Vibrating Hammer Compaction Test for Granular Soils and Dense-Graded Aggregates (05-0815)**
Adam Buser Prochaska, Purdue University
Vincent Drnevich, Purdue University
Daehyeon Kim, Chosun University, South Korea
Kurt Sommer, Indiana Department of Transportation

Excessive settlements can occur in granular soils where specified field compaction is based on Standard Proctor (ASTM D 698, AASHTO T 99) maximum dry unit weights. A laboratory test program evaluated alternative test methods for granular soil compaction control and showed that a Vibrating Hammer method (similar to British Standard BS 1377:1975, Test 14) has great promise for laboratory compaction of these soils. A One-Point Vibrating Hammer test on an oven-dried soil sample provides the maximum dry unit weight and water content range for effective field compaction of granular soils with up to 35 percent nonplastic fines or 15 percent plastic fines. The maximum dry unit weight obtained is comparable to that from the Vibrating Table test (ASTM D 4253), and is greater than that from the Standard Proctor test (ASTM D 698, AASHTO T 99). The effects of different test variables on obtainable dry unit weights are also presented in this paper, along with vibrating hammer compaction results for dense graded aggregates. While the One-Point test may not work for some dense graded aggregates, the possibility of a Two-Point Vibrating Hammer test is introduced.