METHOD A11T

TENTATIVE METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE MAXIMUM

DRY DENSITY AND OPTIMUM MOISTURE CONTENT OF GRADED
CRUSHED STONE AND COHESIONLESS SAND BY MEANS OF VIBRATION
COMPACTION

1. SCOPE

In this method graded crushed stone or cohensionless sand are compacted by means of vibration
in order to determine the maximum density and optimum moisture content, as defined in Method
A7.

2. APPARATUS

2.1 A vibration table with amplitude of 1 +/- 0,5 mm and a frequency of 47 +/- 3Hz, capable of
having a compaction base plate bolted to it (see 5.1)

2.2 A compaction mould with detachable collar as described in Method A7, Subsection 2.1.

2.3 A compaction base plate of steel 12 +/- 2 mm thick, with clamps to hold the mould firmly in
position and capable of being firmly in position and capable of being firmly bolted to the
vibration table.

2.4 A surcharge weight of soft steel with a mass of 50 +/- 0,1 kg and a diameter of 150 +/- 1 mm,
with handle fastened to one end, and with a hole approximately 5 mm in diameter bored right
through the weight (see Figure A11T/1).

2.5 A ruler, at least 300 mm long and able to measure accurately to 0,5 m. The ruler must be
calibirated from one end.

2.6 A riffler with 37,5 mm openings for the crushed stone and 13,2 mm openings for the sand.

2.7 A round steel tamping rod approximately 450 mm long and with a diameter of 16 mm, with a
diameter of 16 mm, with one rounded end.

2.8 A balance capable of weighing up to 20 kg, accurate to 5 g.

2.9 A balance capable of weighing up to 2 kg, accurate to 0,1 g.

2.10 Basins approcimately 350 mm in diameter.

2.11 A mixing bowl at least 500 mm in diameter.

2.12 A small garden spade.

2.13 Suitable containers with lids for holding about 1 000 g of material for moisture content
determinations.

2.14 A drying oven, thermostatically controlled and capable of maintaining a temperature of 105 to
110C.

2.15 A water sprinkler.

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2.16 A metal measure 150 +/- 2 mm in diameter and 60 +/- 2 mm in diameter and 60 +/- 2 mm high,
made of steel at least 2 mm thick. All welding joints must be smoothed off on the inside of the
measure.

3. METHOD

3.1 Preparation

Sieve the sample through a 37,5 mm sieve and dispose of the material remaining on the sieve. If
particularly long aggregate chips are present, remove them or break them in half.

Air-dry the prepared sample and mix it thoroughly. Then divide it using a riffler with suitably
sized openings so that five basins of material containing approximately 7 kg each are obtained.

3.2 Mixing

Mix the material from one basin with enough water to bring it to approximately optimum
moisture content. On Form A11T/1 record quantity of water added. Allow the material to stand
for approximately 30 minutes covered with a wet cloth before compacting it. If the material was
very dry and the aggregate has absorbed a lot of water, it is preferable to allow it to stand for a
longer period, or even overnight. While one basin is being allowed to stand, the next basin of
material can be prepared in a similar way to give a moisture content above or below the
optimum, as described in Method A7.

3.3 Preparation of the mould

Screw or clamp the compaction base plate firmly to the vibration table. Place the compaction
mould and collar on top and ensure that both are firmly screwed into position.

Measure for height of the mould, i.e. the distance from the top of the base plate to the top of the
collar, at least three places on the inside of the mould, to an accuracy of 0,5 mm. Record the
average of these measurements as “a” on Form A11T/1.

The height of the surcharge weight must also be measured at three places to an accuracy of 0,5
mm, and the average of the measurements recorded as “b” on Form A11T/1.

3.4 Compaction

Mix the first basin of wet material thoroughly. Fill the material measure to overflowing with the
material from the basin and tap it two or three times on the floor or table top to consolidate the
material. Scrape off the excess material from the measure, empty it into the balance pan or a
tared basin and weigh the material. Note this weight. Cover the material in the basin with a wet
cloth. Pour the material into the compaction mould and tamp it ten times with material. Smooth
the surface of the material with the tamping rod.

Place the surcharge weight on the material and vibrate it for 2 min +/- 10 s. Remove the
surcharge weight carefully by lifting it slowly of the material with a circular motion to prevent
the material from being disturbed by air suction.

Using the ruler, measure the height from the top of the material in the mould to the top of the
mould. If the height is less than 100 mm, slightly less material shold be used for each of the
subsequent layers.

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 Compact a further two layers as described above. Use the same mass of material for each layer
as determined or slightly less if the layer thickness should be reduced. The operator should use
his discretion in this regard. The ideal is to have the final level with or slightly lower than the
top of the mould. After the third layer has been compacted, measure the height of the surchare
weight protruding above the collar at three positions accurately to the neares 0,5 mm. Record
the average of these measurements as “c” on Form A11T/1.

Remove the surcharge weight as described above, and remove the collar and mould from the
compaction base, taking care that the material does not slip out of the mould. Wipe the mould
clean of all water and material adhering to its outside and weigh it with the material accurately
to the nearest 5 g. Record the mass as “Mw” on Form A 11T/1. Determine and record the mass
of the clean, empty moul, “Mm”, in the same way.

3.5 Determination of the moisture content

Press or knock the compacted material out of the mould into a clean basin. Break up the lumps
that may have formed during compaction and take a representative moisture sampe of at least
500 g of sand or 1 000 g of graded, crushed stone from the material by digging into it at several
places with the small spade. Place the container and weigh it accurately the nearest 0,1 g (mass
m1). Dry it in an oven at 105 to 110C to constant mass, allow it to cool and weigh it again
(mass m2). Record these masses on Form A11T/1.

3.6 The determination of additional points on the moisture-density relationship curve

The method described above enables one to determine a single point on the moisture-density
relationship curve. The additional points are determined by compacting the contents of each of
the remaining four basins of prepared material at different moisture contents, following the
instructions given above. It is not necessary to measure the material with the metal measure
every time. The material can be weighed off by using the mass that filled the measure during
the first determination.

Once the second quantity has been compacted, the approximate dry densities of the two points
are calculated, using the quantity of water added. Plot these calculated dry densities against the
supposed moisture contents, determining in this way how mush water has to be added to the
third basin of material. The quantity of water to be added to the fourth and fifth basins of
material is determined in the same way so that points above and below the optimum are
obtained. The moisture contents are usually so chosen that they differ from one another by
approximately 1 per cent per mass of dry material.

4. CALCULATIONS

4.1 Moisture content

Calculate the moisture content of the material for every point to the nearest 0,1 per cent as
follows:

M1 – m2
M % = M2 – h x 100

Where

M = moisture content expressed as a percentage of the dry material

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 M1 = mass of container and wet material (g)

M2 = mass of container and dry material (g)

H = mass of container (g).

4.2 Calculate the volume of the material in the mould to the nearest 0,001 as follows (see 5.2):

Vm = ( 0,076).D.

= 0,01815 D

where

Vm = volume of the material (m)

D = height of the material (m)

= a+c–B
1 000

where

a = height of mould and collar (mm)

b = height of surcharge weight (mm)

c height of surcharge weight protruding after compaction (mm).

4.3 Calculate the dry density for every point to the nearest 1 kg/m as follows:

D = W
Vm (M + 100) x 100

Where

D = dry density of the material (kg/m)

Vm = volume of material (m)

M = moisture content of material (%)

W = mass of the wet material (kg)

= Mw –Mm
1 000

4.4 Moisture-density relationship

Plot the moisture contents as abscisae and the dry densities as ordinates on linear graph paper
(see Figure A7/2 in Method A7). The peak of the curve indicates theoptimum moisture content
and maximum densityof the material for the appropriate method of compaction (see 5.3).

4.5 Recording of results

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 Record the results as follows on suitable form:

Number and description of the sample:

Origin of the sample:
Maximum dry density (MDD) to the nearest 1 kg/m; and
Optimum moisture content (OMC) to the nearest 0,1 per cent.

If the results are needed for field density monitoring. Form A10(a)/1 in Method A10 may be
used.

5. NOTES

5.1 The vibration frequency is determined by measuring the speed of the electric motor taking into
account the pulley relationship if the motor is not coupled direct to the camshaft. Most vibration
tables have adjustable cam for controlling the amplitude. Since the amplitude may vary with the
frequency and the load on the table, the determination under test conditions must be done within
the first 30 seconds after commencement of the test.

5.2 The formula in 4.2 is only valid if the diameter of the mould is exactly 152 mm, i.e. if the radius
is 0,076 m. If the diameter deviates, the necessary alteration must be made to the formula.

5.3 Most cohesionless material reaches an optimum saturation point which approximately coincides
with the determined optimum moisture content. In such a case the surplus water is forced out of
the material during compaction and the MDD/OMC graph usually does not curve but remains
completely flat. The quantity of water added can be used to determine the turning point. The
maximum moisture content, however, does not play an important part with such material, and
the maximum density can be determined in any case, even if the graph does not curve.