Compaction of Cohesionless Materials

The report contains data on laboratory and field compaction of cohesionless soils obtained from a survey of Corps of Engineers division laboratories, and results of different types of laboratory compaction tests performed in the U. S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES) laboratory on three cohesionless materials. The tests at WES were conducted to study various laboratory compaction test methods used for cohesionless materials. The three materials tested were a poorly graded sand (SP), a well- graded sand (SW), and a sandy gravel (GW). Impact, Providence vibrated density, vibratory table, and gyratory compaction test methods were used. Replicate tests were conducted on each soil to determine the variations in maximum dry density resulting from different test methods. Different technicians conducted the replicate tests in order that the variations in test results due to different techniques could be determined. Selected tests were also conducted on dry and wet specimens to determine the effect of water content on resulting densities. Gyratory tests were conducted using different angles of gyration and different vertical pressures to determine the effects of these variables.