Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
Kabacan, North Cotabato

Laboratory No. 6

Moisture-Density Relation (Compaction) Test

Group Members:

Date Submitted: October 23, 2024

Purpose:
This laboratory test is performed to determine the relationship between the
moisture content and the dry density of a soil for a specified compactive effort.
The compactive effort is the amount of mechanical energy that is applied to the
soil mass. Several different methods are used to compact soil in the field, and
some examples include tamping, kneading, vibration, and static load compaction.
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).

Table 1 Alternative Proctor Test Methods

Note: Volume of 4” diameter mold = 944 cm3 , Volume of 6” diameter mold = 2123 cm3 (verify these
values prior to testing) Standard Proctor Modified Proctor
ASTM 698 ASTM 1557
Method A Method B Method C Method A Method B Method C
>20% >20% >20% >20%
Retained on Retained on Retained on Retained on
 20% No.4
 20% No.4
No.3/8” No.3/8”
Material Retained on Retained on
No.4 Sieve
 20% <30%
No.4 Sieve
 20% <30%
Retained on Retained on Retained on Retained on
3/8” Sieve 3/4” Sieve 3/8” Sieve 3/4” Sieve
For
test Sieve No.4 3/8” Sieve ¾” Sieve Sieve No.4 3/8” Sieve ¾” Sieve
sample, use
soil passing
Mold 4” DIA 4” 6” DIA 4” DIA 4” DIA 6” DIA
DIA
No. of
Layer 3 3 3 5 5 5
s
No. of
blows/layer 25 25 56 25 25 56
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))

Significance:
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) 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
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.
(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:
Soil mass∈grams × 8
water ¿ add (¿ ml)=
100
Where “water to add” and the “soil mass” are in grams. Remember
that 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.
(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:
ρ
ρd =
1+ w
where: w = moisture content in percent divided by 100, and ρ = wet
density in grams per cm3.
(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:
ρw 1
w sat =( − )×100
ρ Gs
 or
ρw
ρd =
w 1
( + )
100 G s
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)
w sat = moisture content in percent for complete saturation.
Example Calculations:
Gs=2.7 (assumed)
w=1.0 g/cm3
Assumed wsat% Calculated ρd (g/cm3)
8 2.22
10 2.13
12 2.04
14 1.96
16 1.89
18 1.82

(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.
 MOISTURE-DENSITY (COMPACTION) TEST
DATA SHEETS

Test Method: Standard Proctor ASTM 698 (Method A)

Date Tested: October 8, 2024
Tested By: Bai Juwairiah Asim, Hilary Jan Dacles, Mary Jane Kalilangan,
Jonathan Lanaja and Kayla Marie Lorenzo
Project Name: Compaction Test
Sample Number: 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A and 6B
Visual Classification of Soil:

Water Content Determination:

Compacted Soil - Sample no. 1 2 3

Water content - Sample no. 1 1B 2 2B 3A 3B
A A
Moisture can number - Lid number 1 2 3 4 5 6
MC = Mass of empty, clean can + lid (grams) 27 27 27 27 27 27

MCMS = Mass of can, lid, and moist soil 73 72 69 71 86 85

(grams)
MCDS = Mass of can, lid, and dry soil 68 67 65 66 80 77
(grams)
MS = Mass of soil solids (grams) 42 40 38 39 53 50

MW = Mass of pore water (grams) 4 5 4 5 6 8

W = Water content, w% 9.52 12.50 10.53 12.82 11.32 16
Compacted Soil - Sample no. 4 5 6
Water content - Sample no. 4 4B 5 5B 6A 6B
A A
Moisture can number - Lid number 7 8 9 10 11 12
MC = Mass of empty, clean can + lid (grams) 27 27 27 27 27 27

MCMS = Mass of can, lid, and moist soil 75 78 80 84 78 75

(grams)
MCDS = Mass of can, lid, and dry soil 69 71 75 74 71 65
(grams)
MS = Mass of soil solids (grams) 42 44 48 47 44 38

MW = Mass of pore water (grams) 6 7 5 10 7 101

W = Water content, w% 14.29 15.91 12.77 21.28 13.33 26.32
Density Determination:
Mold Volume = 944 cm3

Compacted Soil - Sample no. 1 2 3 4 5 6

w = Assumed water content, w% 10 12 14 16 18 20
Actual average water content, w% 11.01 11.67 13.66 15.10 17.02 19.82
Mass of compacted soil and mold 5063 5171 5261 5406 5493 5524
(grams)
Mass of mold (grams) 3665 3665 3665 3665 3665 3665
Wet mass of soil in mold (grams) 1398 1506 1596 1741 1828 1859
Wet density, ρ, (kN/m3) 14.53 14.01 14.59 15.72 16.23 16.12
Dry density, ρd , (kN/cm3) 13.09 14.01 14.59 15.72 16.23 16.12

Optimum Moisture Content = 15.85%

Maximum Dry Density = 16.398 kN/m3
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION

DOCUMENTATION