Faculty: Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department: Department of Geotechnical & Transportations Engineering Title: COMPACTION TEST

1.0 INTRODUCTION Compaction of crushed aggregate/soil is a mechanical process by which the crushed aggregate/soil are placed closely by reducing the air voids. This is turn reduces the air voids and increased density but may also increase shear strength. The degree of compaction is measured in terms of the dry density of the crushed aggregate/soil. Increase in dry density of crushed aggregate/soil due to compaction mainly depends the moisture content and the compaction effort. It is found that with the increase moisture content at a given amount of compaction to density of crushed aggregate/soil first increased and then decreases. There exists a moisture content which is called optimum content OMC at which the crushed aggregate/soil has maximum dry density. 2.0 OBJECTIVE To determine the optimum moisture content (OMC) and maximum dry density of the given crushed aggregate/soil sample using modified proctore compaction test. 3.0 APPARATUS 1. 2. 3. 4. Molds having internal diameter of 152.4 0.66 mm and a height of 116.43 0.127 mm and capacity 2124cm3 Mechanically operated metal rammer capable of freefall 457 mm weighing 4.54 kg and of diameter 50.8 mm Steel straight edge having beleved edge for trimming top of the specimen. Other accessories include moisture container, balances of capacity 10 kg and 200 g: oven , sieves and mixing tools, ect.

Faculty: Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department: Department of Geotechnical & Transportations Engineering Title: COMPACTION TEST 4.0 PROCEDURE 1. 2. Thoroughly mix the selected representative sample with sufficient water dampen it to approximately four percentage points below the OMC. Form a specimen by compacting the prepared crushed aggregate/soil in the mold in five approximate layers to give a total compacted depth of about 127 mm each layer being compacted 56 uniformly distributed blows. Remove the extension collar, carefully trim the compacted crushed aggregate/soil using a straight Edge, and weigh the mold and wet soil. Remove the material from the mold and take a representative sample (not less than 100 g) to determine the moisture content. Repeat the procedure for four or five more samples with increased moisture (until 5% or 6% above the expected OMC)

3. 4. 5.

5.0

CALCULATION Dry Density (d) Weight of empty mould = W1 (gm) Weight of mold + wet sample = W2 (gm) Volume of mould = V Wet density = Dry density d =

W2 W1 (g/cm3) V
1+

Faculty: Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department: Department of Geotechnical & Transportations Engineering Title: COMPACTION TEST Water Content Weight of empty container = A Weight of container + wet crushed aggregate = B Weight of container + dry crushed aggregate = C Water content =

B-C C-A

x 100

Plot the dry density (d) Vs (w%) water content. Obtained the maximum dry density and OMC from the plotted curve. REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AASHTO T-180(1990). American Association of Testing Materials, ASTM D1557, 1990. Joseph E Baules Engineering Properties of Soils and their Measurement,McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1992. Nicholas J Garber & Lest A. Hoel, Traffic and Highway, PWS Kent Publishing, 1997.

Faculty: Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department: Department of Geotechnical & Transportations Engineering Title: COMPACTION TEST 6.0 FORMS AND CALCULATION

Water Content % Dry Density, ( d ) Weight of empty mould = W1 (gm) Weight of mould + wet sample = W2 (gm) Volume of mould = V

W2 W1 = g/cm3 V Dry density d = 1 +

Wet density = Weight .of empty container = A Weight. of container + wet crushed aggregate = B Wt. of can + dry crushed aggregate = C

Water Content =

B-C C A

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