EXPERIMENT TITLE : STANDARD PROCTOR

TEST

OBJECTIVES :
1. To determine the relationship between the moisture
content and the dry density of as soil.

THEORY :
The Proctor compaction test is a laboratory method of
experimentally determine the optimal moisture content at
which a given soil type will become most dense and achieve its
maximum dry density. The term proctor is in honor of R.R
Proctor, who in 1933 showed that the dry density of a soil for a
given compactive effort depends on the amount of water the
soil contains during soil compaction. His original test is most
commonly referred to as the standard proctor compaction test,
later on, his test was updated to create modified proctor
compaction test .
Compaction is the process by which the bulk density of an
aggregate of matter is increased by driving out air. For any soil,
for a given amount of compactive effort , the density obtained
depends on the moisture content. At very high moisture
contents the maximum dry density is achieved when the soil is
compacted to nearly saturation, where all the air is driven out
at low moisture contents, the soil particles interfere with each
other, addition of some moisture will allow greater bulk
densities, with a peak density where this effect begins to be
counteracted by saturation of the soil.

APPARATUS :
a) Molds
b) Manual rammer
c) Extruder
d) Balance
e) Drying oven
f) Mixing pan
g) Trowel
h) Moisture cans
i) Graduated cylinder
j) Ruler

PROCEDURE:
1) The soil was pulverized and run it though the sieve 4.75mm.
2) The weight of the mould and plate without collar was
determined and recorded.
3) The weight of soil sample (3kg) was determined and
recorded.
4) The amount of initial water was computed to add by the
following method.
a) Water content was assumed for the first test to be 8%.
b) Water to add from following equation was computed.
Water to add (in ml) = soil mass in gram (8/100)
A gram of water is equal to approximately one millilitre of
water was noted.
5) The water was measured and added it to the soil. Then, it
was mixed into the soil using trowel until the soil gets a
uniform colour. The soil was divided into 3 parts.
6) The compaction mould was assembled to the base; the soil
was placed in the mould and the rammer was dropped for 27
times. Another 2 part of soil in the mould was compacted.
7) The last compacted layer must extend slightly above collar
joint. If the soil is below the collar joint at the completion of
the drops, the test must be repeated.
8) The collar was removed and the compacted soil was trimmed
carefully using trowel.
9) The compacted soil weight while it is in the mould and to the
base and the mass was recorded. The wet mass on the soil
by subtracting the weight of the mould and base was
determined.
10) The soil from the mould was removed using a extruder
and the soil moisture content samples was taken from the
top and bottom of the specimen.
11) The soil specimen on the large tray was placed and the
soil was break up until it appears visually as if it will pass
through the sieve (4.75mm). 6% more water was added
based on the original sample mass. Step 6 through 10 was
repeated based on wet mass. The value followed by two
slightly lesser compacted soil mass was peaked.

RESULT :
Specific gravity of soil sample, Gs : 2.67
Volume of mould, v: 9.958 x 10^-4
Compaction
Test
1
2
Moisture content percentage
8
6
(%)
Mass of mould + base plate
3.705 3.705
(kg)
Mould + base plate +
5.428 5.679
compacted soil (kg)
Mass of wet compact soil (kg) 1.723 1.974
Moisture content
No. Container moisture
B3
B7
content
Mass of empty container (g)
29.4
9.8
Mass of container + wet soil
72.6
81.4
(g)
Mass of container + dry soil
69.0
73.0
(g)
Mass of water (g)
3.6
8.4
Moisture content, w%
9.09
13.29
43.38 71.90
Wet density () (kg/m)

3
6

4
6

3.705

3.705

5.742

5.637

2.037

1.932

B6

J4

9.8
86.0

29.6
97.8

73.0

84.0

13.0
20.57
76.52

13.8
25.37
68.49

63.47

54.63

= mass of wet soil /

volume of mould
Dry density soil ( )(kg/m
)
= /1+w

39.77

63.47