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 Blows No. of Layer

mould Hammer Distance Per 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 (kg) 5.305 4.175 6.385 5.200
Mass of mould + wet soil(kg) 7.015 5.935 8.270 7.150
Mass of wet soil, M (kg) 1.710 1.760 1.885 1.950
Volume of mould, V (m3) 9.433x10-4 9.433x10-4 9.433x10-4 9.433x10-4
Bulk density (ρ) = M/V (kg/m3) 1812.785 1865.790 1998.304 2067.211
Dry density, (ρ) = ρ b /(1+m) 1226.512 1404.962 569.480 421.622
(kg/m3)

Table 2

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

Upper Bottom Upper Bottom Upper Bottom Upper Bottom

Mass of empty
16.54 16.00 15.97 15.90 16.40 16.48 15.89 16.68
container (g)

Mass of empty
container + wet soil 46.50 45.99 56.06 63.56 38.79 39.43 69.30 57.77
(g)

Mass of container +
46.37 45.84 55.94 63.39 38.26 38.85 67.42 56.13
dry soil (g)

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

Mass of dry soil, Ms

29.83 29.84 39.97 47.49 21.86 22.37 51.53 39.45
(g)

Moisture content, m
0.436 0.520 0.300 0.356 2.425 2.593 3.648 4.157
=Mw/ Ms (%)

Average Moisture 0.478 0.328 2.509 3.903

content (%)

Gs = 2.70

γw = 1000kg/m3
 Table 3

A= 0% A= 5%

M% 10 15 20 25 10 15 20 25

Ρd(kg/m3) 2125.984 1921.708 1753.247 1611.940 2019.685 1825.623 1665.584 1531.343

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/ V ) = 1.710 /9.433x10-4

= 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.