Mining activities throughout the coal regions in the United States have left many thousands of acres unusable in their present condition as a result of spoiling the overburden soils in valley fills. The spoils have a wide range of soil types, varying from silt and clay size particles to automobile-size boulders. The spoils are generally poorly compacted and building construction on the spoils involves considerable risk due the likelihood of building settlement.

The application of dynamic compaction to densify mine spoil is reviewed, as well as appropriate geotechnical testing techniques. Several case histories are discussed.

Dynamic Compaction In Mine Spoil