Maximum compaction energy in a granular soil for road surfacing of the Agocucho Quarry

Authors

León Quiroz, Josecarlos Jair

Alvarez Llanos, Jane Elizabeth

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out in order to study and analyze the influence of the compaction energy on the optimum moisture content and the maximum dry density in the granular soil of the Agocucho quarry. An experimental investigation was accomplished by extracting samples from the quarry, in order to perform the tests of granulometric analysis, moisture content, plasticity limits, specific weight, resistance to degradation, and the modified proctor test; Optimal moisture content and maximum dry density were obtained by applying different compaction energies, by the modified proctor method C, it was done according to the ASTM D1557 standard. six tests were executed, and the compaction energy was varying, with 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, and 61 blows; for each test, the moisture content was varied 5 times. The soil was classified according to the SUCS system as clayey gravel (CG), and according to the AASHTO classification system as gravelly soil with clayey sand A-2-4, with a maximum dry density of 1.98 gr/cm3 and optimum moisture content of 3.38. %, determining that this type of soil reaches its maximum density at 59 blows (28.73 kg-cm/cm3), as the blows increase, the resistance tends to decrease; therefore, we can corroborate that the soils have maximum compaction energy that must be analyzed and considered in the construction processes to avoid reducing their dry density and, with it, the quality of soil compaction and its own capacity.