c © TÜBİTAK Investigation of Parameters of Compaction Testing

Compaction is one of the most efficient and practical soil improvement techniques that can be applied to earthworks. In the field, compaction control is commonly carried out by sand-cone and nuclear gauge tests. Whether conducted in the field or in the laboratory, these tests are intended to determine optimum water content and dry unit weight parameters, information required for design specifications. In this study, the parameters of field soil densification obtained by various testing methods performed in the same region are compared: unit weight, water content, and densification percentage are measured by nuclear density and sand cone tests. The variations in the outcomes of nuclear density and sand cone tests, namely unit weight, water content, and densification percent, are recorded. It is well-known that the nuclear density test has the advantage of rapid application; nevertheless, this method gives approximate results that should be correlated with a more precise technique, such as sand cone testing. The data at hand are first subjected to statistical analyses. Next, several techniques are used to identify the correlation between the results of the 2 tests. Finally, susceptibility and reliability concepts are considered in evaluating the combined usage of the tests in civil engineering practice