Laboratory evaluation of different compaction procedures applied to earthworks soils

The results are presented of a laboratory experiment, conducted according to the prEN 13286-2 standards, on the physical and mechanical characterisation of unbound granular mixes, comprising a traditional quarried limestone aggregate and an aggregate originating from construction and demolition work. The objective was to check the applicability of the regulations to all types of materials, including natural or artificial “soft” ones (in the case in point an alternative aggregate), verifying any particle size variations at the post-compaction stage. In addition to the Proctor method, a gyratory compactor was used to make the samples, which is not customary in Italy in the formulation of unbound mixes, but which can better express the behaviour of the tested materials in. The gyratory compactor also allowed useful information to be gained on the shearing strength and density achieved by the different tested materials during compaction, demonstrating that the traditional procedures (Proctor) could have selective applicability depending on the mix being studied.