STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC

(SCE)
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
CENTER OF DIPLOMA STUDY
I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit not
to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

_________________
Student Signature

Name

Matric No. :
Date

STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC

(SCE)
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
CENTER OF DIPLOMA STUDY
I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit not
to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

_________________
Student Signature

Name

Matric No. :
Date

STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC

(SCE)
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
CENTER OF DIPLOMA STUDY
I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit not
to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

_________________
Student Signature

Name

Matric No. :
Date

STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC

(SCE)
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
CENTER OF DIPLOMA STUDY
I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit not
to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

_________________
Student Signature

Name

Matric No. :
Date

STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC

(SCE)
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
CENTER OF DIPLOMA STUDY
I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit not
to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

_________________
Student Signature

Name

Matric No. :
Date

INTRODUCTION
Compaction of crushed aggregate/soil is a mechanical process by which the
crushed aggregate/soil are placed closely by reducing the air voids. This is turn
reduces the air voids and increased density but may also increase shear strength.
The degree of compaction is measured in terms of the dry density of the crushed
aggregate/soil. Increase in dry density of crushed aggregate/soil due to
compaction mainly depends the moisture content and the compaction effort. It is
found that with the increase moisture content at a given amount of compaction to
density of crushed aggregate/soil first increased and then decreases. There exists a
moisture content which is called optimum content OMC at which the crushed
aggregate/soil has maximum dry density.

OBJECTIVE
To determine the optimum moisture content (OMC) and maximum dry density of the
given crushed aggregate/soil sample using modified proctore compaction test.

APPARATUS

Crushed
aggregate/
soil
Cylinder

Base plate

Scoop

Compactor
Mould
Collar
Space disk
with T
handle

Tray

PROCEDURE
1. Prepared all the apparatus that needed in this experiment as above.
2. Weight 6000g of aggregate/soil as a sample that was prepared by lab instructor.

3. Thoroughly mixed the selected representative sample with 1% amount sample equal
to 60ml of water dampen.

4. Form a specimen by compacted the prepared crushed aggregate/soil in the mold in

five approximate layers to give a total compacted depth of about 127mm each layer
being compacted 56 uniformly distributed blows.

5. Remove the extension collar, carefully trim the compacted crushed aggregate/soil
using straight Edge.
6. Weight the mold and wet soil.
7. Removed the material from the mold and take a representative sample (not less than
100g) to determine the moisture content.
8. Repeated the procedure from step 3 to 7 for four or five more samples with increased
moisture content (until 5% or 6% above the expected OMC).
9. Put all the 5 containers that have several sample into oven for the drying work.
10. Take the reading of weight of all samples that have been burn for the moisture
content.

CALCULATION
Dry density (d)
Weight of empty mould = W1 (gm)
Weight of mould + wet sample = W2 (gm)
Volume of mould = V

Wet density =
Dry density d =

W 2W 1 g
( 3)
V
cm

1+

Water content
Weight of empty container = A
Weight of container + wet crushed aggregate = B
Weight of container + dry crushed aggregate = C
BC
Water content = C A x 100
Plot the dry density (d) Vs (w%) water content. Obtained the maximum dry density and
OMC from the plotted curve.

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

Water Content %

Weight of empty mould = W1 (gm)

16600

16600

16600

16600

Weight of mould + wet sample = W2 (gm)

21150

21500

21300

21200

Volume of mould = V (cm)

3230

3230

3230

3230

1.41

1.52

1.46

1.42

1.21

1.01

0.97

1.18

Weight of empty container = A

0.10

0.10

0.05

0.05

Weight of container + wet crushed

aggregate = B

0.45

0.25

0.20

0.35

Wt. of can + dry crushed aggregate = C

0.40

0.20

0.15

0.30

Wet density =
Dry density d =

W 2W 1 g
( 3)
V
cm

1+

Water content =

BC
C A

0.17

Example calculation for specimen 1% water content:

Volume of mould, V = r2h
= (7.6)2 (17.8)
= 3230cm3

W 2W 1
V

Wet density =

2115016600
3230

g
= 1.41 c m3

Water content =

BC
C A
0.450.40
0.400.10

= 0.17

Dry density d =

1+
1.41
1+0.17

g
= 1.21 c m3

DISCUSSION

0.5

0.5

0.2

From the experiment we had carried out, there are some errors had been found that
occurred during the experiment by our group, which are:
1. Parallax and zero errors.
When we measured the volume of water by measuring cylinder in this experiment,
our eyes are not perpendicular to the reading on the measuring cylinder. It will
cause the accuracy of water content. Other than that, the water in the measuring
cylinder should be fully transferred to avoid low accuracy of result. To overcome
these problems, we must ensure that our eyes are perpendicular to the reading and
make sure the water is fully transferred. Thus, the result will be more accurate.
2. Random error.
When we operated the metal rammer freefall for compaction on soil in the mould,
we may accidentally freefall the rammer before we had pulled it until it maximum
height. Actually, this will affect the force of compaction on the soil that will cause
the lower accuracy of result. We can increase the accuracy by repeat the
experiment and take the average result. On the other hands, we may also ensure we
had pulled the metal rammer until design height before freefall for compaction.
3. Systematic error.
When we weighted the container and the soil, the balance may not show the
exactly reading. There may be some residue left on the balance and some air
resistances affect the balance reading. Hence, the result of the weighting will be
affected. We can increase the accuracy of the experiment by repeating the
experiment and carry the weighting process in an enclosed room without air
resistance.