Numerical study of dynamic soil compaction at different degrees of saturation

Dynamic compaction is known as one of the most cost-effective soil improvement techniques. In this method the soil at the ground surface or at a relatively deep depth is compacted by repeatedly dropping heavy weights on the ground. Since its introduction, dynamic compaction has exhibited its versatility and simplicity of use in different types of civil engineering projects, including building structures, container terminals, highways, airports, dockyards, and harbours. However, despite the abundance of experimental data and field observation reports, few numerical approaches have been established in the literature to effectively deal with soil behaviour under dynamic compaction. This is mainly due to the dependence of soil dynamic response on variations in the moisture content. Therefore, to achieve a comprehensive understanding of dynamic compaction the soil should be modelled as a three-phase porous medium. The presence of a non-wetting and a wetting phase, together with the existence of inertia forces in each phase, makes the solution of the coupled dynamic system computationally demanding. Moreover, large deformations often take place during dynamic compaction; hence the infinitesimal strain theory cannot be employed for higher impact loads. In this paper a finite element approach is introduced to numerically simulate the problem of dynamic compaction under the framework of unsaturated soil mechanics. The governing equations are derived based upon the overall momentum balance of the mixture, the mass balance of the liquid phase, and the mass balance of the gas phase. Phase changes and chemical reactions are not considered. Among other important parameters, the effect of the degree of saturation on the soil response will be addressed.