PROCTOR COMPACTION TEST

SOIL MECHANICS

NAME – PREMASIRI S.M.P.M.

INDEX No – 100407F

GROUP –

DEPARTMENT – CIVIL ENGINEERING

DATE OF PERFORM – 23/12/2011

DATE OF SUBMISSION – 06/01/2012

AIM/INTRODUTION
The proctor compaction test is a laboratory method developed according to some standards
to experimentally determine the optimum water (moisture) content at which a given soil type would
become most dense and achieve its maximum dry density with a certain compaction effort. It has
been shown that dry density of a soil for given compaction effort depends on the amount of water
the soil contains during soil compaction. Therefore the relationship between the moisture content
and the density of the soil is examined. Several compaction effort levels have been introduced as to
match with that obtained in the field.

The tests are carried out according to the standards defined by

 American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and

 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

Currently, the procedures and equipment details for the standard Proctor compaction test is
designated by ASTM D698 and AASHTO T99.

Also, to the accordance with the latest technologies a new version of the test is developed
and it is called the modified Proctor compaction test and designated by ASTM D1557 and
AASHTO T180.

THEORY
Compaction is the process by which the bulk density of an aggregate of matter is increased
by driving out air. For any soil, for a given amount of compaction effort, the density obtained
depends on the moisture content. At very high moisture contents, the maximum dry density is
achieved when the soil is compacted to nearly saturation, where (almost) all the air is driven out. At
low moisture contents, the soil particles interfere with each other; addition of some moisture will
allow greater bulk densities, with a peak density where this effect begins to be counteracted by the
saturation of the soil.

As it is hard to find the exact same soil type with different different moisture contents, samples of
same soil is mixed with water to achieve it.

γbulk = (solid weight of soil inside the mould + moisture weight)/ volume of the mould
(mass of the air within the voids of soil is neglected)

γdry = (solid weight of the sample inside the mould)/ volume of the mould
Moisture content = (water content)/(dry mass of soil) %
 Then the relevant computations are carried out and the graphical relationship of the dry
density to moisture content is then plotted to establish the compaction curve. The maximum dry
density is finally obtained from the peak point of the compaction curve and its corresponding
moisture content, also known as the optimal moisture content.

APPARATUS
To the standard Proctor Test the following apparatus are required,

 Soil sample – about 4 kg

 Moulds - Moulds are cylindrical in shape.
 There are two types of moulds. What to use is depended on material
percentage retained in 4.75 mm sieve and 19.00 mm sieve.
 The mould’s diameter is 101.6 mm (4 inches) and the height of it is
116.4 mm (4.58 inches), and therefore will be of volume 944 cm3 (1/30th
cubic foot) – Used one for the test
 The mould’s diameter is 152.4 mm (6 inches) and the height of it is 116.4
mm (4.58 inches), and therefore will be of a volume 2124 cm3 (3/40th
cubic foot)
 The moulds shall be fitted with a detachable base plate and a removable
extension approximately 50 mm high.
 A metal hammer
 A metal hammer having a 50 mm diameter circular face, and weighing
2.49 kg (5.5 lb) with a drop of 305 mm /12 inches (Used one for the test)
or a hammer of 2.5 kg weight with a drop of 300 mm
 The hammer shall be equipped with a suitable mechanism for controlling the
height of drop.
 Balances - Two balances
 accurate to 1 g
 accurate to 0.01 g,
 Sieves – Three sieves
 75 mm sieve
 19 mm sieve
 4.75 mm sieve.
 Mixing tools -Mixing pan, spoon, trowel, spatula etc.
 Metal tray - A large metal tray space enough to facilitate the soil sample
 Straight edge - 300 mm long
 Sample extruder
 An oven - Thermostatically controlled oven to provide temperature 105 -110 Co,
 Cans / Sample trays
 Water
PROCEDURE
There are main four procedures to conduct the experiment. Which preocedure to carry out
entirely depend on the particle size distribution of the soil sample.

A - With a 101.6 mm diameter mould for material passing 4.75 mm sieve,

B - With a 152.4 mm diameter mould for material passing 4.75 mm sieve,

C - With a 152.4 mm diameter mould for material passing 19.0 mm sieve,

D- With a 152.4 mm diameter mould for material passing 19.0 mm sieve,

Corrected by replacement for material retained on a 19.0 mm sieve,

Methods A and B

With methods A and/or B no oversize correction is required unless the material

retained in 4.75 mm sieve is greater than 7%. In that case material retain in 4.75
mm sieve may be discarded. When material retained on 4.75 mm sieve is greater
than 7%, method C is used.

Method C

With method C, unless the material retained in 19.0 mm sieve is greater than 10%,
no oversize correction should be used. If the amount of material retained on 19.0
mm sieve is greater than 10%, method D should be used.

Method D

Material retained on 19.0 mm sieve should be passed through 75 mm sieve.

Material retained on 75 mm sieve shall be discarded. Material passing the 75 mm
sieve and retained on the 19 mm sieve shall he replaced with all equal amount of
material passing a 19 mm sieve and retained 4.75 mm sieve. Material for
replacement is taken from the unused portion of the sample.

Steps

 Obtained approximately 3 kg of air – dried soil in the mixing pan, broke all the
lumps so that it passes the sieve given in method A, B, C and D
 Suitable amount of water was added and mixed thoroughly
  The weight of the empty mould without the base plate and the collar to the nearest
1g was measured using scales – (M1)
 Fixed the collar and the base plate
 One third of the mould is filled with moist soil and 25 uniformly distributed blows
were given using 2.49 kg hammer. Then the next one third was filled same
procedure was carried out. Finally the last one third.
 Detached the collar carefully without disturbing the compacted soil inside the
mould and using a straight edge trimmed the excess soil leaving to the mould.
 Detached the base also.

 Obtained the weight of mould with the moist soil (M2)

 Soil samples were taken to a weight measured tray (M3) from upper, lower and mid
portions of the mould.
 Weighed again with the moist soil obtained from the extruded sample (M4)
 Following same steps nearly 6 samples were taken.
 After 24 hours got the weight of oven dried samples (M5)

CALCULATIONS
 The weight of the empty mould without the base plate and the collar (M1)
 The weight of mould with the moist soil without the base plate and the collar (M2)
 The weight of the tray (M3)
 The weight of the tray with the moist soil obtained from the extruded sample (M4)
 The weight of the tray with the oven dried soil (M5)

γ bulk = (M2-M1)/ 944*10^-6

Moisture content (⍵) = ( M4- M5)/( M5- M3)

γdry = γ bulk /(1+⍵)

Calculations for trial no:01 (Rx)

Mass of compacted soil inside the mould = 3.533 – 1.89 = 1.643 kg

Volume of the mould = 944 cm 3
Bulk density of the soil = 1.643/( 944 x 10-6)
= 1740.466 kg/m3
Moisture content = (76.21-72.706) - (72.706-10.317)
=0.0562
Dry Density = (1740.47)(1+0.0562)
=1647.91 kg / m3
 For other trial sets also calculations are done in same passion.

Wet Dry
Trial Mould & Moisture Bulk Density Moisture Dry Density
soil+can soil+can Can (g)
No soil (kg) Can No (kg/m^3) Content (kg/m^3)
(g) (g)
1 3.533 Rx 76.21 72.706 10.317 1740.4661 0.0562 1647.9131
2 3.658 C1 74.029 69.227 9.832 1872.8814 0.0808 1732.7880
3 3.864 39 90.52 80.962 9.716 2091.1017 0.1342 1843.7532
4 3.841 A4-2 112.369 96.482 10.294 2066.7373 0.1843 1745.0693
5 3.811 C-5 84.473 71.487 10.318 2034.9576 0.2123 1678.5965

Proctor Curve
1900

1850
Dry Density kg/m3

1800

1750
Kg/m3
1700

1650

1600
0.0000 0.0500 0.1000 0.1500 0.2000 0.2500
Moisture Content
\

DISCUSSION
Compaction is the process of mechanically densifying a soil. Densification is accomplished
by pressing the soil particles together into a close state of contact with air being expelled from
the soil mass in the process. Mechanical compaction is one of the most common and cost
effective means of stabilizing soils. Mechanical compaction implies dynamic compaction or
densification by the application of moving loads to the soil mass.

Soil compaction is one of the most critical components in the construction of roads, airfields,
embankments, and foundations. The durability and stability of a structure are related to the
achievement of proper soil compaction.

Principal soil properties affected by compaction include

 Strength
 Resistance to shrinkage
 Settlement.
 Shearing resistance.
 Movement of water.
 Volume change.

Normal soils consist with a large portion of air pockets. That’s the reason why it’s capable to
compact soil. While compaction air is taken out hence the density of soil is increased. But due
to the various shapes of soil particles it is impossible to take out all the air inside. Therefore we
introduce moisture to the system. Moisture can go through the air pockets and fill the voids.
And in the meanwhile it allows soil particles to move more flexibly. So a good compaction
level can be achieved.

If we add moisture little by little and check the dry density we can see a decreasing
increment. On one occasion all the voids fill with moisture. If we keep adding moisture after
that also what happen is moisture try to displace soil particles. But soil particles are far denser
than water particles. Therefore with adding excessive water amount we can see a gradual
 decrement of dry density. So at particular moisture content we can obtain the maximum dry
density.

The optimum water content is the water content that results in the greatest density for a
specified compactive effort.

Compacting at water contents higher than the optimum water content results in a relatively
dispersed soil structure that is weaker, more ductile, less porous, softer, more susceptible to
shrinking, and less susceptible to swelling than soil compacted dry of optimum to the same
density. The soil compacted lower than the optimum water content typically results in a
flocculated soil structure (random particle orientations) that has the opposite characteristics of
the soil compacted wet of the optimum water content to the same density.

It is said that the compaction level achieved by the proctor test is somewhat similar to the
compaction levels of construction sites under medium sized rollers.

REFERENCES
 Proctor compaction test instruction sheet from civil.mrt.ac.lk
 Proctor compaction test – Wikipedia
 Standard and Modified Proctor Compaction Test
Lecture Note 6
Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory
University of Texas at Arlington