College of Built Environment Prepared by:

Laboratory Manual Ainaa Solehah Binti Mohamed Nizar

FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING &

SURVEYING
BUILDING SURVEYING DEPARTMENT

BST110
MATERIAL PROPERTIES

MODUL 3: COMPACTION FACTOR

GROUP 1
PREPARED BY: AINAA SOLEHAH BINTI MOHAMED NIZAR
MATRIC NO: 2023841506
COURSE: CFAP1191C
College of Built Environment Prepared by:
Laboratory Manual Ainaa Solehah Binti Mohamed Nizar

LABORATORY TEST

REFERENCE:
BS1881: Part 103

OBJECTIVE:
Since it is primarily intended for use in laboratories, the compacting factor test can also be applied
in the field. It is often employed when concrete is to be compacted by vibration and is more
accurate and sensitive than the slump test. It is especially helpful for very low workability concrete
mixes. The technique works with lightweight, normal weight, or heavy aggregates with a nominal
maximum size of 38 mm or less when making plain, air-entrained concrete; it does not work with
aerated or non-fines concrete.

EQUIPMENTS:
- Compaction factor apparatus
- Weighing balance
- Mixing tray
- Trowels
- A tamping rod
- Scoop
- Specimen mould

MATERIAL FOR THE CONCRETE MIXTURE:

- Aggregate
- Cement
- Sand
- Water
College of Built Environment Prepared by:
Laboratory Manual Ainaa Solehah Binti Mohamed Nizar

TEST PROCEDURE:

1. Mix concrete in a mixing tray

Diagram 1.1

2. Check inside that internal surfaces of the hoppers and cylinders are smooth, clean, and
damp but not wet. Close the two trap doors.

Diagram 2.1
College of Built Environment Prepared by:
Laboratory Manual Ainaa Solehah Binti Mohamed Nizar

3. Place the concrete sample carefully in the higher hopper using the scoop until the hopper
is filled to the rim. Allow the concrete to fall into the bottom hopper by opening the upper
tap door. Open the trap door of the bottom hopper immediately after the concrete has come
to rest and allow the concrete to fall into the cylinder.

Diagram 3.1 Diagram 3.2

4. Cut off the extra concrete that remains above the level of the cylinder's top by holding a
trowel in each hand and sliding one from each side over the top of the cylinder
simultaneously.

5. The outside of the cylinder shall then be clean. The above operation shall be performed at
a place free from vibration. Weigh the Partially compact concrete in the cylinder and
record its mass.

Diagram 5.1
College of Built Environment Prepared by:
Laboratory Manual Ainaa Solehah Binti Mohamed Nizar

6. Add concrete from the same sample using a scoop, place the concrete in six layers of
approximately equal depth and compact each layer using a tamping rod. Remove as much
entrapped air as possible to produce full compaction of the concrete by tamping each
layer with 25 strokes of the tamping rod.

Diagram 6.1

7. After the third layer is compacted, level with the top. Weigh the Full Dense Concrete in
the cylinder and record the mass.

Diagram 7.1
College of Built Environment Prepared by:
Laboratory Manual Ainaa Solehah Binti Mohamed Nizar

OBSERVATION OF RESULT
Mass of Empty Cylinder, W1= 4.30 kg
Mass of Empty Cylinder + Partially Compacted Concrete, W2= 18.76 kg
Mass of Partially Compacted Concrete= 14.46 kg
Mass of Empty Cylinder + Fully Compacted Concrete, W3 = 20.06 kg
Mass of Fully Compacted = 15.76 kg

Compacted Factor, CF = Partially Compacted Concrete

Fully Compacted Concrete
= W2 – W1
W3 – W1
= 18.76 – 4.30
20.06 – 4.30
= 0.92

For CF, please refer to the compacting factor table.

Compaction Factor Test Values Workability Applications

0.78 Very Low Vibrated concrete for roads

0.85 Low Mass Concreting

0.92 Medium RCC

0.95 High Highly Reinforced Concrete