EXPERIMENT NO.

Standard and Modified Compaction Test

Objective
To determine Optimum Moisture Content (OMC) and Maximum Dry
Density (MDD) of soil.

Scope
Compaction is the removal of air and to increase the density to obtain
the moisture-density relationship for a given compactive effort on a
particular soil.

Standards
AASHTO T99-70 & T180-70
ASTM D698-70 & D1557-70

Apparatus
Standard proctor mould, balance, tray, rammer of 2.5Kg (5.5 lb) of fall
25.4Cm (12”) and 4.54Kg (10 lb), of fall 38Cm (18”), moisture
container, oven, sieve 19 mm (3/4”) and 9.5mm (3/8”) and straight
edge.

Procedure
The procedure for the practical is as follows:-
1. If the soil sample is damp, dry it in air or in an oven. Then, thoroughly
break up the aggregations. Select a representative sample, weighing
approximately 4kg for standard proctor and 7kg for modified
compaction. Pass the representative soil from sieve 19 mm (3/4”).
Weigh the retained material on 19mm (3/4”) sieve and discard. Then
replace these discard material with material passing from sieve 19 mm
(3/4”) and retained on 4.75mm (# 4) sieve.

2. Mix the selected sample with 2 to 3% water to the sample weight to

dampen it to approximately four to six percent points below optimum
moisture content.

3. Compact the sample in 4” mould (with collar attached) in three equal

layers for Standard Compaction Test and five layers for Modified
Compaction Test. Compact each layer by 25 distributed blows with
rammer dropping free from a height of 30.5 Cm (12”) for Standard
Compaction Test and 42.7 Cm (18”) for Modified Compaction Test.
 4. After compaction, remove the extension collar, trim the compacted soil
by means of a straight edge and weigh the mould. Remove the material
from the mould and weigh the empty mould.

5. Take a representative sample of the material for moisture content. The

moisture sample shall weight not be less than 100 gm.
6. Thoroughly break up the same sample and add more water and repeat
the procedure for each increment of water added. Continue this
procedure until there is either a decrease or no change in wet weight of
the compacted soil.
Observation and Data Collection for Standard Proctor test

➢ Internal dia of proctor mould = 10.16 Cm (4”)

➢ Height of proctor mould = 11.64 Cm (4.584”)
➢ Volume of proctor mould = 943 Cm3 (0.0333 Cft)
➢ Standard rammer fall = 30.5 Cm (12”)
➢ Standard rammer weight = 2.5Kg (5.5 lb)
➢ Number of layers in standard compaction = 3

Density Trial No
Observation 1 2 3 4 5
Wt of mould+Compacted soil W1
(gm)
Wt of mould (gm) W2
Wt of compacted soil (gm) W3
Volume of mould Cm3 V
Wet density of soil, wet W3/V
(gm/Cc)
Dry density of soil, dry wet
(gm/Cc) /(1+mc/100)

Moisture Content
Observation 1 2 3 4 5
Wt of container + Wet soil (gm) W1
Wt of container + Dry soil (gm) W2
Wt of container (gm) W3
Wt of water (gm) Ww
Wt of dry soil (gm) Ws
Moisture content (M.C) % ( Ww/Ws)x100

Dry Density Gm/Cm3 or PCF

Group Work

Conclusion:
Graph:
Observation and Data Collection for Modified Proctor test

➢ Internal dia of proctor mould = 15cm (6”)

➢ Height of proctor mould = 11.64 Cm (4.584”)
➢ Volume of proctor mould = 1016 Cm3
➢ Modified rammer fall = 42.7 Cm (18”)
➢ Modified rammer weight = 4.54Kg (10 lb)
➢ Number of layers in Modified compaction = 5

Density Trial No
Observation 1 2 3 4 5
Wt of mould+Compacted soil W1
(gm)
Wt of mould (gm) W2
Wt of compacted soil (gm) W3
Volume of mould Cm3 V
Wet density of soil, wet W3/V
(gm/Cc)
Dry density of soil, dry wet
(gm/Cc) /(1+mc/100)

Moisture Content
Observation 1 2 3 4 5
Wt of container + Wet soil (gm) W1
Wt of container + Dry soil (gm) W2
Wt of container (gm) W3
Wt of water (gm) Ww
Wt of dry soil (gm) Ws
Moisture content (M.C) % ( Ww/Ws)x100

Dry Density Gm/Cm3 or PCF

Computations and Interpretation of Results
The computations after the test are as folows:-

1. Find out wet = W3/V gm/Cc (lbs/cft).

2. Find out dry = wet /(1+mc/100). gm/Cc (lbs/cft).

3. Find out MC= (Ww/Ws)x100.

4. Draw graph between Dry density and moisture content.

5. Find out Optimum moisture content (OMC) and maximum

dry density (MDD).

MDD
Dry density lb/cft or gm/ cc

OMC

Moisture content %
Group Work:

Conclusion:
Graph: