Founded by Louis Menard in 1970, dynamic compaction has become one of the most versatile and cost-effective methods of ground improvement in the United States.  Primarily applicable to granular soils, dynamic compaction has been proven to be equally as successful at improving urban fill materials, mine spoils, liquefiable sands, and collapsible soils.  Additionally, the implementation of dynamic compaction programs where karst geology is encountered has allowed for high-energy weight drops to be performed across a given site to identify buried sinkholes.

This presentation will provide a brief history of ground improvement, will focus on the design and implementation of a dynamic compaction program, and provide general details about several sites, all with various characteristics, where dynamic compaction has been successfully implemented.  Additionally, the various methods of post-improvement testing and evaluation that are currently being implemented throughout the United States will be discussed.