4.3. Cohesive soils compacted dry of optimum vs. wet.

Try these first

1. 1.

   What is the effect of compaction on the void ratio of soil?

   Hint

   Think about what happens when air is expelled from the soil.

2. 2.

   What type of structure do dry compacted cohesive soils have?

   Hint

   Remember the arrangement of particles in compacted soils.

3. 3.

   What happens to the shear strength of cohesive soils when compacted dry of optimum?

   • It decreases
   • It remains the same
   • It increases

   Hint

   Think about the arrangement of soil particles.

4. 4.

   True or False: Soil compacted wet of optimum experiences less compression than soil compacted dry of optimum.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Consider the effects of moisture during compaction.

5. 5.

   You are assessing a site for a new building on cohesive soil. If it was compacted wet of optimum moisture, what mitigation strategies could you propose to improve soil performance?

   Hint

   Reflect on ways to improve compacted soil performance under different moisture conditions.

6. 6.

   Calculate the expected settlement for two scenarios: soil compacted dry and compacted wet. Define parameters for each scenario and what measurements you'd need.

   Hint

   Consider factors like initial density and void ratios for your calculations.