PROCTOR TEST

BS 1377-4 (1990)

There are three types of compaction tests:

1. Light manual compaction test. 2.5 kg rammer is used.
2. Heavy manual compaction test. Same to light manual but gives a much greater degree of
compaction by using a 4.5 kg rammer with a greater drop on thinner layers.
 For both these tests a compaction mould of 1L internal volume is used in which all
particles passes on 20 mm test sieve. If there is limited amount of particles up to 37.5
mm size, equivalent tests are carried out in the larger CBR mould.
3. Use of vibrating hammer, intended mainly for granular soils passing 37.5 mm sieve with
no more than 30 % retained on a 20 mm sieve. It is also compacted in a CBR mould.

For soils containing particles not susceptible to crushing, one sample is required, while soils
containing particles susceptible to crushing, it is necessary to prepare separate batches of soil
at different moisture contents.
Apparatus:
 Test sieves, 63mm, 37.5mm & 20mm.
 Balances readable to 5g and 1g.
 Mould, 1L / CBR mould.
 Rammer, 2.5 / 4.5 kg.
While using grading zone 2, the amount of material retained on 20mm sieve should be
removed and weighed then the test will run in 1L mould. Alternatively, if we don’t want to
remove the plus 20mm material, a CBR mould should be used.

TABLE FOR PROCTOR TEST

Min. %age passing

Sieves Min. Sample Type of
Grading Type of No. of No. of
Weight Mould
Zone Rammer Layers Blows
20 mm 37.5 mm (kg) Used

1 100% 100% 2.5 3 27

6 / 15 1L
2 95 100 4.5 5 27

3 70 100 2.5 3 62

4 70 95 15 / 40 CBR 4.5 5 62

Vibrating
5 70 90 3 300-400N
Hammer

The last layer surface should not be more than 6 mm proud of the upper edge of the
mould body.