1-)

Mass of mould
2925 3095 3150 3125 3070
+ wet soil (g)

Water content
10 12 14,3 16,1 18,2
(%)

Volume of mould = 1000 mL; Mass of mould = 1000 g

Specific gravity of solids = 2.70
(i) Find the compaction curve showing the optimum moisture content and maximum dry
density
(ii) Plot the zero air void line
(iii) Determine the degree of saturation at the maximum dry density

γd, max = 1.89 g/cm3 and w = 0.135

1,89 x 9,81 = (Gs * 9,81)/(1+e )

e = 0,428 so Sr = Wn x Gs / e

Sr = 0,852 or %85,2
2–

×10-6 m3
mould volume, V= 950× Mould weight, M1= 2175 g
Calculation of total unit weight
1 2 3 4 5 6
Molud + wet soil(g) 3875 3945 4010 4061 4096 4091
wet soil weight (g)

Total unit weight (t/m3)

Calculation of water content

Weight of empty 66,7 57,4 60,9 56,7 53,1 61,9
container (g)
Weight of container + 139,9 132,9 135,9 131,9 123,9 133,9
soil (g)
dry soil + Weight of 132,9 124,8 126,9 121,9 113,3 121,7
container (g)

Weight of water (g)

Weight of dry solids (g)

Water content, w (%)

Dry unit weight (t/m3)

Find the compaction curve showing the optimum moisture content and maximum dry
density

1,2

0,8

0,6

0,4

0,2

0
0,1 0,12 0,14 0,16 0,18 0,2 0,22

γd, max = 1.71 g/cm3 and w = 0.16

 ×10-6 m3
mould volume, V= 950× Mould weight, M1= 2175 g
Calculation of total unit weight
1 2 3 4 5 6

Molud + wet soil(g) ( M2) 3875 3945 4010 4061 4096 4091

wet soil weight (g) (M2 - M1) 1700 1770 1835 1886 1921 1916

2,00418
Total unit weight (t/m3) 1,77824268 1,85146 1,91946 1,9728 2,00941
41

Calculation of water content

66,7 57,4 60,9 56,7 53,1 61,9

Weight of empty container (g)

139,9 132,9 135,9 131,9 123,9 133,9

Weight of container + soil (g)

132,9 124,8 126,9 121,9 113,3 121,7

dry soil + Weight of container (g)
7 8,1 9 10 10,6 12,2
Weight of water (g)

66,2 67,4 66 65,2 60,2 59,8

Weight of dry solids (g)
0,20401
0,10574018 0,12018 0,13636 0,15337 0,17608
Water content, w (%) 3378
ρn
ρk = 1,66458
(1 + w ) 1,60819215 1,65283 1,68912 1,71046 1,70857
6239
Dry unit weight (t/m3)

1,72
1,7
1,68
1,66
γk

1,64
1,62
1,6
0,1 0,12 0,14 0,16 0,18 0,2 0,22

Wn
 3- The following results were obtained from a standard compaction test on a soil:

The value of Gs is 2.67. Plot the dry density–water content curve, and give the
optimum water content and maximum dry density. Plot also the curves of zero, 5%
and 10% air content, and give the value of air content at maximum dry density. The
volume of the mould is 1000cm3.

γd, max = 1.83 g/cm3 and w = 0.15

Saturation line
Figure 14.3 illustrates the saturation line, or zero air voids line as it is
often called. It represents the dry densities that would be obtained if
all the air in the soil could be expelled, so that after compaction the
sample became fully saturated; this state is impossible to achieve by
compaction either in the laboratory or in the field, but with the
compactive efforts now available it is quite common for a soil to have
as little as 5% air voids after compaction.
BS 1377-4:1990 expresses the percentage air voids as the volume of air
in the soil expressed as a percentage of the total volume, rather than
as a percentage of the void volume. Hence 5% air voids does
not mean the same as 95% degree of saturation