Hydro-mechanical paths within unsaturated compacted soil framed through water retention surfaces

Abstract

Compaction is a key issue of modern earthworks⋯ From sustainable development, a need arise of using materials for compaction under given conditions that would normally be avoid due to unpredictable pathologies. The application of compaction on fine grained soils, without a change of gravimetric water content, lead to very important modifications of the void ratio and hence suction. Therefore the hydro-mechanical behaviour of fine grained soil need to be rendered around three variables: suction, void ratio, saturation degree or water content. The barring capacity of the soil is assessed through Penetrometers (In-situ manual penetrometer, CBR) in order to assess gains through compaction. The three states variables are then assessed for in situ and frame through water retention surfaces, realized from Proctor tests, in which compaction effect and path could be described.