PROCTOR COMPACTION

TEST
SOIL MECHANICS

SOIL MECHANICS LABORATORY

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA
SRI LANKA
Standard Proctor Compaction Test
General
The purpose of the standard Proctor compaction test is to determine the optimum water content and
the maximum dry density that can be achieved with a certain compaction effort. The relationship
between the moisture content and the density of the soil will be obtained in the process. Compaction
effort designed in this laboratory test is comparable with that obtained in the field. Compaction is the
process of increasing the bulk density of the soil or aggregate by driving out the air. For a given soil,
for a given amount of compaction effort, the density obtained depends on the moisture content.

Scope

The method given in this standard is based on the standard proctor compaction test. Soil is
compacted in a mould in three layers by dropping a 2.49 kg rammer a distance of 305mm.
(Alternatively dropping a 2.5 kg ramrner 300 mm). Dry density achieved by mixing soil with
different water contents were determined to obtain the maximum dry density and the corresponding
optimum moisture content.
There are four alternative procedures as listed below;
• A - With a 101.6 mm diameter mould for material passing 4.7.5 mm sieve,
• B - With a 152.4 mm diameter mould for material passing 4.7.5 mm sieve,
• C - With a 1-52.4mm diameter mould for material passing 19.0 mm sieve,
• D- With a 1·52.4 mm diameter mould for material passing 19.0 mm Sieve,
Corrected by replacement for material retained on a 19.0 mm sieve,

Methods A and B

With methods A and/or B no oversize correction is required unless the material retained in 4.75 mm
sieve is greater than 7%. In that case material retain in 4.75 mm sieve may be discarded. When
material retained on 4.75 mm sieve is greater than 7%, method C should be used.

Method C

With method C unless the material retained in 19.0 mm sieve is greater than 10%, no oversize
correction should be used. If the amount of material retained on 19.0 mm sieve is greater than 10%,
method D should be used.
Method D

Material retained on 19.0 mm sieve should be passed through 75 mm sieve. Material retained on 75
mm sieve shall be discarded. Material passing the 75 mm sieve and retained on the 19 mm sieve
shall he replaced with all equal amount of material passing a 19 mm sieve and retained 4.75 mm
sieve. Material for replacement shall be taken from the unused portion of the sample.

Apparatus
The following apparatus are required,
a) Moulds - There shall be cylindrical moulds conforming to the moulds described above. The
mould of diameter 101.6 mm shall have a height of 116.4 mm, and therefore will be of a volume
944 cm3.
The mould of 152.4 mm shall have a height of 116.4 mm, and therefore will be of a volume
2124 cm 3.
The moulds shall be fitted with a detachable base plate and a removable extension
approximately 50 mm high.
b) A metal Rammer - There shall be a metal rammer having a 50 mm diameter circular face, and
weighing 2.49 kg. The rammer shall be equipped with a suitable arrangement for controlling
the height of drop to 305mm. ( Alternatively there can be rammer of 2.5 kg weight with a drop
300 mm)
c) Balances - A balance readable and accurate to 1 g ( with a capacity 20 kg) and a balance
readable and accurate to 0.01 g,
d) Sieves - A 75 mm sieve, a 19 mm sieve and a 4.75 mm sieve.
e) Mixing tools - Miscellaneous tools such as mixing pan, spoon, trowel, spatula etc.
f) Metal tray - A large metal tray ( 600 mm X 500 mm and 80 mm deep),
g) Straightedge - A Steel straightedge, 300 mm long, 25 mm wide, and 3 mm thick with one
beveled edge,
h) Sample extruder - (Optional) An apparatus ( such as a jack) for extruding specimen from
the mould,
i) An oven - Thermostatically controlled oven to provide temperature 105 -110 Co,
j) Cans - Cans to take samples for moisture content determination,
Procedure

1. Obtain approximately 3 kg of air – dried soil in the mixing pan, break all the lumps so that it
passes the sieve given in method A, B, C and D

2. Add suitable amount of water (See Note 1)

3. Determine the weight of the empty mould without the base plate and the collar (M 1) to the
nearest 1g

4. Fix the collar and the base plate

5. Compact the moist soil in to the mould in three layers of approximately equal mass

(Each layer shall be compacted by 25 blows in the case of 101.6 mm diameter mould and 56

blows in the case of 152.4 mm diameter mould. Blows must be distributed uniformly over

the surface of each layer so that the rammer always falls freely. The amount of soil must be

sufficient to fill the mould, leaving not more than 6mm to be struck off when the extension is

removed. (Note 03))

6. Detach the collar carefully without disturbing the compacted soil inside the mould and using

a straight edge trim the excess soil leaving to the mould

7. Obtain the weight of mould with the moist soil (M2) after removing the base plate

8. Extrude the sample and break it to collect the sample for water content determination
preferably at least two specimens one near the top and other near the bottom

9. Weigh an empty moisture can, M3 and weigh again with the moist soil obtained from the
extruded sample in step 8 (M4)

10. Keep this can in the oven for water content determination

11. Repeat step 4 to 10. During this process weight M 2 increases for some time with the increase
in moisture and decreases thereafter. Conduct at least two trials after the weight starts to
reduce.
 12. After 24 hours get the weight of oven dried sample (M5)

Where; Computations

M1 is the mass of the mould and base, in kg The bulk density, ρ in kg/m3 of each
M2 is the mass of mould, base and soil, in kg compacted specimen shall be computed
3
V is the volume of the mould in m from the equation;

ρ = M2 – M1

Moisture content can be obtained from the equation;

w= M4 – M5

M4 – M3

Where w is the moisture content of the soil as a fraction.

ρd = ρ

(1 + w)
The dry densities ρ d, obtained in a series of determinations shall be plotted against the
corresponding moisture content, w. A smooth curve shall be drawn through the resulting points and
the position of the maximum on this curve shall be determined. Thus the maximum dry density and
the corresponding water content should be obtained from the graph.

Presentation of Results
The maximum dry density shall be reported to the nearest kg /m3, and the optimum moisture content
shall be reported to the nearest 0.01 % .

 Note 1 -
The amount of water to be added with air dried soil at the commencement of the test will vary with
the type of soil under test. In general, with sandy and gravely soil a moisture content of 4% to 6%
would be suitable, while with cohesive soils a moisture content of about 8% to 10% below the
plastic limit of the soil, would be usually be suitable.

 Note 2 -
It is important that the water is mixed thoroughly and adequately with the soil, since inadequate
mixing gives rise to variable test results. This is particularly important with cohesive soil when
adding a substantial quantity of water to the air dried soil.

With clays of high plasticity, or where hand mixing is employed, it may be difficult to distribute the
water uniformly through the air dried soil by mixing alone, and it may be necessary to store the mixed
sample in a sealed container for a minimum period of about 16 hours before continuing with the test.

 Note 3 -

It is necessary to control the total volume of the soil compacted; since it has been found that if the
amount of soil struck off after removing the extension is too great, the test results will be inaccurate.

 Note 4 -

The water added for each stage of the test should be such that a range of moisture contents is
obtained which includes the optimum moisture content. In general, increments of 1 % to 2% are
suitable for sandy and gravely soils and of 2% to 4% for cohesive soils. To increase the accuracy of
the test it is often advisable to reduce the increments of water in the region of the optimum moisture
content.
 Proctor Compaction Test – Specimen work sheet

University Of Moratuwa

Soil Mechanics Laboratory

Proctor Compaction Test Results

Averagem. c. and Dry
Moisture Content Sample 1 Moisture Content sample 2
Density
Trial M ass of M ass of M ass of M ass of M ass of M ass of M ass Bulk Dry
Moisture M ass of m. c 1 Moisture m. c 2 Ave. mc
M ould + Soil can No wet soil+candry soil+can wet dry of Density Density
No. Mould kg can (g) can No %
(kg) (g) (g) soil+can(g)soil+can(gcan (g) Kg/m3 Kg/m3
1 1.954 3.752 9 129.840 124.93 9.83 0.0427 k5 151.41 ) 145.47 9.17 0.0436 4.31 1904.66 1825.93

2 1.954 3.813 12 145.830 138.26 10.26 0.0591 er 164.72 156.46 27.42 0.0640 6.16 1969.28 1855.05

4 1.954 3.915 f 134.170 124.88 10.13 0.0810 f56 188.62 175.41 28.78 0.0901 8.55 2077.33 1913.66

5 1.954 4.018 g1 123.590 112.93 10.60 0.1042 h7 120.59 109.69 8.79 0.1080 10.61 2186.44 1976.71

6 1.954 4.036 g6 134.500 120.76 10.13 0.1242 h89 126.35 112.96 10.26 0.1304 12.73 2205.51 1956.47

7 1.954 4.033 78 123.590 110.38 8.21 0.1293 ki 125.15 111.22 9.55 0.1370 13.32 2202.33 1943.54

8 1.954 3.976 k 139.200 121.32 8.74 0.1588 kp 112.97 97.56 8.45 0.1729 16.59 2141.95 1837.20
Specimen Calculation

Consider set 2 (Trial number 2)

M ass of com pacted soil inside the mould
= 3.813 - 1.954= 1.859 kg
Volum e of the m ould = 944 cm3
Bulk density of the soil = 1.859/(944 x 10-6)
3
= 1969.28 kg/m

M oisture content Sample 1

M oisture content = M ass of w ater/m ass of dry soil
= (145.83-138.26)/(138.26-10.26)
= 0.0591

M oisture con lent Sample 2

M oisture content = M ass of water/ m ass of dry soil
= (164.72-156.46)/(156.46 - 27.42)
=0.0640

Average m oisture content = (0.0591+0.0640)/2.0

= 0.0616= 6.16%
Dry D ensity = 1969.28/(1
+0.0616)
= 1855.05 kg/ m3

Plot dry density against the m oisture content

The peak will give the m axim um dry density achieved
The corresponding m oisture content is the optimum m oisture content (om c)
Maximum Dry Density = 1978 kg/m3

Optimum moisture content = 11.0%