What Is The Need For Densification of Granular Soils?

Subject: Ground improvement Techniques Class: IV-1
(Eight mark Questions)
UNIT -3 In-situ Densification Methods In Granular Soils
1. What is the need for densification of granular soils?
 The reclamation of new land with hydraulic fill results in a loose profile of
granular soil mass. This loose granular soil will contribute to high elastic
immediate settlement as well as liquefaction upon dynamic forces.
 In addition, the bearing capacity of a granular foundation is mainly

dependent upon shear characteristics such as the friction angle of the soil.
The compressibility is in turn dependent upon the elastic modulus of the soil.
 To increase the friction and the elastic modulus of granular soil, it has to be
improved by a densification method. If reclamation is carried out by landfill
operation, granular soil mass can be densified by roller compaction with a
certain lift and a specified moisture.
 However, for existing land or land reclaimed by hydraulic filling, such method
may not be feasible and hence one has to rely on deep compaction methods.
 Before carrying out deep compaction, the first thing that needs to be done is
to ensure that the type of soil is densifiable with the deep compaction
method. Generally, granular soil with less than 10% of fine can be densified
with this method.
 There are a few methods of deep compaction. Among these, (i) dynamic
compaction, (ii) vibroflotation, and (iii) compaction piles are the methods
most commonly used in densification of granular soils.
 Before carrying out the deep compaction works, the extent of densification
required must first be decided. This required degree of densification is based
on the bearing capacity and tolerable settlement of the soil.
2. What is the technique involved in Dynamic compaction
 Technique involves repeatedly dropping a large weight from a crane

 Weight may range from 6 to 172 tons
 Drop height typically varies from 10 m to 40 m
 Degree of densification achieved is a function of the energy input (weight and

drop height) as well as the saturation level, fines content and permeability of
the material
 Done systematically in a rectangular or triangular pattern in phases
 Each phase can have no of passes; primary, secondary, tertiary, etc.
 Spacing between impact points depend upon:
a. Depth of compressible layer
b. Permeability of soil
c. Location of ground water level
 Deeper layers are compacted at wider grid spacing
 upper layers are compacted with closer grid spacing
 Deep craters are formed by tamping
 Craters may be filled with sand after each pass
 Heave around craters is generally small
3. What are the types of Dynamic Compaction? Describe in brief
A. Dynamic Compaction:
It is the compaction of unsaturated or highly permeable saturated granular

materials by heavy tamping. The response to tamping is immediate
 Dynamic consolidation
 Dynamic replacement
 Rotational dynamic compaction
 Rapid impact dynamic compaction
Dynamic consolidation
The improvement by heavy tamping of saturated cohesive materials in which the

response to tamping is largely time dependent. Excess pore water pressures are
generated as a result of tamping and dissipate over several hours or days after
tamping.
Dynamic replacement
The formation by heavy tamping of large pillars of imported granular soil within the
body of soft saturated soil to be improved. The original soil is highly compressed
and consolidated between the pillars and the excess pore pressure generated
requires several hours to dissipate. The pillars are used both for soil reinforcement
and drainage
Rotational dynamic compaction
A new dynamic compaction technique which makes use of the free fall energy as
well as rotational energy of the tamper called Rotational Dynamic Compaction
(RDC). The technique increases depth of improvement in granular soils.
Comparative study showed that the cone penetration resistance was generally
larger than conventional dynamic compaction and the tamper penetration in
rotational dynamic compaction was twice as large as that of conventional dynamic
compaction
Rapid impact dynamic compaction
Rapid Impact Compaction (RIC) is a ground improvement technique that densifies

shallow, loose granular soils, using a hydraulic hammer which repeatedly strikes an
impact plate. The energy is transferred to the underlying loose granular soils and
rearranges the particles into a denser configuration. The impact locations are
typically located on a grid pattern, the spacing of which is determined by the
subsurface conditions and foundation loading and geometry. Treated granular soils
and fills have increased density, friction angle and stiffness. The technique has been
used to increase bearing capacity, and decrease settlement for planned structures.
4. Give the step wise layout of monitoring and control in dynamic
compaction test
A.
5. Describe vibro compaction method of densification?
 Compaction of granular soils by depth vibrators is known as Vibro

Compaction.
 The method is also known as “Vibroflotation”.
 Natural deposits as well as artificially reclaimed sands can be compacted to a
depth of up to 70 m.
 The intensity of compaction can be varied to meet bearing capacity criteria.
 Other improvement effects such as reduction of both total and differential
settlements are achieved.
 The risk of liquefaction in a earthquake prone area is also drastically reduced.
The following diagrams illustrate the compaction process:
The principle of sand compaction (Vibroflotation):

The compaction process consists of a flotation of the soil particles as a result of
vibration, which then allows for a rearrangement of the particles into a denser
state.
Effects of Compaction
The sand and gravel particles rearrange into a denser state.

The ratio of horizontal to vertical effective stress is increased significantly.
The permeability of the soil is reduced 2 to 10 fold, depending on many factors.
The friction angle typically increases by up to 8 degrees.
Enforced settlements of the compacted soil mass are in the range of 2 % to 15 %,
typically 5 %
The stiffness modulus can be increased 2 to 4 fold.
Test Pattern
On large projects the optimal compaction grid spacing has to be determined by test
grids.
The compaction effect in the test grids should be as close as possible to the
treatment in the later production areas.
In order to achieve this it is advisable to arrange the test grids close to each other.
Advantages
 The treatment is localized, which allows a customized and optimized

treatment of the various soil layers, including at depth
 Possible treatment to a great depth (> 20 m)
 The treatment by vibrocompaction is only effective starting from 1 to 2
meters in depth because of the lack of vertical confinement at the surface.
Applications
The most common applications are as follows :
 Vibrocompaction is commonly used for antiliquefaction treatment of soils.

Vibration compactable grounds correspond in fact quite nicely to the grain
size distribution spectra of soils with a strong liquefiable potential
 Treatment of hydraulic backfill and platforms reclaimed from the sea by
dredging
 Treatment of river or sea banks behind and/or inside caissons or walls
 In-situ compaction of foundation shafts made of backfill materials
6. Explain the process of densification by Compaction piles?
 Pile driving is one of the most effecting methods for compacting loose sand
gravel
 The method is also effective in silty soils above the ground water table
because of displacement caused by the pile driving
 Compaction piles are therefore be used in fine grained soils than can
vibroflotation or vibro compaction
 The best effect is usually obtained below the ground water table where the
soil is saturated
 The compaction is partly caused by the vibrations from driving the piles and
partly by the displacement of soil caused by piles
 The diameter of the compacted zone around each pile is 7D to 12D, where D
is the diameter of the pile
 The size of the compacted zone increases in general with the increasing
initial relative density of the soil.
 The soil is also compacted below the piles down to the depth that
corresponds to about one pile diameter. The maximum economic depth is
about 20m.
 It is usually possible to compact the soil to a relative density of 75 to 80
percent.
 The method is economical for relatively small areas compared with other soil
improvement methods
 The increase in relative density of soil can be estimated from total volume of
inserted piles and from the settlement of the ground surface observed during
installation
 Building settlements can be estimated as if the structures were supported on
dense sand. The reduction of settlement by the compaction piles is generally
large because the piles increase the horizontal pressures in the ground and
thus the confinement
 The relative improvement is less when the initial relative density of the soil is
high

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Subject: Ground improvement Techniques Class: IV-1

(Eight mark Questions)

UNIT -3 In-situ Densification Methods In Granular Soils

1. What is the need for densification of granular soils?

 In addition, the bearing capacity of a granular foundation is mainly

 Technique involves repeatedly dropping a large weight from a crane

 Degree of densification achieved is a function of the energy input (weight and

It is the compaction of unsaturated or highly permeable saturated granular

The improvement by heavy tamping of saturated cohesive materials in which the

Rotational dynamic compaction

Rapid impact dynamic compaction

Rapid Impact Compaction (RIC) is a ground improvement technique that densifies

 Compaction of granular soils by depth vibrators is known as Vibro

The following diagrams illustrate the compaction process:

The principle of sand compaction (Vibroflotation):

The sand and gravel particles rearrange into a denser state.

 The treatment is localized, which allows a customized and optimized

The most common applications are as follows :

 Vibrocompaction is commonly used for antiliquefaction treatment of soils.

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