ABSTRACT
In the arid and semi-arid zones, where about eighty percent of Algeria is covered, the earthworks are more difficult because of the rarity of water sources and their transportation which is commonly expensive. Increasing compaction energy was suggested in previous research as the best solution to compensate for the lack of water. This paper is an experimental study carried out in the laboratory on fine-grain soil. It consists of compacting soil with optimal water content and low water content. To improve the maximum dry densities and the California bearing ratio values at low water content, this work also shows that it’s necessary to add coarse materials, such as gravel, to the fine-grained soil, in order to improve the values of compaction characteristics at low water content. The obtained results showed that it's possible to reach the maximum normal and modified dry densities at low water content. And, the existence of optimal gravel content refers to optimal compaction behavior.
