SOIL COMPACTION TEST

Introduction

In general, the soil bearing capacity will be increased simultaneously with

the increment of density or unit weight of the soil. The increment of soil
density can be obtained via compaction process i.e. the process of
mechanically reducing the air void.

Objective

Determine the maximum dry density at the optimum moisture content

under laboratory condition.

Theory

The test consists of compacting the soil or aggregate to be tested into a

standard mould using a standardized compactive energy at several different
levels of moisture content. The maximum dry density and optimum moisture
content is determined from the results of the test.
Soil in place is tested for in-place dry bulk density, and the result is divided
by the maximum dry density to obtain a relative compaction for the soil in
place.
In the other hand, soil compaction test is carried out in the laboratory in
determining the ideal volume of water to be poured while compaction the
soil on site so that the required compaction degree can be obtained. The
important characteristics of soil compacted with an ideal compaction degree
are:

a) High shear strength

b) Low permeability coefficient and capacity
c) Reduce settlement when additional load is applied

The moisture content recorded when the maximum dry unit weight is
achieved is known as the optimum moisture content.

There are two types of compaction i.e.:

1. Standard Proctor
2. Modified Proctor

Standard Proctor will be used in undertaking the experiment where the

standard data are recorded as the following:
 Volume of Mass of Drop No. of No. of
mould Hammer Distance Blows Per Layer
Layer

Standard 944 cm3 2.5 kg 305 mm 25 3

Proctor

Equipment

a) Sieve 5.0 mm
b) Weighing machine
c) Empty mould with inner diameter of 101.6 mm, inner height of 16.43
mm and volume of 944 cm together with the base plate
d) Hammer with diameter of 50 mm and mass of 25 kg
e) Other equipment in determining the soil moisture content

Procedures

1 Small soil sample from jobsite collected.

2 5kg of dry soil passing through 4.75mm sieve opening prepared.
3 Empty mould, collar and base plate weighed. The empty containers
also weighed.
4 The sample mixed thoroughly with approximately 9% water of the total
soil volume.
5 The soil sample divided into three sections.
6 The any first section placed in the mould and compacted. Distribute 25
blows uniformly over the surface and ensure that rammer always falls
freely and is not obstructed by soil in the guide tube.
7 The second section place into the mould and being compacted
followed by the last section of soil sample.
8 The attached collar removed when the compaction completes.
9 The compacted soil trimmed using the straightedge until it is even with
the top of the mould.
10 Small amount of soil from the upper mould taken and placed into a
container.
11 Then the container with the soil sample being weighed.
12 Small amount of soil from the bottom mould taken and placed into a
container.
13 Then the container with the soil sample being weighed.
14 Both containers placed into an oven to determine its moisture contain.
15 The compacted soil’s sample unit weight determined by dividing the
weight of the compacted soil in the mould with the soil sample volume
(volume of the mould).
16 The experiment repeated with three varying water content (12%, 15%
and 18%).
 17 The dry density computed by using the compacted soil’s wet (bulk)
density and the moisture content known.
18 The soil’s dry density versus moisture content graph plotted.

Data

Table 1

No. of Test 1 (9.5%) 2 (12.5%) 3 (15.5%) 4 (18.5%)

Mass of empty mould 5.305 4.175

6.385 5.200
(kg)

Mass of mould + wet 7.015 5.935

8.270 7.150
soil(kg)

Mass of wet soil, M 1.710 1.760

1.885 1.950
(kg)

Volume of mould, V 9.433x10-4 9.433x10-4

9.433x10-4 9.433x10-4
(m3)

Bulk density (ρ) = M/V 1812.785 1865.790

1998.304 2067.211
(kg/m3)

Dry density, (ρ) = ρ b / 1226.512 1404.962 569.480 421.622

(1+m) (kg/m3)

Table 2

No. of 1(9.5%) 2(12.5%) 3(15.5%) 4(18.5%)

Container
Upp Botto Upp Botto Upp Botto Upp Botto
er m er m er m er m

Mass of empty 16.5

16.00 15.97 15.90 16.40 16.48 15.89 16.68
container (g) 4

Mass of empty
46.5
container + 45.99 56.06 63.56 38.79 39.43 69.30 57.77
0
wet soil (g)
Mass of
46.3
container + 45.84 55.94 63.39 38.26 38.85 67.42 56.13
7
dry soil (g)

Mass of water,
0.13 0.15 0.12 0.17 0.53 0.58 1.88 1.64
Mw (g)

Mass of dry 29.8

29.84 39.97 47.49 21.86 22.37 51.53 39.45
soil, Ms (g) 3

Moisture
0.43
content, m 0.520 0.300 0.356 2.425 2.593 3.648 4.157
6
=Mw/ Ms (%)

Average
0.478 0.328 2.509 3.903
Moisture
content (%)

Gs = 2.70

γw = 1000kg/m3

Table 3

A= 0% A= 5%

M% 10 15 20 25 10 15 20 25

Ρd(kg/m 2125.9 1921.7 1753.2 1611.94 2019.68 1825.62 1665.58 1531.3

3
) 84 08 47 0 5 3 4 43

A= 10%

M% 10 15 20 25

ρd(kg/m3) 1913.386 1729.537 1577.922 1450.746

Calculation

Example for test no 1

From table 1:

Mass of wet soil (M) = 1.710 kg

Volume of mould (V) = 9.433x10-4 m 3

Bulk density, ρb = (M/ = 1.710 /9.433x10-4

V)
= 1812.785 kg/ m 3
Dry density, ρd = ρpb / = 1812.785 /(1+0.478)
(1+m)
= 1226.512 kg/m3

From table 2:

Moisture content,m = 0.478%

Mass of water, Mw (g) = Mass of empty container + wet soil (g) - Mass of
container + dry soil (g)

= 46.50-46.37

= 0.13 g

Mass of dry soil, Ms (g) = Mass of container + dry soil (g) - Mass of
empty container (g)
 = 46.37 - 16.54

= 29.83 g

From table 3:

When A =0%

Dry density, ρd = pw (1-A)/ (1/Gs +m)

= 1000(1-0)/ (1/2.7+0.1)

= 2125.984

Result

Maximum Density (ρdry) =

Optimum moisture content (V) =

Discussion

Conclusion

Daripada ujikaji yang dijalankan, nilai ketumpatan maksimum dan nilai

kelembapan optimum yang diperolehi ialah masing masing. Oleh itu, objektif
ujikaji ini iaitu untuk menentukan ketumpatan kering yang maksimum pada
kandungan kelembapan optimum dibawah keadaan makmal tercapai.