Density and strength of dams of earth materials

1. The strength and reliability of earth and earth\3-rock dams depend considerably on the degree of compaction of the soils attained during construction. 2. The numerical values of the unit weights of soil materials which should be attained during the compaction in the construction period should be determined experimentally in laboratories. Compaction of soils in experimental embankments before the start of construction permits determining the suitability of the available compacting and other mechanisms, establishing the maximum allowable thickness of the layers and number of passes, and determining more precisely the water content of the soils. 3. The standards for design and construction of earth dams should contain requirements on the relative density of the soil materials being placed in them as a function of the class of the structure and natural conditions.