FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

DEPT.OF GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

REPORT

SUBJECT CODE

TEST CODE & TITLE

COURSE CODETESTING DATESTUDENT NAMEGROUP

GROUP MEMBER NAMES

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

LECTURER/ INSTRUCTOR/ TUTOR NAME

REPORT RECEIVED DATE

MARKSATTENDANCE/ DISCIPLINE & INVOLVEMENT /15%

DATA ANALYSIS /20%

RESULT /20%

DISCUSSION /25%

CONCLUSION /20%

TOTAL /100%EXAMINER COMMENT RECEIVED STAMP

STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC(SCE)

DEPT. OF GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPOTATION ENGINEERING

FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

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 : …………………………………………

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG. PAGE NO.: 1/9DEPARTMENT: GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

EDITION:

REVIEW NO.:

TEST TITLE : PROCTOR STANDARD SOIL COMPACTION

EFFECTIVE DATE: 5/12/07

AMENDMENT DATE: 5/12/07

1.0 OBJECTIVE : To obtain the maximum value of dry density and the optimum moisture content.

2.0 LEARNING OUTCOME

At the end of this experiment, students are able to:Understand the relationship between dry density and moisture content for a given

degree of compactive effort Understand the moisture content for the most efficient compaction.Obtain the maximum dry density can be achieved for particular type of soil.

3.0 THEORY

Compaction of soil the process by which the solid particles are packed more closely together by mechanical means, thus increasing the dry density, Markwick, 1994. it is achieved through the reduction of the air voids in the soil. At low moisture content, the soil grain is surrounded by a thin film of water, which tends to keep the grains apart even when compacted. In addition of more water, up to certain point, more air to be expelled during compaction. At the point, soil grains become as closely packed together as they can, that is at the dry density is at its maximum. When the amount of water exceeds the required to achieve this condition, the excess water begin to push particles apart, so the dry density reduced.

The moisture content at which the greatest value of dry density achieved for the given compaction effort is the optimum moisture content, (OMC), and the corresponding dry density is the maximum dry density

Figure 1: Relationship between dry density (pd) against moisture content w for several types of soil.

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG. PAGE NO.: 2/9DEPARTMENT: GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

EDITION:

REVIEW NO.:

TEST TITLE : PROCTOR STNADARD SOIL COMPACTION

EFFECTIVE DATE: 5/12/07

AMENDMENT DATE: 5/12/07

4.0 TEST EQUIPMENTS

1. Cylindrical metal mould, internal dimensions 105mm diameter and 115.5mm high. (fitted with a detachable and removable extension collar.

2. Metal rammer with 50mm diameter face weighing 205kg, sliding freely in a tube which controls the height of drop to 300mm

3. Measuring cylinder; 200ml or 500ml (plastic)4. 20mm BS sieve and receiver5. Large metal tray6. electronic balance7. Jacking apparatus for extracting compacted material from mould.8. small tools: palette knife, steel-straight edge, 300mm long, steel rule, scoop or garden trowel9. Drying oven, 105-110°C and other equipment for moisture content determination.

Figure 2 : Mould base plate and the metal rammer

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG. PAGE NO.: 3/9DEPARTMENT: GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

EDITION:

REVIEW NO.:

TEST TITLE : PROCTOR STNADARD SOIL COMPACTION

EFFECTIVE DATE: 5/12/07

AMENDMENT DATE: 5/12/07

5.0 PROCEDURES

1. Veify the mould, baseplate, extension, collar and rammer to be used are those that conform to BS 1377. weight the mould body to the nearest 1g (m1). Measure its internal diameter (D)mm

and length (L)mm in several places and calculate the mean dimensions.2. Calculate the internal volume of the mould (V)mm3 using

Apply with an oily cloth on the internal surface of mould to ease the removal of soil later on. 3. Measure the empty metal tray and ± 5kg of air dried soil sample that the has passing through

sieve no.4 (4.75mm)4. place the mould assembly on a solid base, such as concrete floor. Add loose soil so that after

eacch sequence of compaction the mould will be one-third filled.5. compact the soil by applying 27 blows of the rammer dropping from the controlled height of the

300mm. ensure that the rammer is properly in place before releasing, Figure 3, Note: do not attempt to grab the lifting knob before the rammer has come to rest. The sequence as shown in Figure 4 has to be followed. Repeat for the second and third layer that the final shall not more than 6mm above the mould body, Figure 5.

Figure 3 Hand position when releasing rammer

Figure 4 Sequence of blows using hand rammerFACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG. PAGE NO.: 4/9DEPARTMENT: GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

EDITION:

REVIEW NO.:

TEST TITLE : PROCTOR STNADARD SOIL COMPACTION

EFFECTIVE DATE: 5/12/07

AMENDMENT DATE: 5/12/07

Figure 5 Soil in mould after compaction

1. Trimming of by removing the extension collar, cut away the excess soil and level off to the top of the mould. Any cavities rsulting from removal of stones at the surface shoul be filled with fine material.

2. Remove the baseplate carefully, trim the soil at the lower end of the mould. Weigh soil and mould to the nearest g.

3. Fit the mould on to the extruder and jack out the soil. Break up the sample on the tray.

4. Take up to three representative samples in moisture content containers for measurement of moisture content. This must be done immediately before the soil dry out. The average of three measurements is w%. (Preferably one from each layer).

5. Break up the material on the tray and mix with the remainder of the prepared sample. Add an increment of water, approximately as follows :

Sandy and gravelly soils : 1 – 2% (50 – 100 ml of water to 5 kg of soil) Cohesive soils : 2 – 4 % (100 – 200 ml of water to 5 kg of soil)

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG. PAGE NO.: 5/9DEPARTMENT: GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

EDITION:

REVIEW NO.:

TEST TITLE : PROCTOR STNADARD SOIL COMPACTION

EFFECTIVE DATE: 5/12/07

AMENDMENT DATE: 5/12/07

6.0 SAMPLE CALCULATIONS

1. Calculate the bulk density, ρ of each compacted specimen from the equation

(if volume = 1000 cm3)

Where : m1 – mass of mould; m2 – mass of soil and mould

(if volume = V cm3)

(check all conversion of unit)

2. Calculate moisture content, wn% for each compacted specimen.

Where : w2 – weight of moist soil + container, w1 – weight of dry soil + container w0 – weight of empty container

3. Calculate the average value of moisture content, w% for each compacted specimen.

4. Calculate corresponding dry density, ρd

Mg/m3

5. Plot of graph dry density, ρd against moisture content, w. Draw a smooth curve through the points.

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG. PAGE NO.: 6/9DEPARTMENT: GEOTECHNICAL AND EDITION:

TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING REVIEW NO.:

TEST TITLE : PROCTOR STNADARD SOIL COMPACTION

EFFECTIVE DATE: 5/12/07

AMENDMENT DATE: 5/12/07

6. Sample calculation:

A : TEST CRITERIASerial no. Test No : Location : Location No:

No. of layer :3 Rammer mass :2.5 kg

Soil Description : Brown sandy clay with a little fine gravel

Sample No.:

Blows per layer :27

No. of separate batch :

Sample preparation : Air dried and riffled

B : DENSITY CALCULATION VOLUME OF CYLINDER = 1002 CM3

Measurement No. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)Cylinder + soil = A g 3786 3907 3999 3962 3908Cylinder = B g 1917 1917 1917 1917 1917Soil mass = A – B g 1869 1990 2082 2045 1991Wet density = ρ 1.865 1.986 2.078 2.041 1.987

7. Sample calculation:

A : TEST CRITERIASerial no. Test No : Location : Location No:

No. of layer :3 Rammer mass :2.5 kg

Soil Description : Brown sandy clay with a little fine gravel

Sample No.:

Blows per layer :27

No. of separate batch :

Sample preparation : Air dried and riffled

B : DENSITY CALCULATION VOLUME OF CYLINDER = 1002 CM3

Measurement No. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)Cylinder + soil = A g 3786 3907 3999 3962 3908Cylinder = B g 1917 1917 1917 1917 1917Soil mass = A – B g 1869 1990 2082 2045 1991Wet density = ρ 1.865 1.986 2.078 2.041 1.987

C : Plotting of air voids line, Va = 0%, 5% AND 10% (Use Gs = ρS = 2.65)

Use the equation below using ρw = 1Mg/m3

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG. PAGE NO.: 7/9DEPARTMENT: GEOTECHNICAL AND EDITION:

TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING REVIEW NO.:

TEST TITLE : PROCTOR STNADARD SOIL COMPACTION

EFFECTIVE DATE: 5/12/07

AMENDMENT DATE: 5/12/07

8. Final plot of a graph along with the air voids line

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG. PAGE NO.: 8/9

DEPARTMENT: GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

EDITION:

REVIEW NO.:

TEST TITLE : PROCTOR STNADARD SOIL COMPACTION

EFFECTIVE DATE: 5/12/07

AMENDMENT DATE: 5/12/07

8.0 CALCULATIONSA : TEST CRITERIA

Serial no. Test No : Location : Location No:

No. of layer :3 Rammer mass :2.5 kg

Soil Description : Sample No.:

Blows per layer :27

No. of separate batch :

Sample preparation : Air dried and riffled

B : DENSITY CALCULATION VOLUME OF CYLINDER = 1002 CM3

Measurement No. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)Cylinder + soil = A g

Cylinder = B g

Soil mass = A – B g

Wet density = ρ

C : MOISTURE CONTENT

Measurement No. 1 (1) (2) (3)Wet soil + container,w2 (g)

Dry soil + container,w1 (g)

Empty container, w0 (g)

Moisture content, wn (%),

AVERAGE MOISTURE, w%

Measurement No. 2 (1) (2) (3)Wet soil + container,w2 (g)

Dry soil + container,w1 (g)

Empty container, w0 (g)

Moisture content, wn (%),

AVERAGE MOISTURE, w%

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG. PAGE NO.: 9/9

DEPARTMENT: GEOTECHNICAL AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

EDITION:

REVIEW NO.:

TEST TITLE : PROCTOR STNADARD SOIL COMPACTION

EFFECTIVE DATE: 5/12/07

AMENDMENT DATE: 5/12/07

Measurement No. 3 (1) (2) (3)

Wet soil + container,w2 (g)

Dry soil + container,w1 (g)

Empty container, w0 (g)

Moisture content, wn (%),

AVERAGE MOISTURE, w%

Measurement No. 4 (1) (2) (3)

Wet soil + container,w2 (g)

Dry soil + container,w1 (g)

Empty container, w0 (g)

Moisture content, wn (%),

AVERAGE MOISTURE, w%

Measurement No. 5 (1) (2) (3)

Wet soil + container,w2 (g)

Dry soil + container,w1 (g)

Empty container, w0 (g)

Moisture content, wn (%),

AVERAGE MOISTURE, w%

D : DRY DENSITY CALCULATION (USE ACTUAL VOLUME OF CYLINDER )Measurement No. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)AVG MOISTURE, w%

Dry density, ρd

E : PLOTTING OF DRY DENSITY AGAINST MOISTURE CONTENT WITH AIR VOIDS LINE AT 0%, 5% AND 10%. USE PROPER GRAPH PAPER

8.0 QUESTIONS1. Define and explain what is meant by optimum moisture content, and how it is determined in the

laboratory. 2. Explain fully the principles and methods involved in soil compaction. How do you use the

Proctor test apparatus in the field for checking the soil compaction?