Geotechnical Engineering 1 Experiment 9

Compaction Test

Objective:
This laboratory test is performed to determine the relationship between
the moisture content and the dry density of a soil for a specified compaction
effort. This laboratory will employ the tamping or impact compaction method
using the type of equipment and methodology developed by R. R. Proctor in
1933, therefore, the test is also known as the Proctor test.
Two types of compaction tests are routinely performed: (1) The Standard
Proctor Test, and (2) The Modified Proctor Test. Each of these tests can be
performed in three different methods as outlined in the attached Table 1. In
the Standard Proctor Test, the soil is compacted by a 5.5 lb hammer falling a
distance of one foot into a soil filled mold. The mold is filled with three equal
layers of soil, and each layer is subjected to 25 drops of the hammer. The
Modified Proctor Test is identical to the Standard Proctor Test except it
employs, a 10 lb hammer falling a distance of 18 inches, and uses five equal
layers of soil instead of three. There are two types of compaction molds used
for testing. The smaller type is 4 inches in diameter and has a volume of about
1/30 ft3 (944 cm3), and the larger type is 6 inches in diameter and has a
volume of about 1/13.333 ft3 (2123 cm3). If the larger mold is used each soil
layer must receive 56 blows instead of 25 (See Table 1).

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Standard Reference:
ASTM D 698 - Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Compaction
Characteristics of Soil Using Standard Effort (12,400 ft-lbs/ft3 (600 KN-m/m3))
ASTM D 1557 - Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Compaction
Characteristics of Soil Using Modified Effort (56,000 ft-lbs/ft3 (2,700 KN-m/m3))

Discussion:
Mechanical compaction is one of the most common and cost effective
means of stabilizing soils. An extremely important task of geotechnical
engineers is the performance and analysis of field control tests to assure that
compacted fills are meeting the prescribed design specifications. Design
specifications usually state the required density (as a percentage of the
“maximum” density measured in a standard laboratory test), and the water
content. In general, most engineering properties, such as the strength,
stiffness, resistance to shrinkage, and imperviousness of the soil, will improve
by increasing the soil 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 (wet of ) the optimum water content
results in a relatively dispersed soil structure (parallel particle orientations)

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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.

Equipment:
Molds, Manual rammer, Extruder, Balance, Drying oven, Mixing pan,
Trowel, #4 sieve, Moisture cans, Graduated cylinder, Straight Edge.

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Test Procedure:
(1) Depending on the type of mold you are using obtain a sufficient quantity of
air-dried soil in large mixing pan. For the 4-inch mold take approximately 10
lbs, and for the 6-inch mold take roughly 15 lbs. Pulverize the soil and run it
through the # 4 sieve.

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(2) Determine the weight of the soil sample as well as the weight of the
compaction mold with its base (without the collar) by using the balance and
record the weights.

(3) Compute the amount of initial water to add by the following method:
(a) Assume water content for the first test to be 8 percent.
(b) Compute water to add from the following equation:

water to add in ml  

 soil mass in grams  8
100

where “water to add” and the “soil mass” are in grams. Remember that a gram
of water is equal to approximately one milliliter of water.
(4) Measure out the water, add it to the soil, and then mix it thoroughly into
the soil using the trowel until the soil gets a uniform color (See Photos B and
C).

(5) Assemble the compaction mold to the base, place some soil in the mold
and compact the soil in the number of equal layers specified by the type of
compaction method employed (See Photos D and E). The number of drops of
the rammer per layer is also dependent upon the type of mold used (See Table
1). The drops should be applied at a uniform rate not exceeding around 1.5
seconds per drop, and the rammer should provide uniform coverage of the
specimen surface. Try to avoid rebound of the rammer from the top of the
guide sleeve.

(6) The soil should completely fill the cylinder and the last compacted layer
must extend slightly above the collar joint. If the soil is below the collar joint at
the completion of the drops, the test point must be repeated. (Note: For the
last layer, watch carefully, and add more soil after about 10 drops if it appears
that the soil will be compacted below the collar joint.)

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(7) Carefully remove the collar and trim off the compacted soil so that it is
completely even with the top of the mold using the trowel. Replace small bits
of soil that may fall out during the trimming process (See Photo F).

(8) Weigh the compacted soil while it’s in the mold and to the base, and record
the mass (See Photo G). Determine the wet mass of the soil by subtracting the
weight of the mold and base.

(9) Remove the soil from the mold using a mechanical extruder (See Photo H)
and take soil moisture content samples from the top and bottom of the
specimen (See Photo I). Fill the moisture cans with soil and determine the
water content.

(10) Place the soil specimen in the large tray and break up the soil until it
appears visually as if it will pass through the # 4 sieve, add 2 percent more
water based on the original sample mass, and re-mix as in step 4. Repeat
steps 5 through 9 until, based on wet mass, a peak value is reached followed
by two slightly lesser compacted soil masses.

Analysis:
(1) Calculate the moisture content of each compacted soil specimen by using
the average of the two water contents.

(2) Compute the wet density in grams per cm3 of the compacted soil sample by
dividing the wet mass by the volume of the mold used.

(3) Compute the dry density using the wet density and the water content
determined in step 1. Use the following formula:

d 
1 w

where: w = moisture content in percent divided by 100, and ρ = wet density in

grams per cm3.
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(4) Plot the dry density values on the y-axis and the moisture contents on the
x-axis. Draw a smooth curve connecting the plotted points.

(5) On the same graph draw a curve of complete saturation or “zero air voids
curve”. The values of dry density and corresponding moisture contents for
plotting the curve can be computed from the following equation:

 1 
w sat   w   x 100
 d GS 
or
w
d 
 w 1 
  
 100 GS 
where:
ρd = dry density of soil grams per cm3
Gs = specific gravity of the soil being tested (assume 2.70 if not given)
ρw = density of water in grams per cm3 (approximately1 g/cm3)
wsat = moisture content in percent for complete saturation.

(6) Identify and report the optimum moisture content and the maximum dry
density. Make sure that you have recorded the method of compaction used
(e.g., Standard Proctor, Method A) on data sheet.

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 Moisture-Density (Compaction) Test Data Sheets

Test Method: ________________

Date Tested: ________________
Tested By: ________________
Project Name: ________________
Sample Number: ________________
Visual Classification of Soil: ______________

Water Content Determination:

Density Determination:
Volume of mold =

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Optimum Moisture Content = _________________ %
Maximum Dry Density = ___________________ g/cm3

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