88 Introduction to soil mechanics laboratory testing * 2167, “Standard ‘Test Method for Density and Unit Weight of Soil in Place by the Rubber Balloon Method” * D292, “Standard Test Methods for Density of Soil and Soil-Aggre- gate in Place by Nuclear Methods (Shallow Depth)’ + 52967, “Standard Test Method for Density of Soil in Place by the Drive-Cylinder Method” ‘+ D3017, “Standard Test Method for Water Content of Soil and Rock in Place by Nuclear Methods (Shallow Depth)” * 4564, “Standard Test Method for Density of Soil in Place by the Sleeve Method” * 15080, "Standard Test Method for Rapid Determination of Percent Compaction” +5195, “Standard Test Method for Density of Soil and Rock In-Place at Depths Below the Surface by Nuclear Methods” * 5220, “Standard Test Method for Water Content of Soil and Rock In-Place by the Neutron Depth Probe Method” 4.1 Compaction test 4.1.1 Introduction During compaction operations, the amount of water in the soil plays an important role. For a given compaction energy, the increase in water content helps in achieving a tighter arrangement of soil particles. This improvement reaches its peak above 85% saturation, and any further increase in the ‘compaction water content has a detrimental effect and the compaction unit weight decreases (Bardet 1997; Holtz and Kovacs 1981). That is, the final dry unit weight of a given soil depends on the water content during com- action, The water content at which the soil has the maximum dry unit Weight is called the optimum water content (w,,). The optimum water content indicates the amount of water needed to achieve the maximum dry unit ‘weight (Yaga) for a given soil compacted at a certain mechanical energy (Figure 4.1), The Proctor compaction test (originally developed by R. Proctor in 1933; Lambe 1951) serves as a standard for field compaction in the geo- technical engineering practice. The two most commonly used methods for determining the moisture~density relationships of a soil are the ASTM standard D698, “Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Compaction Char- acteristics of Soil Using Standard Effort,” and the ASTM Standard D1557, “Standard ‘Test Methods for Laboratory Compaction Characteristics of Soil Using Modified Effort.” They differ in the amount of mechanical energy imparted to the soil during the compaction process. The modified Proctor test is used to determine the optimum water content for a partic- ular soil when greater densification is required. In this chapter, only the standard Proctor test (ASTM Standard D698 — method A or B) will be described.Chapter 4: Soil construction and field inspection 89 100% (zero-2t-void Kine) 85% Dry unit weight N/m 0 5 10 15 20 25 4 ater conten (8) Figure 4.1 Typical compaction results. Equipment * Cylindrical metal mold: Diameter 101.6 mm (4.in.) and height 116.4 mm (4584 in.) The mold has a total volume of 9.44 x 10° mun? (576 in). The mold must have a metal base plate and an extension collar. Both plate and collar should be firmly attached to the cylindrical mold. (See ASTM Standard D698 for details.) + Standard compaction drop hammer (24.4 kN weight, 300 mm height of drop, and 50 mm diameter face). Sieves: 19.0 mm (3/4 in.), 95 mm (3/8 in), and 4.75 mm (No. 4). Balance with 1 g precision. Drying oven (110 + 5°C) ‘Tin cans for the determination of moisture content. Straightedge to trim the top of the compacted specimen. Miscellaneous tools: spatulas, mixing pans, spoons, trowels, caliper, squeeze bottles, and so forth. ‘+ Specimen extruder (optional). Procedure ‘The procedure is outlined in ASTM Standard D698: 1, Break up the dry soil specimen until approximately 3000 g pass through sieve No. 4 (Figure 4.2). It is important that soil specimens20. Introduction to soil mechanics laboratory testing Figure 42 Pass 3000 g of soil specimen through sieve No. 4, from compaction tests not be reused in other tests due to possible particle crushing during the compaction process. 2. Determine and record the mass of the air-dry soil specimen (My). 3. Take a small sample and determine the initial water content (w) of the soil in the air-dried stat. 4. Knowing the initial water content of the soil, compute the amount of water necessary to bring five different soil samples to water contents, bracketing the optimum water content. Different soils have different optimal water contents for a given compaction effort. Review typical data for different soils to decide the range of water contents to be used in your compaction test (eg., for standard compaction efforts: sand to 10%, sandy silt wy =8 to 12%; silt w= 11 to 15%, and clay 13 to 21%, as recommended by McCarthy 2002). One soil specimen should be compacted at approximately the optimum water content, two should be compacted at water contents dry of optimum. (w < wg), and two should be compacted at water contents wet of optimum (w > w,,). Water content increments should not exceed 4%. 5. ‘Thoroughly mix the required amount of water with each soil speci- men (Figure 4.3) and seal the soil in a tightly covered container or two plastic bags to allow the water to be evenly distributed through- out the soil in accordance with the suggested times listed in Table 4.1. 6. Record the mass (M,), diameter (d), and height (i) of the compaction mold (Figure 4.4) 7. Place the mold and collar assembly on a solid base. Fill approximately one half of the mold height with soil and compact the soil with the standard hammer by applying 25 blows. Spread the blows equally on the surface of the soil (Figure 4.5). Repeat the same for two moreChapter 4: Soil construction and field inspection 1 Figure 43 Mix the soil thoroughly after the water is added. layers. Make sure that the final level of compacted soil in the exten- sion collar is slightly above the level of the mold. 8. Remove the collar and cut the extra soil in the mold with a cutting edge (Figure 4.6), 9. Record the mass of the mold plus the compacted soil (Mj... 10. Remove the specimen from the mold using the extruder. Separate two small samples of this soil for water content (w) determination. 11, Repeat steps 6 through 10 for the other specimens, each mixed to increasing water content. 12. Repeat the experiment until the mass of the mold plus the compacted soil is less than (or equal to) the previous reading, Report Guidelines Calculate bulk unit weight: (41) Table 4.1 Required Standing Times of Moisturized Specimens (as Recommended by ASTM D698) Soiltypes Suggested standing time (R) Gravel and sands No requirement Gravelly and sandy silts 3 All other soils 162 Introduction to soil mechanics laboratory testing Figure 4.5 Compact the soil with the standard hammer. Spread the blows equally on the surface.Chapter 4: Soil construction and field inspection 9% Figure 4.6 Cut the extza soil in the mold with a cutting-edge tool. where g is the acceleration of gravity. The dry unit weight is : ues % (42) for each water content you tested (g =9.81 m/stis the acceleration of gravity), Plot a graph of water content w versus dry unit weight Y. Join the individual points with a smooth curve. This is the compac- tion curve (see Figure 4.1). Show the optimum water content and the maximum dry unit weight at the curve (see sample calculations), Find the zero-air-void unit weight for each water content (w) value. Then plot the zero-air-void curve on the same graph. This is the 100% saturation or zero-air-void line. The formula for zero-air-void unit weight is YG Yo TG (43) Questions 4.1 Study the section on compaction in a geotechnical engineering textbook.94 Introduction to soil mechanics laboratory testing 42. Review ASTM Standards D698 and D1557. What are the energies per unit Volume in the standard and modified compaction tests? 4.3. Sholld the maximum dry unit weight and optimum water content obtaihed from the modified compaction test be larger or smaller than the tiaditional compaction test? 44 Is the soil in the laboratory compacted in the same manner as the soil in the field? Should this make any difference? 45 Compare your results with typical data 46 Derive Equation 4.3. (Hint: Use the phase diagram presented in Chapter 2) 4.1.2 Saniple data and calculations ‘The data for the following example are presented in Table 4.2. The results are summarized in Figure 4.7. ‘Mass of the mold: M,, = 2.07 kg Volume of the mold: V = 0.000942 m° Calculations for specimen at 8% assumed moisture content (measured ‘water content w = 7.14) Water content: M,.-M, 909-865 we Mase Mase 199 = 998-958 1992 7:14% Mais 100 Bee a 100 = 7.4% Unit weight: y= Mana Mag = 3948-207 hg. g gy mt - 0,000942m‘ i: Dry unit weight: Zero air void 9181-265 RN _ Tedaga > 72186 at water content w = 7.14%Chapter 4: Soil construction ani field inspection 95 Table 42 Sample Data for Standard Proctor Compaction Test Jssumed Mas of wet Mass of day Mase of Calculated mouture salland¢an, sollandCay, Can aolture content, w (%) Myre (8) Mae (8) Mon (8) content, w (%) 8 00 860 300 74 0 no 60 200 1026 2 1130 1040 m0 225 rr 970 0 sa 186 6 160 100 520 1633 Calculated Mase maid Soil unit Dry ant moisture and soll, weg, welght, Zero ar woid content, w (‘%) Mus (kg) y(kKNim') a (KNim’) Yew (KNim) 7a 394 a7 38 21.86 1026 ‘3 241 iss 2058 1250 407 2083 1831 17 ss 402 2031 1788 1896 re 309 29 19 1826 3 : © Compaction dita e 5 — tex eine i on be e E Optimum =o 10 5 2 Moisture content Figure 4.7 Sample standard Proctor compaction curve and optimum moisture content and dry unit weight 41.3 Typical values Different soil types yield different optimum water contents and maximum unit weights for a given compaction effort (see Figure 4.8). Please note that for poorly graded sand, the Proctor test is not the recommended method for compaction. Poorly graded sand is more efficiently compacted using vibratory effort. For more information about vibratory compaction of soils, maximum and minimum void ratio, and relative density, please refer to ASTM D4253, “Standard Test Methods for Maximum Index Density and Unit Weight of Soils Using a Vibratory Table” and ASTM D4254, “Standard96 Introduction to soil mechanics laboratory testing 19 8 Zero ae-oldsline (Gssumed G,= 2.5) 16 15 © Sikyelay 8 Sandy cay © Chey san silt mi 18 Clayey le ‘ Sandy allt B Chayey sind Silty sand 6% 0 2 % 6 i 0 2 m 2 Moisture content, w [8] Dry unit weighty (N/m?) 4 Figure 48 Typical standard Proctor curves for different types of soil. (Data by B.Novoa-Martinez.) ‘Test Methods for Minimum Index Density and Unit Weight of Soils and Calculation of Relative Density.” 4.2 Field inspection 4.2.1 Introduction When working in the field, it may be necessary to determine the soil density and unit weight in a compacted fil to evaluate the quality of construction operations. If the soil has not reached the required percentage of the max- imum dry unit weight, further compaction may be necessary. The sand-cone method, rubber-balloon-density test, and nuclear density method (see Figure 4.9) are techniques used to determine the quality of compacted operations in fills and embankments or to evaluate the density of in situ soils. 4.2.1.1 Sand-cone test The sand-cone method is performed by removing a soil sample from the earth and measuring its weight (W). The volume (V) of the excavated soil is then determined by measuring the volume of fine sand required to fill the hole. The soil unit weight and dry unit weight are calculated by the following equations: