SUMMARY

The method given in this standard is based on the standard proctor

compaction test. Soil is compacted in a mould in three layers by dropping a
4.5kg rammer at a distance of 450mm. Dry density achieved by mixing soil with
different water contents were determined to obtain the maximum dry density
and the corresponding optimum moisture content.

























INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the standard Proctor compaction test is to determine the optimum water
content and the maximum dry density that can be achieved with a certain compaction
effort. The relationship between the moisture content and the density of the soil will be
obtained in the process. Compaction effort designed in this laboratory test is comparable
with that obtained in the field. Compaction is the process of increasing the bulk density of
the soil or aggregate by driving out the air. For a given soil, for a given amount of
compaction effort, the density obtained depends on the moisture content.



OBJECTIVE
To determine the optimum water content and the maximum dry density



APPARATUS
Cylindrical mould with base plate and collar
Standard rammer (4.5 kg)
Containers for moisture content
Drying Oven
Weight Balance
Steel Straight edge
Rifle box
Sieve (19.00 mm)



DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENTAL SETUP










THEORY
The bulk density, in kg/m
3
of each compacted specimen shall be computed from the
equation;








Moisture content can be obtained from the equation;



Where w is the moisture content of the soil as a fraction.


The dry densities
d
, obtained in a series of determinations shall be plotted against the
corresponding moisture content, w. A smooth curve shall be drawn through the resulting
points and the position of the maximum on this curve shall be determined. Thus the
maximum dry density and the corresponding water content should be obtained from the
graph.





Where;
M
1
is the mass of the mould and base, in kg
M
2
is the mass of mould, base and soil, in kg
V is the volume of the mould in m
3

= M
2
M
1

V
w= M
4
M
5

M
4
M
3

d
=

(1 + w)

PROCEDURE
1. Mass of moisture containers were measured( 10 in no.) before and after the
moisture content determination
2. Air-dry material provided was sieved through a 19mm BS test sieve
3. The sample was put through a rifle box to divide sample into two halves.
4. 700g of the riffled material was weighed
5. The mold and base plate were weighed
6. The volume of the mold with the metal block [placed in it were also weighed
7. The collar was fixed firmly on the mold whilst the metal block was still on it and
placed on solid ground
8. The weighed sample was mixed with water at percentages ranging from 2% to 5%
depending on the amount of fines within the material in hand
9. The first moisture container was filled immediately he water content was mixed
10. The mold was filled in five layers, approximately equal mass and compact each layer
by 55 blows with the rammer.
11. The collar was removed and with the help of a straight edge, excess soil was
trimmed to the height of the mold
12. The assembly was taken apart, and the weight of the mold and base plate with the
soil was measured
13. The second container was filled halfway with the soil sample from the extruded
sample for moisture content determination
14. The procedure from step 7 was repeated until the mass of the mold soil started to
decline.
15. Moisture containers were put into the oven and the water content determined after
24 hours.







CONCLUSION
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 (wet of ) the optimum water content results in a relatively dispersed soil
structure (parallel particle orientations) that is weaker, more ductile, less
pervious, 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 (dry of) 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













REFERENCES
1. Engineering Properties of Soils Based on Laboratory Testing;
Professor Krishna Reddy, UIC

2. University of Texas at Arlington, Geotechnical Engineering
Laboratory Test Procedure

3. Soil Mechanics and Application to Mechanization lecture
notes; Professor Agodzo