1. What are the effects of water on the unit weight of soils?

Water softens the soil. When this happens, the soils would slip each other and or
become more compacted. Water also adds weight to the soils which means, it
makes the unit weight larger.

2. What factors affect the compaction of soil?

The factors that affect soil’s compaction are: moisture content, dry unit weight,
compaction effort and gradation.

3. How many data points are necessary to construct a standard compaction curve?

Actually, four data points can already construct a standard compaction curve.
However in this experiment, six data points were used since six trials were done.

4. Why is it important for the final level of compacted soil to be just above the
mold body?

The importance of the final level of the compacted soil to be just above the mold
body can be seen as a way to maintain a constant energy per unit volume.

5. How do you select the water content for the five samples in the compaction test?

The water content for the five samples in the compaction test should be selected
from the range of 4% to 5% of the volume of the soil.

6. Will you obtain the same optimum water content and maximum density for the
standard and modified compaction tests?

Definitely not. Same results cannot be obtained because there are a lot of factors
that affect the results of the experimentation. The result may be a pinch greater or
less than the optimum water content and maximum density.
Discussion

The general meaning of the verb “compact” is “to press closely together.” In soil
mechanics, it means to press soil particles tightly together by expelling air from
void spaces between the particles. Compaction increases soil unit weight, thereby
producing three important effects: an increase in shear strength, a decrease in
future settlement, and a decrease in permeability. The amount of compaction is
quantified in terms of the dry unit weight of the soil.

Soil compaction is the densification—reduction in void ratio—of a soil through the

expulsion of air. This is normally achieved by using mechanical compactors,
rollers, and rammers with the addition of water. Soil compaction is perhaps the
least expensive method of improving soils. It is a common practice in all types of
building systems on and within soils.

The experiment needed the following materials to comply with the ASTM D 698
standards: an electronic balance which is sensitive to 0.01 gram, oven with
temperature control, cylindrical metal mold with collar, metal rammer, drying
cans, spatula, scoop, large mixing pan, sieve #4 and graduated cylinder.

The first procedure in this experiment was measuring the weight of the mold,
weight of the can, weight of wet soil and weight of wet soil and can using a
balance. Then the compaction process was done. In that process, the soil that was
initially at a certain height slowly lows down as it is being compacted. This means
that air pockets or air voids in the soil were being filled in by the soil solids.
Additionally, compaction of wet soil is less hard as compared to the compaction of
dry soil since the water in the wet soil is a clear indication that there are still void
spaces that exist. After that, the weight of the compacted soil and mold, and weight
of dry soil were determined. The water that was mixed with the soil was also used
to get the volume of water using also the graduated cylinder. After the procedures,
the results were used to compute for the moisture loss, moisture content, wet unit
weight and dry unit weight. The data were then plotted after the computations and
experimentations.
Application

Soil compaction is widely used in geo-engineering and is important parameter in

road construction, dams, landfills, airfields, foundations, hydraulic barriers, ground
improvements, and etc. Compaction is applied to the soil, with the purpose of
finding optimum water content to maximize its dry density, and therefore, to
control undesirable volume changes, reduction in hydraulic conductivity, and in
some cases, to reduce its permeability.

Soil compaction is a vital part of the construction process. It is used for support of
structural entities such as building foundations, roadways, walkways, and earth
retaining structures to name a few. In the construction of highway embankments,
earth dams, and many other engineering structures, loose soils must be compacted
to increase their unit weights. Compaction increases the strength characteristics of
soils, which increase the bearing capacity of foundations constructed over them.
Compaction also decreases the amount of undesirable settlement of structures,
reduces the flow of water (water seepage), reduces the soil swelling (expansion)
and collapse (soil contraction), reduces the frost damage and increases the stability
of slopes of embankments. Compaction is actually a rather cheap and effective way
to improve the properties of a soil.

Geotechnical engineers compact fine-grained soil to improve its engineering

properties. Properties such as shear strength, compressibility, and hydraulic
conductivity are dependent upon the methods used to compact the soil. Compacted
soil is extensively used for many geotechnical structures, including landfill liners,
highway base courses and sub grades. To predict the performance of compacted
soil, and to develop appropriate construction criteria, compaction is performed in
the laboratory using standardized test methods.
Conclusion

At the end of this experiment which is entitled soil compaction test the group can
conclude that the objective of this experiment was successfully accomplished. It
was done since the group was able to determine the relationship between the
moisture content and the resulting dry densities when the soil is compacted in the
cylindrical metal mold.

When the group plots the moisture content against the dry unit weight we observed
that we will obtain a curve which is a parabola from the 6 points that come from
the 6 trials that we performed. The relationship of dry unit weight and water
content of soil is not necessarily constant all throughout the graph. We notice in
our graph that the dry unit weight after compaction first increases as moisture
content increases. However, beyond a certain point the moisture content tends to
reduce the dry unit weight. This phenomenon occurs because air is expelled and
water facilitates the rearrangement of soil grains into denser configuration. The
number of soil grains per unit volume of soil increases

In the standard test, the optimum moisture content ranges from 14% to 18% for
standard proctor compaction. In our experiment the group obtained a value of
16.8% for the optimum moisture content which is in the typical range. Conversely
the range for the maximum unit weight ranges from 100 – 110 pcf for standard
test. The maximum dry density that we acquired was 1.69 g/cc converting it to pcf
(pounds per cubic foot), our value will turn out to be 105.5 which is also in the
acceptable range. Therefore based on the gathered data that we attained, we can
jump to the conclusion that the performed experiment was correct and acceptable.

In contrast to the results and data stated above, there were errors in this
experimentation. One possible error is, whilst conducting the procedures, the
improper drying of the soil sample in the oven. If the soil is not completely dried,
the weight or density of it will affect the results of the experiment. Another is
discrepancies in the amount of water used. It may be greater than or less than the
prescribed amount. Lastly is the humidity and other factors in the environment that
may have had affected the volume of the sample.
Compaction, in general, is the densification of soil by removal of air, which
requires mechanical energy. The degree of compaction of a soil is measured in
terms of its dry unit weight. When water is added to the soil during compaction, it
acts as a softening agent on the soil particles. The soil particles slip over each other
and move into a densely packed position. The dry unit weight after compaction
first increases as the moisture content increases.

Compaction is the compression of a non-saturated soil resulting in reduction of the

volume and increase in the density of a given mass of soil. In other words, the
maximum bulk density resulting from an application of a certain quantity of energy
on the soil mass is called compactibility.

Based from our graph the dry unit weight after compaction first increases as
moisture content increases. However, beyond a certain moisture content tends to
reduce the dry unit weight. This phenomenon occurs because air is expelled and
water facilitates the rearrangement of soil grains into denser configuration. The
number of soil grains per unit volume of soil increases.

I observed that when we plot the moisture content against the dry unit weight, we
will obtain a curve which is a parabola from the 6 points that come from the 6 trials
that we performed. Our professor said that we plot our data; we should project a
parabola curve so I think we performed the experiment and followed the procedure
correctly.

The relationship of dry unit weight and water content of soil is not necessarily
constant all throughout the graph. It is constant at a certain range and changes at a
certain point. This point is the maximum dry density relative to its water content.