A national road authority contracted a local civil engineering firm to rehabilitate 40 km of deteriorated two-lane highway. The project required full-depth reclamation of the failed subbase layer and recompaction before new asphalt paving. HCN 120 kN vibratory plate compactors on Komatsu excavators achieved 98% Modified Proctor density across all test sections, enabling the paving contractor to proceed without delays.
| Product Used | Vibratory Plate Compactor (120 kN) |
|---|---|
| Carrier | Komatsu PC200 / PC300 Excavators |
| Industry | Road Construction |
| Region | Southeast Asia |
The Challenge
The 40 km corridor passed through alternating wet and dry soil conditions, including poorly-graded sand in coastal sections and high-plasticity clay in inland areas. The project specification required 98% Modified Proctor compaction across the entire subbase layer before asphalt overlay could commence.
The contractor’s existing walk-behind plate compactors were unable to achieve the required density in the high-plasticity clay sections without excessive passes, causing project schedule delays. A change of compaction method was needed to recover programme.
The Solution
The site engineer contacted HCN Attachments and, after reviewing the soil test data and carrier specifications, recommended two HCN 120 kN vibratory plate compactors mounted on the contractor’s existing Komatsu PC200 and PC300 excavators.
The key advantage was that the machine-mounted compactors could be operated from inside the excavator cab, keeping the operator well clear of the compacted material and allowing the machine to apply consistent downward static force in addition to the vibratory centrifugal force — critical for achieving density in the cohesive clay sections.
For the clay sections, HCN adjusted the eccentric shaft to the lower frequency setting (28 Hz) to avoid over-vibrating the sensitive silt-clay interface layer. Granular sand sections used the standard 42 Hz setting for maximum productivity.
Key Results
- 98% — Modified Proctor density achieved across all test sections
- 3 weeks — Schedule recovery vs. walk-behind method
- 40 km — Total highway subbase completed
- 2 units — HCN compactor attachments deployed
“The HCN compactor attachments solved our clay compaction problem. We were able to achieve 98% Modified Proctor on the first attempt in all sections — something our walk-behind machines couldn't reliably achieve in the cohesive soil zones.”
— Site Engineer, Road Rehabilitation Contractor, Southeast Asia
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