction approach with consequent economies.
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Introduction to Dynamic compaction Verification tests
Verification Test And Acceptance Procedure
Trial Area Post CPT Zone load test
Before starting the The Cone Penetration Test (CPT) is a The Cone Penetration Test (CPT) is a
production work Trial area widely used for In-situ geotechnical widely used for In-situ geotechnical
based on the design characterization of ground. It involves characterization of ground. It involves
assumption to validate the measurement of the resistance of the measurement of the resistance of
the proposed spacing, ground to steady and continuous ground to steady and continuous
weight, Height and phases penetration of a cone penetrometer penetration of a cone penetrometer
equipped with internal sensors. Post equipped with internal sensors. Post
CPT value shall be obtained after soil CPT value shall be obtained after soil
improvement to verify the bearing improvement to verify the bearing
capacity and settlement achieved. capacity and settlement achieved
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Introduction to Constitutive Modelling Verification tests
Verification Test And Acceptance Procedure
There is two approaches for the location of post CPT, these two approaches will be summarized as the
following
3 CPTs, as per the following , at the column, at
one test situated in the centre of square of 1/3 between two of them and centroid, every
four -Dynamic compaction points (500 to 3000m2) or as project specification
First approach Second approach
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Introduction to Constitutive Modelling Verification tests
Verification Test And Acceptance Procedure
conducting the post CPT roughly 10-15 days after finishing compaction works is recommended. This delay
allows for a significant enhancement in both strength and compressibility properties within a short
timeframe. This aligns with Schectman's findings from 1986, where data from Jacksonville, Florida,
demonstrated substantial improvement in a 10-meter layer of silty sand post dynamic compaction. The
comparison between the static cone bearing capacity qc over time and qco immediately after dynamic
compaction
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Introduction to Constitutive Modelling Verification tests
volumetric response of the soil treated by D
There is two types of volumetric change of the soil that treated by DC as per the following figures
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Introduction to Constitutive Modelling Verification tests
Dynamic Compaction Vibrations
In blasting, vibration PPV is related to the scaled distance, which is defined as the distance divided by the
square root of the weight of explosive used for the blast (Siskind et al, 1980). It is common to use a similar
approach for Dynamic Compaction, where the weight of explosive is replaced by the energy per blow of
the tamper mass. For preliminary estimates, Mayne et al (1984) proposed the following formula as a
conservative upper limit to the ground vibration levels:
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Introduction to Constitutive Modelling DC vibration
Dynamic Compaction Vibrations
To reduce the vibration of Dc on the existing utilities or structures isolation trench may be used
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