Field study on intelligent compaction for compaction quality control of subgrade bases

To address the challenges in adopting intelligent compaction as the primary method for compaction quality control, this study investigated methods for determining appropriate target intelligent compaction measurement values (ICMVs) for compaction quality control and strategies to manage compaction quality considering the ICMV variability. Field tests revealed that the mean compaction meter value (CMV) increased with the number of roller passes. However, a high coefficient of variation was observed across all roller passes, indicating significant local variability in compaction quality. A 5 m region of interest was determined optimal for correlating CMV with plate-load-test results and determining CMV for compaction quality management. Uniform compaction could not address localized variability in compaction quality. Detecting weak areas during the compaction process and concentrating efforts in these regions improved the uniformity of the compaction quality. This study provides valuable insights for ICMV-based compaction quality control, assisting construction supervisors in setting target ICMVs, and developing effective strategies.