Soil Mechanics - II

Practical Portion

Experiment No. 07

Class Outlines

Determination of Field Density

Sand Replacement Method
Determination of Lab Density
Standard Proctor Compaction Test
Modified Proctor Compaction Test

Experiment No. 07(a)

Designation

ASTM:
D 1556-64 (1982)
AASHTO: T 191-93 (1996)

Apparatus

Sand-cone apparatus .

Tray with hole

Balance
Stove or oven.
Hand chisels for digging test hole
Container for moisture samples (tin cans).
Container for retaining excavated soil

Apparatus

Excavated test
hole

ASTM, AASHTO sand-cone apparatus

BS sand replacement apparatus

Procedure

Determine the volume of the bottle or cylinder and attachments

including the volume of the valve.

Determine the bulk density of the sand to be used in the field test

Determine the weight of sand required to fill the funnel.

Determine the density of soil in place

Calculations

Calculate the volume of the density apparatus as follows:

V1 = G
Where, V1 = Volume of density apparatus, in cubic centimeters.
G = Grams of water required to fill the apparatus.
Calculate the density of the sand as follows:

sand

V1

W = Grams of sand required to fill the apparatus.

V1 = Volume of apparatus in cubic centimeters as determined in 1st step
Calculate the in-place density of the soil as follows:

W2 W3

sand

W1
V

Calculations
Where,
V = Volume of test hole or volume of the excavated soil.
W2 = Weight of sand used to fill the test hole and funnel.
W3 = Weight of sand in funnel
W1 = Weight of soil excavated from the test hole

Calculate the dry density of the soil in place as follows:

Dry density of soil =

b
m
1
100

Where, m is the moisture content determined as follows from the sample

taken at step (4-g.).

Mass of water
m
100
Mass of dry soil

Experiment No. 07(b)

Designation

ASTM:
D 698-70
AASHTO: T 99-97

Apparatus

Mold with detachable collar and detachable

base plate .
Rammer with a mass of 2.5-kg. (5.5lb)
Weighing Balance
Drying oven .
Straightedge for trimming the soil
Sieve No. 4 (4.75-mm.)
Containers for moisture content
determination

Apparatus

Compaction mold and hammers

Procedure

Take 3-kg. soil passing 4.75-mm. (No.4) sieve .

Thoroughly mix the selected sample with sufficient

water to dampen it to approximately 4-percent below
the expected optimum moisture content .

Compact the soil in the mold with collar attached, in

three approximately equal layers to give a total
compacted depth of 125-mm. (5-in) .

Following compaction of each of the first two layers,

any soil adjacent to the mold walls that has not been
compacted or extends above the compacted surface
shall be trimmed and be evenly distributed on top of
the layer

Procedure

Compact each layer by 25 uniformly distributed blows

of the rammer dropping free from a height of 305-mm.
(12-in.) above the level of the soil .

After compaction, remove the collar, trim the

compacted soil even with the top of the mold, and
determine the weight of mold and soil in kilograms or
pounds .

For weight recorded in kilograms, multiply the weight

of the compacted specimen and the mold, minus the
weight of the mold, by 1060, and record the result as
the wet density of the compacted soil, b in kilograms
per cubic meter .

Procedure

For weight recorded in pounds, multiply the weight of

the compacted specimen and the mold, minus the
weight of the mold, by 30, and record the result as wet
density of the compacted soil, b, in pounds per cubic
foot .

Remove the material from the mold and take a

representative sample to find the moisture content

Thoroughly break the molded specimen and add to

remaining portion of the test sample .

Add water to increase the moisture content of the soil

by one to two percent and repeat the above procedure
for each increment of water added

Procedure

Continue this series of determinations until there

is either a decrease or no change in the wet
density of compacted soil .

If the soil particles are fragile and grain size will be

reduced by repeated compaction, separate and
new sample shall be used in each test repetition

Calculate the moisture content and the dry density

of the compacted soil for each trial, and determine
the Moisture-Density Relationship as follows .

Moisture-Density
Relationship
The dry densities of the soil shall be plotted as

ordinates and the corresponding moisture content

as abscissas .

Dry
density

d max

mopt
Water content

Procedure

OptimumMoistureContent:
The moisture content corresponding to the peak of
the moisture-density curve is termed the
Optimum Moisture Content of the soil.

MaximumDensity:
The dry density of the soil at optimum moisture
content is termed maximum density

Observations & Calculations

Observationsformoisturecontentdetermination
Test repetitions
Test data

Row -1

weight of can + wet soil

Row -2

weight of can + dry soil

Row -3

Wt. of water
(row.1-row.2)
(gm)

Row -4

weight of can, (gm)

Row -5

weight of dry soil, (gm)

(row.2-row.4)

Row -6

Moisture content, m%
(row.3/row.5)

Observations & Calculations

ObservationsfordeterminationofDensity=Weight/Volume(kg/m3)
Test repetitions
Test data

Row -1

Wt. of water added for each trial

Row -2

Moisture content, m%

Row -3

weight of soil + mold, (gm)

Row -4

weight of mold, (gm)

Row -5

weight of soil (gm) [kg]

(row.3-row.4)

Row -6

Wet density (kg/m3)

Row.5*1060

Row -7

Dry density (kg/m3)

Graph

Experiment No. 07(b)

Designation

ASTM:
D 1557-70
AASHTO: T 180-97

Apparatus

Mold with detachable collar and detachable

base plate .
Rammer 4.54-kg. (10-lb.)
Weighing Balance
Drying oven .
Straightedge for trimming the soil
Sieve No. 4 (4.75-mm.)
Containers for moisture content
determination

Apparatus

Compaction mold and hammers

Procedure
All the steps are same as in Standard
Proctor Compaction Test except;

Mould will be filled in five (5) equal layers instead of

three(3).

Weight of the Rammer used will be 4.54 kg (10lb)

instead of 2.5kg (5.5lb).

Height of drop of the Rammer will be 18-in instead of

12-in.