LABORATORY COMPACTION TEST

The intent of this testing is to determine the relationship between water content and soil
compaction, by compacting the soil sample in a cylindrical mould of 4” in diameter and 4.584”
in height with the use of impact tool weighing 5.5 lbs at free falling distance of 12”.
6.1.1 Soil Sample Requirement
a. If the soil sample is damp, it shall be dried by natural means or dryer at temperature
not to exceed 600 C until it become loss however the original soil granules still
intact (not broken).
b. The dried soil sample is then screened through sieve no. 4 screen and the sample
that passed through the screen shall be used in this test.
c. The screened sample shall be at least 12.5 kg. Divided into 5 parts at 2.5 kg each
part.
d. Each sample part shall be added with pre-determined quantity of water and mixed
until it becomes homogeneous. The difference of water content in each sample
part shall be at least 2-4%.
e. Each sample part shall be put in a sealed plastic for at least 12 hours or until the
water content ensured to be uniform.
6.1.2 Method
a) Weigh the mould with diameter 4 “(A1).
b) Assemble the mould, neck and support base and position it in a levelled and rigid
ground condition.
c) Take one sample (from 5 samples) and then perform compaction with impact
tool of 5.5 lbs in mould at 3 approximately equal layers. Every layer shall be
compacted at 25 blows. Continue the same method for the remaining 4 samples.
d) Remove the surplus material with scraper tool to flush with the upper surface
edge of the mould and then weigh the mould filled with sample (A2).
e) Take 500 gram sample as per ASTM D 698 part 10.4.9 of the soil sample to
determine the water content.

6.1.3 Calculation Result

a. Wet Density

() = A2-A1 (gr/cm³)

V

 = Wet density (gram/cm³)

A2 = Weigh mould + soil (gr)

A1 = Weigh mould (gr)

V = Volume mould (cm³)

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 b. Dry Density

dry = Wet
1+ (W/100)

dry = dry density (gram/cm³)

W = Water content (%)

c. Draw a graphical relationship between dry density weights against the water
content from result of trial. The graph will determine the maximum dry density
(MDD) and optimum moisture content (OMC)

d. Draw zero air voids line with calculation :

dry = G.γw
1+ (G.w)

G = specific gravity of soil

w = specific gravity of water (gram/cm³)

d = dry density (gram/cm³)

W = water content (%)

e. Acceptance criteria

As per Specification.

6.2 Specific Gravity Test ( Refer to ASTM D -854)

6.2.1 Purpose
The aim of this test is to determine the density of soil with sieve that passes through
sieve no.4 screen by using picnometer. Specific gravity means the ration between
weight of soil and pure water with the same volume at same temperature
6.2.2 Equipment and tools

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 - Picnometer with 100 ml of minimum capacity or bottle with 50 ml of minimum
capacity.
- Oven
- Scale with 0.01 precision
- Sieve no. 4, 10 and the container.
6.2.3 Method of testing
- Clean up the picnometer with water and then dry it, weigh the picnometer (W1)
- Put the sample in the picnometer and weigh (W2).
- Fill full the picnometer with water and weigh the soil-water mixture (W3)
- Drain the picnometer and clean up the fill full the picnometer with water and scale
(W4).

Calculation :

GS = (W2-W1) /{(W4-W1)-(W3-W2)}

Where :
GS = Specific Gravity of Soil
W1 = weight of picnometer
W2 = weight of picnometer and dry soil
W3 = weight of picnometer and soil + water
W4 = weight of picnometer and water.

6.3 The result will be used as baseline data for reference purposes
6.3.1 Water Content Test (Refer to ASTM D-2216)
Purpose :
The item of this test is to determine the water content of soil. Water content means
the ratio between weights of water to weight of dry soil, in percentage.
6.6.2. Equipment
a. Oven (Temp. 110 ± 5° C)
b. Container
c. Scale no.4, 10 , 40
6.6.3. Testing Sequence
a. Material sample to be tested is stored in the container and in the container and
weighing (W1)
b. Put the same sample into the oven to an adequate length of time to completely
dry the sample (usually to a minimum of 12 – 16 hours.)
c. Weighing the dried sample material (W2)
d. Weighing the container (W3)

6.6.4. Calculation
Water content (w) = ( W1-W2)

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 X 100%

( W2-W3)

Where :

W1 = weight of container + wet sample (gram)

W2 = weight of container + dry sample (gram)

W3 = weight of container (gram)

6.4 Sieve Analysis Test (refer to ASTM C-33)

6.4.1 Purposes
The item of this test is to head for definitive of gradation aggregates.
6.4.2 Sample
Sample prepared in accordance with this procedure must be shipped from the field
to the laboratory in sealed containers and must contain all their natural moisture.
Samples obviously containing only particles passing the No. 10 (2.00-mm) sieve may
be tested in the particle-size analysis without first washing on the No.10 (2.00-mm)
sieve. Samples obviously containing only particles passing the No. 40 (4.25-mm)
sieve may be used in the tests to determine soil constants without first washing on
the No. (425-µm) sieve.
6.4.3 Equipment
a. Sieve Shaker
b. Sieve
c. Pan & Cover
d. Oven (Temp. 110±5ºC).
e. Soft wire brush
f. Materials :
- 1 kg sand
- 5 kg aggregates 20 mm max. size
- 10 kg aggregates 25 mm max. size

6.4.4 Testing Sequence

a. Put samples material in oven with temperature 110° (usually to a minimum 12 –
16 hours).
b. Weighing of the samples and record.
c. Put the Pan in sieve shaker as per required.
d. Put materials in pan that on top and put the cover of pan and then stagger the
sieve shaker during 10 minutes.
e. Open the cover of pan and then weighing materials that exits on each pan and
record.

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 f. Calculate weigh of materials that exits on each pan and then calculate of
percentage and cumulative value.
6.4.5 Sieve number of each materials
a. Sand sieve number as per specification E11 ASTM C-33 :
- 3/8
- No. 4
- No. 8
- No. 16
- No. 30
- No. 50
- No. 100
- No. 200

FM = Σno.4 – no.100

100

FM = Fine Modulus

b. Aggregates ≤ 30 mm sieve number as per specification ASTM C-33 Table 2.

Grading requirement for coarse aggregates size # 57:
- 1 1/2
-1
- 3/4
- 1/2
- 3/8
- No. 4
- No. 8

c. Aggregates ≤ 20 mm sieve number as per specification ASTM C-33 Table 2.

Grading requirement for coarse aggregates size #67:
-1
- 1/2
- 3/8
- No. 4
- No. 8

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