For many building and landscaping projects, compacting the soil is an essential first step. Properly compacted soil ensures stability and durability whether you’re laying a garden bed, installing a driveway, or preparing a foundation. Insufficient compaction can cause structures to move or settle unevenly, which could cause future damage and expensive repairs.
For soil compaction, a range of instruments and techniques are available, each appropriate for a particular type of soil and project size. The correct tools, whether they be heavy-duty rollers or portable tampers, can make a big difference. In order to create a strong foundation that can support the weight of anything built on top, it is necessary to eliminate air pockets and increase the soil’s density.
In this piece
What is soil compaction
This is the term for the man-made method of enhancing the soil’s qualities without altering its chemical composition. Compaction happens when soil particles move and establish improved contact with one another. Such a site has a high bearing capacity for upcoming construction. Simultaneously, there is a decrease in soil erosion and subsidence.
The goal of compaction is to move more liquid gaseous components out of the soil and turn the soil mass into a solid state with three to five percent air volume.
Preliminary soil moistening is always done, regardless of the compaction technique (the type of soil determines the moisture content). For example, sand needs to have a moisture content of between 14 and 23% in order to be compacted. More frequent wetting will be necessary as a result. In the case of loam, this percentage ought to be between 12 and 18%. The ideal moisture content for clay is 16–26%, and for sandy loam, it is 9–15%.
Soil features
The type of soil must be taken into account when selecting a method for soil compaction. There is a particular grouping:
- Rocky. This is soil that mainly consists of rocks (granite, limestone, dolomite). It is covered with a very thin layer of earth. Rocky soil itself is very durable and resistant to loads, moisture or temperature changes.
- Semi-rocky. The soil may consist of the same rocks as rocky soils, but there are many cracks and faults in it. This means that its strength is significantly lower.
- Coarse clastic. This is soil that is primarily composed of rock parts. Such soil has low compressibility and can be washed away by water.
- Sandy. Soil consisting of loose sands with high water permeability. It is easily washed away and compacted due to strong moisture.
- Clay. Consists of clay, no sand impurities. Such soil swells strongly when moistened, quickly washes away and bulges in the cold season. It is very difficult to compact such soil.
- Loam. Soil made of sand (it can be up to 90%) and clay. Loam swells strongly when water is added, is washed away.
- Peat. Consists of plant residues. Such soil is easily compressed, since it contains a large volume of moisture.
- Dusty (quicksand). This type of soil is the most difficult to compact. It is easily washed away and is mobile.
Although there are artificial varieties, these are natural soils. Bulk foundations composed of crushed stone, sand, and gravel are among them, for instance. They may also include slag, construction waste, etc.
Soil compaction methods
A number of compaction techniques are used, depending on the type of soil.
Tamping
This is a mechanical process that eliminates air pockets and voids from the soil. Working with a large layer thickness is this method’s main advantage. However, it is not advised to ram if the soil is excessively damp. If not, it might have the opposite effect and just make the soil more pliable.
Practical! Tamping works best when compacting embankments and large-fragment soil.
Tamping can be carried out on your own with a heavy log or a steel pipe. It has to have a square base fixed on it. Such ramming works on the straightforward tenet that it strikes the ground at a straight angle. Nevertheless, such compaction has a low efficiency, and it will take a lot of time and work to process a large area.
Additionally, slabs that weigh up to 15 tons are utilized. In this instance, the area of the slab in contact with the soil will determine the depth of soil compaction in addition to weight (the larger the slab, the deeper the effect). However, heavy machinery is needed to operate such equipment, so construction does not frequently use this method.
Rolling
The soil is rolled using heavy-duty rollers. The site can be driven over multiple times, and the weight of the equipment will cause it to compact quickly. However, there is a disadvantage: the only ways to modify the load are by selecting rollers with varying weights or by expanding the contact area.
Rolling is done in multiple steps. You must roll it up first. To do this, it is necessary to ascertain the necessary degree of soil compaction during experimental work. It is only after you have the results that you can decide what kind of equipment to use.
Practical! Since these kinds of machines are typically rented, it’s critical to accurately identify the kind of roller that’s needed.
Types of rollers for compaction
Depending on the kind of working element, rollers vary. For example, a rolling roller
- Trailed vibration. The weight of the rink can be 3-15 tons. Such models are applicable to most soils.
- Static Trevaltseva. Weighs 8-15 tons. One valet is driven, and the other two work on the drive. There are newer models in which all three rollers are leading. Additionally, the rinks provides for the corrective water load.
- Self-propelled vibration (3-17 tons). Such models have only one ice rink, and the wheel drives of pneumatic type. Some rollers have fists that increase the effectiveness during the compaction of clay soils or, if necessary, deep tamping.
- Manual bicopian. Pretty light and relatively inexpensive mechanism. Used for small areas. The weight of the rink is 4-10 tons.
- With pneumatic tires (10-35 tons). Tires can be from 7 to 11 pieces. They roll one after another. Additionally, a water or sand load can be installed.
- Static compaction action (15-30 tons). The roller has 4 cam rollers. Such machines move quite quickly despite their large mass.
The roller can be used on any kind of soil if its surface is smooth. Using cam models in clay soils improves their effectiveness. The depth of soil compaction is 30 cm when using a machine weighing between 10 and 25 tons. It is preferable to prioritize heavier equipment up to 50 tons if you need to compress up to 50 centimeters. You will need the priciest and heaviest kind of machine—weighing up to 100 tons—to compact up to 50 centimeters.
Vibration
Compaction is achieved by means of special vibrating mechanisms, usually involving a rotating eccentric load. During work, a combination of static and dynamic loads is applied to the soil in addition to mechanical action. The underlying soil particles shift as a result of vibrations transmitted along the soil surface from rapid impacts.
Increased compaction depth and density can be attained through vibration. This can save a substantial amount of time because it requires fewer approaches. All types of soil are suitable for vibration. This kind of equipment is used for more than 70% of the work. This makes it a universal technique, even though vibration was only ever employed in large-block or sandy soils at first. However, as the technology has become more widely used, more sophisticated tools have been developed to deal with loams, clays, and other types of "difficult" soils.
- Vibratory plates. They are also called vibratory platforms. The equipment is equipped with a massive sole, which is capable of transmitting vibration due to impacts. The plates come in different weights. The higher it is, the deeper the ramming will be. When working on private sites, plates weighing 75-90 kg are usually sufficient. In this case, you can achieve a layer compaction up to 25 cm deep. The sole area can be 1600-6000 cm 2 . There are also more massive ones up to 15 centners (1.5 tons).
- Vibrating legs. This is simpler equipment, less durable and working on a slightly different principle. The vibrating leg does not hit the soil, but jumps, due to which compaction is performed. The area of impact of the equipment is no more than 1000 cm 2 . The weight of the vibrating leg is 60-70 kg. With all this, a more compact device is capable of affecting a depth of up to 40 cm. But during the work, you need to apply more force, the area is processed much more slowly.
The characteristics of the task must be considered when selecting the appropriate machinery or equipment.
| Equipment | Use |
| Hand Tampers | Great for small areas and tight spaces. Use to pack soil by hand. |
| Plate Compactors | Ideal for compacting larger flat surfaces. Use a vibrating plate to settle the soil. |
| Roller Compactors | Best for large areas like roads or foundations. Use heavy rollers to compress the soil. |
| Rammers | Perfect for high-impact compaction in confined spaces. Use for deeper soil layers. |
In many construction projects, compacting the soil is an essential step that ensures a stable foundation for other structures and concrete. Appropriate compaction of the soil helps avoid future settling and cracking, whether you’re laying the foundation for a building, patio, or driveway.
Select the appropriate compaction equipment for your particular soil type to get the best results. A vibratory plate compactor is frequently the best option for sandy or gravelly soils. On the other hand, a sheepsfoot roller or a heavier, smooth drum roller might be needed to achieve the best possible compaction on clay or silty soils.
Recall that proper technique is just as important to successful soil compacting as appropriate tool use.
Compaction of soil is necessary to ensure stability, prevent future settling, and provide a strong foundation for building projects. This post will examine a range of soil compacting techniques and equipment, from basic hand tools to sophisticated machinery, to assist you in selecting the best strategy for your unique requirements. Knowing the fundamentals of soil compaction, whether you’re working on a big construction site or a small gardening project, will guarantee that your work endures.
