UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

SOIL MECHANICS I
CVNG 2008
Year 2 Semester I
TITLE OF EXPERIMENT: COMPACTION TEST

Alisha Garcia
814000806
GROUP CB
DATE PERFORMED: 6/10/2015
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 23/10/2015

TITLE: Standard Proctor Compaction Test using 3 kg of sharp sand.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Aim:
i.
ii.

To calculate the optimum moisture content of the compacted soil sample.

To obtain through graphical interpretation, the maximum dry density of the soil sample.

ABSTRACT
This experiment was performed to determine the maximum dry unit weight and optimum water
content of a soil sample. To do this three kilograms of a sharp sand sample was tested using the
standard proctor method. The

Description of Apparatus

Introduction

The main objective of the Standard Proctor Test is to determine the optimum water content and
maximum dry density of a soil sample by applying mechanical energy.
Compaction involves the removal of some of the air from partially saturated soils, using
mechanical means. Compacting soils increases the bulk density which by definition makes the
soil denser because the particles are packed closely together since the volume of air is reduced.
In this experiment, the relationship between moisture content and dry unit weight of a compacted
soil sample is examined. Moisture content is defined as the ratio of the mass of water to the
mass of soil solids (Craig 2004), that is:
Water content (w %) =

Massof water
Mass of soil solids

100%

Furthermore, the degree of compaction of a soil sample is measured by its dry unit weight and is
defined as:
Dry density (d) =

w
1+
100

The dry unit weight of the soil is dependent on the water content of the soil and the compactive
effort applied to the soil i.e., the amount of mechanical energy in this case the number of tamps
applied to the sample with the hammer.
Typically, for a given compactive effort, the compaction curve has a peak value. At this
maximum, the water content at which the greatest dry density is achieved is called the optimum
water content. In addition, on the same graph, another curve is plotted, known as the zero-air
voids (ZAV) curve. Here, the zero-air-voids unit weight is plotted against the water content of
the compacted soil. The zero-air voids unit weight represents the maximum theoretical dry unit
weight of the soil if all the air has been expelled during compaction and the soil was fully
saturated (Craig 2004). It can be computed as follows:
w
Zero air-voids unit weight, zav =

w
1
+
100 G s

[3]

In practice, this degree of compaction is not achieved. However, in a comparison between the
compaction curve and the ZAV curve can give the degree of saturation of the soil.
In civil engineering field, compaction is applied to the construction of highways, embankments,
airports and other types of civil infrastructure. In the construction of engineering fills and
embankments, loose soil is compacted under certain standard specifications using compactive
effort from vibrators, rammers and rollers. This compacted fill material is usually applied at the
start of the foundation works. In addition to providing a firm and stronger base for foundations,
compacted fill material also improves the bearing capacity of the soil.

Procedure

Results
Tin Number
T2
Weight of Tin (g)
30.9
Weight of wet soil and 103.5

L2
31.2
109

D4
31
110.6

X5
31.1
114.5

G2
31.2
168.8

tin
Dry weight and tin
Weight of dry soil
Weight of water
Water content (%)

101.1
70.2
2.4
3.42

104.9
73.7
4.1
5.56

104.9
73.9
5.7
7.71

105.8
74.7
8.7
11.65

155.8
124.6
13
10.43

Sample Number
1
Weight of sample and 3795

2
3882

3
3910

4
3955

5
3911

cylinder
weight of cylinder
1992.4
Weight of sample and 1802.6

1992.4
1889.6

1992.4
1917.6

1992.4
1962.6

1992.4
1918.6

cylinder
volume of cylinder
wet bulk density
water content
dry bulk density
Assumed
Moisture

931.90
2.03
5.56
1.92
6.00

931.90
2.06
7.71
1.91
8.00

931.90
2.11
11.65
1.89
12.00

931.90
2.06
10.43
1.86
16.00

2.32

2.22

2.04

1.89

Content
Zero
Air

Void

931.90
1.93
3.42
1.87
3.00

Unit- 2.50

Weight

2.60
2.50
2.40
2.30
Dry Bulk Density (g/cm3)

2.20
2.10
2.00
1.90
1.80
3

10

Water Content (%)

Zero Air Voids Curve

Sample Compaction Curve

11

12

13

ANALYSIS
Sample Calculations:
diameter of compaction mold, d= 10.105cm
radius of mold, r=5.0525cm
height of mould, h= 11.62cm

From Table 1: L2
weight of the tin D4 = 31 g... eq'n 1
weight of tin and wet soil sample = 110.6 g... eq'n 2
weight of dry soil and tin = 104.9 g... eq'n 3
weight of dry soil = [3] - [1]
= 73.9 g... eq'n 4
weight of water = [2] -[3]
= 5.7... eq'n 5
Water content of compacted soil, w% =

w% =
moisture content of sample 3 = 7.71%
From Table 2:

[5.7 ]
100
[73.9]
2.4 g
100
70.2 g

weight of cylinder (compaction mould) = 1992.4g... eq'n 6

weight of cylinder and wet compacted soil = 3795g... eq'n 7
weight of dry soil sample and cylinder = 1802.6...
Volume of cylinder = r2h= 931.9... eq'n 8
wet bulk density=

[8]
[9] = 1.93g/cm... eq'n 9

'

Unit wet weight of soil, =

e q n 10
1+ w /100

= = 1.87 g/cm3

Zero-air-void unit weight determination:

Assumed moisture content soil, w% = 3 %
The specific gravity of soil solids, Gs = 2.70
Unit wet weight of water w = 1g/m3
w
Zero- air-void unit weight, zav = w + 1
100 G s
1
zav =

3
1
+
100 2.68

= 2.5 g/cm3

Discussion

Conclusion

References

Appendix

INTRODUCTION
Compaction is the most important activity in the early stages of construction and in any project
involving earth works since it is primarily used to improve the engineering properties i.e. the
strength properties of the soil. It is a common technique used in field practices owing to its
simple methodology and fairly accurate results. Compaction is defined as the densification and