G MS THESIS_final version_Maxim Prokudin.pdf - Digital Repository ...

7618001700Standard Proctor Curve PointsSingle Pier Mixes (Nuc. Gauge)Single Pier Mixes (UC sample)Single Pier Bev Heads (UC sample)Group RAP Piers (UC sample)Group I+K Piers (UC sample)ZAV (G s=2.80)Dry Density, kg/m31600150011 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27Moisture Content, %Figure 45: Standard Proctor compaction curveAs it can be observed from the Figure 46, the loess material was found to be 98 percentpassing #200 sieve and was, therefore, classifies as ML (silt). Atterberg limits test wasanother example of a laboratory test that was of great importance and have shown liquid limitof the loess soil to be 31 percent and plasticity index was of 7 percent.While using the Standard Proctor curve information as a guideline for preparing the test bed,the process of moisture conditioning and compaction had to inevitably go through theprocess of trial and error. The first set of piers, where various beveled heads were to beutilized for the purpose of pier compaction, was installed in a comparatively stiff soilenvironment. The moisture content of the initially prepared test bed loess material wasestimated at 14.7 percent. This value was lower than the optimum moisture content and,therefore, the compaction was performed on the dry side of optimum. Moreover, thecompaction process was performed in the loose 50 mm thickness lifts and by utilizing avibratory plate compactor, resulting in dry density of 1,456 kg/m 3 .