How to Deal with Over Compaction and Under Compaction?

Compacting soil in a proper way is critical for the success of a range of construction projects. Now, if you want to do it the right way, you would need to invest in an efficient soil compactor. There are a number of dealers who offer products from global brands. But that is not the only thing that you will need. You also need to use the right technique. Now, two of the most common issues that most operators face are over compaction and under compaction. They commonly happen because of the wrong techniques. In the following post, we would take a look at some of the ways in which you can avoid both of them.

Avoiding Over Compaction

Surprisingly, a lot of operators think that the more compacted it is, the stronger it is. Well, that is a big misconception.

Like anything, there is a limit to compaction as well. Over compaction might cause the soil to break down and that will reduces its support capability. This is because of the separation that occurs within the soil mix itself. Instead of strength, this makes the ground weak.

So, how can you tell that the soil is over compacted? Sometimes, you can tell by just by looking at how the machine responds. If it doesn’t look to hit normally, that can be a sign that the soil is over compacted.

Now, when you buy a soil compactor in UAE, you will find that most of them come with a compaction rating. A common trick used in the industry is to take the maximum compaction depth rating (let’s say its 24 inches). You just divide it by 3 (24/3=8). If this number is larger than the layer of soil being placed (example 4 inches), then you have the risk of over compacting.

Apart from this, you can use another simple method, which is popularly called 1" rule, which means that your machine can compact 1" of lift for every thousand pounds of compaction force.

Avoiding Under Compaction

Under compaction can happen due the following:

• You don’t have a large enough piece of equipment to handle a job can result in under compaction.
• You didn’t make enough passes with the compactor.

When you get have the incorrect amount of lift or depth of soil, it can also result in under compaction. This is because as the surface soil becomes more compacted, the impact of the equipment will travel less. It will also return more of that compaction energy to the compactor. Too much soil and too much depth can cause problems.

Under compaction leads to an uneven settlement. As the soil isn’t compacted properly, it can’t effectively bear the weight of the structure. This uneven settlement can lead to structural issues.

To avoid these issues, you need to make sure you have the right soil compactor for the job. At the same point of time, you need understand the type of soil you’re working with, as that will make a big difference in your results and will help you avoid both over compacting and under compacting.

There are a number of dealers who offer a soil compactor in UAE. Make sure to ask questions if you’re unsure and avoid issues in the future. Before getting compaction equipment, you need to have an operator who has proper training. Most manufacturers or dealers offer training, so ask about that as well