Model test study on the effect of dynamic compaction under low water content

Area of Science:

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Soil Mechanics

Background:

• Dynamic compaction is a widely used foundation treatment technology.
• Arid regions, like northwestern China, present challenges due to low optimal water content (3-8%) for dynamic compaction.
• Existing methods struggle to meet optimal water content requirements in these conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of ramming energy and η value on dynamic compaction efficiency under low water content conditions.
• To identify optimal parameters for dynamic compaction in arid environments.
• To provide engineering guidance for foundation treatment in arid regions.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a series of model tests using homemade equipment.
• Varied ramming energy and η value to assess their impact on low water content soil.
• Compared results with dynamic compaction at optimal water content.

Main Results:

• Increased ramming energy compensated for low water content effects in arid regions.
• Dynamic compaction efficiency at low water content, with optimal energy, ranged from 58.1% to 66.2% compared to optimal water content.
• An increased η value also enhanced the effectiveness of dynamic compaction.

Conclusions:

• Optimal energy levels and appropriate η values are crucial for effective dynamic compaction in arid regions.
• Findings offer new parameter suggestions and engineering guidance for dynamic compaction construction in arid areas.
• This research addresses limitations of dynamic compaction in low water content environments.