MOORE & TABER                     

 

 

Soil Grouting and Ground Improvement Specialists

 

         

Moore & Taber is now offering a new method of dynamic ground improvement, known as “Rapid Impact Compaction”. The method uses a Rapid Impact Compactor (RIC), developed in the early 1990’s by B.S.P. in conjunction with the British Military. It is mounted on an excavator, and can access challenging locations.

The RIC imparts energy by dropping a 7.5 ton weight from a controlled height of about 1 m onto a patented foot. Energy is delivered at a rate of 40 to 60 blows per minute. The foot, measuring 5 feet in diameter, is maintained in contact with the ground to allow efficient and safe transfer of energy. The high degree of control allows the machine to be used in difficult locations, and for a variety of applications.

The drop height, number of blows and penetration per blow are monitored and/or controlled by a data acquisition system. The output provided includes the total energy input, total penetration and final set for each compaction point. The RIC mobilizes on two trucks and assembles in about an hour, keeping mobilization costs to a minimum.

Essentially designed for use in granular deposits, benefits have also been noted in random fills and mine wastes. As seen in the accompanying graph, significant ground improvement was realized to depths of 25 to 30 feet for a petroleum tank farm project in Hokkaido, Japan. However, typical ground improvement results show improvement on the order of up to 15 feet deep.

Potential applications for the RIC include compaction of loose soils to improve bearing capacity and mitigate liquefaction potential, compaction of environmental remediation site backfills, or use in conjunction with other ground improvement technologies to reduce the need for confining fills or excessive stone consumption in the upper profile.

At 100 feet, peak particle velocities have been measured to vary from 1 to 2.25mm/second. Vibrations will vary with material type, and will increase with the degree of compaction achieved. Results to date indicate that without site-specific testing, a safe working distance to structures on the order of 70 feet may be appropriate. Measured noise levels are reported to be about 88 decibels at 20 feet.

For more information on this exciting new dynamic compaction method, please contact Moore & Taber.

Click Here for a short video of the RIC working on a recent project.