New basis for earthwork specification for clay soil

This paper presents the results of a study to improve the prediction of the in-service behavior of several field-compacted Indiana soils. The data base was created from testing of field-compacted samples taken from test embankments and ongoing construction. The most important characteristic of the achievement with assurance of the best possible in-service behavior parameters is the range of water content allowed in the lift at time of compaction. Selected charts and diagrams prepared from the data base are presented, as are the details of the created procedures. Examples are shown for the use of the procedures in: (1) Design engineering, where one creates the specification for compaction to ensure the presence of specific property parameters magnitudes; and (2) quality assurance, where one does not know the borrow area in advance of construction, but where one can establish the magnitudes of parameters of the compacted product from inspection testing results. It is believed that if implemented with a sufficiently large data base, these procedures would markedly increase the reliability of, and confidence in, the use of compacted soils for engineering purposes.