Experiment No.

7 Date: __ /__ / _____

COMPACTABILITY TEST

Aim: To study effect of water content on compactability of green sand.

Materials used: Base sand, clay and water.

Apparatus used: Sand rammer,Electronic weighing scale,measuring jar, specimen tube,

specimen tube cup, measuring scale

Theory:
Compactability is directly related to the performance of the sand in the molding operation and
detects the degree of temper in the sand mix. As the composition of the sand changes, the
moisture must change to maintain the desired molding characteristics, indicated by the
compactability level. High compactability would indicate voids on the vertical faces of the
mold. Low compactability would hinder the sand friability and subject to cuts and washes.

Procedure:
1. Take weighed proportions of sand dry mix them together for 3 minutes. Then add
requiredproportions of water and wet mix for another 2 minutes, to get a
homogeneous and mixture.
2. Fill the loose sand mixture into the standard specimen tube and ram thrice using sand
rammer.
3. Measure the height of compacted sand specimen.
4. Percentage decrease in height is measured of compactibility.
5. Test is performed by preparing specimens with fixed clay content (18%) and variable
water content (5 to 11%) in the sand
Figure 7.1 shows compactibility test.
 Fig.7.1: Compactibility test

Observations:

S.N Sand Clay Dextrin Water Percentage compactability

. kg % % %
1 2 3 4 5 Avg
1 3 5 40 37 39.1 - - 38.7
2 3 7 60 62.5 60.8 - - 61.1
3 3 18 2 9 53.3 58.33 54.1 - - 55.2
3 6
4 3 11 62.5 64.12 65 - - 63.87

Discussions:

Draw graph of percentage compactability v/s % clay content in sand. Discuss the effect of
clay content on percentage compactability of sand.

1) Increase in compactibility % is seen as water content increases (fig. 7.1)

2) This trend is seen because water ionizes the clay to make its binding action
stronger and thus they readily compact to a high density mold occupying all small water
as well.
Conclusions:
1) Maximum % compactibility is seen at 11% water with value of 63.86
2) Minimum % compactibility is seen at 5% water with a value of 38.72