Dynamic Compaction of Sandy Soils in Kuwait – A Case Study

Abstract

Ground improvement was required for construction of the new Jaber Al-Ahmed city located about 25 km west of Kuwait City, Kuwait. Loose to medium poorly graded sands, and silty sands extended from ground level to a depth ranging from 5m to 9m. Dynamic compaction was employed, as an economic method, to increase the soil bearing capacity and reduce its compressibility for foundation design and construction. The testing program included borings and sampling, Standard Penetration Tests, Cone Penetration Tests and Pressuremeter Tests before and after dynamic compaction. The area covered in this study is about 31415m². The results indicated significant ground improvement, and satisfaction of the specified acceptance criteria resulting in an allowable soil pressure, for shallow foundation design, equal to or exceeding 300 kN/m².