COMPACTION OF SOIL

Dr. Sanku Konai

Assistant professor-CE-NITD
 In-situ soils used as:
 Bases for the construction of highway pavements
 embankments or leveling material for construction projects

 Compacted to improve their density: M/V

 improves the soil’s strength
 lowers it’s permeability
 reduces future settlement

2
Soil compaction is defined as the method of mechanically
increasing the density of soil by reducing volume of air.
(Densification of soil by applying mechanical energy)

Load
gsoil (2) > gsoil (1)

Air
Air

Water Water
Soil
Matrix Compressed
soil
Solids Solids

W WT1
gsoil (1) = V T1 gsoil (2) =
T1 VT2
Compaction: Compaction is a rapid artificial process of
reduction of volume of a partially saturated soil by applying
mechanical means such as rolling, tamping, vibration, while
the volume decreases due to expulsion of air from the voids
of soil at the unaltered water content.

Compaction
Why Soil Compaction:
1- Increase Soil Strength
2- Reduce Soil Settlement
3- Reduce Soil Permeability
4- Reduce Frost Damage
5- Reduce Erosion Damage

Factor Affecting Soil Compaction:

1- Soil Type
2- Water Content (wc)
3- Compaction Effort Required (Energy)
Types of Compaction : (Static or Dynamic)

1- Vibration
2- Impact
3- Kneading
4- Pressure

Water is added to lubricate the contact

surfaces of soil particles and improve the compressibility of
the soil matrix
Soil Compaction in the Field:

5- Sheep foot Roller

1- Rammers

2- Vibratory Plates

6- Dynamic Compaction

3- Smooth Rollers

4- Rubber-Tire
 LABORATORY COMPACTION TEST

Objective:
 To determine compaction characteristics by soil sample by
using standard proctor compaction test

Introduction:
 From pre-historic times, builders have recognised the
importance of compacting soil to produce a strong,
settlement free, water resistant mass.
This densification of soil occurs due to reorientation of
particles.
The energy consumed in this process is supplied by the
compactive effort of the compacting device.
There is a definite relationship between maximum density
to which soil is compacted and the moisture content of the
soil during compaction.
R. R. Proctor (1930) devised a test by which it is possible
to determine in laboratory the moisture content that will give
maximum density, with the selected expenditure of energy.
Soil particles adsorb a film of water when added to dry soil.
On further addition of water, these film get thicker and permit
soil particles to slide over each other easily. This is called
lubrication.
Because of lubrication, the addition of small amount of
water to dry soil aids the compaction process up to a certain
point. Additional water replaces air from soil voids.
But after a relatively high degree of saturation, the water
occupies the space which could be filled by soil particles.
Therefore, there is an optimum amount of mixing water for
a given soil (optimum moisture content) and compaction
process, which will give maximum mass of soil per unit
volume (maximum dry density)
Standard proctor
mould with base
plate and collar
Standard proctor rammer

Moisture cans Straightedge

Oil

Measuring cylinder Metal trays

Weighing balance
Drying oven
Proctor mould

Typical mould for compaction

Typical metal rammer for compaction test
 Comparison as per IS: 2720 (part VIII)
Test No. of No. of Height of Weight of Volume, Compaction
blows layers fall, cm rammer, Kg cc energy, kJ/m3

Standard proctor test 25 3 31 2.6 1000 593

Modified proctor test 25 5 45 4.89 1000 2698

Compactive energy, For Standard Proctor test,

n  N mg h  2.6  9.81 

25  3  0.31 m    kN
E  1000 
V E  593 kJ / m 3

(1000 10 6 ) m3
Where, E = compactive
energy; n = No. of layers; N = For Modified Proctor test,
No. of blows; h = height of  4.89  9.81 
fall; m = mass of rammer; and 25  5  0.45 m    kN
V = volume of mould. E  1000   2698 kJ / m 3
6
(1000 10 )m 3

- Compactive energy delivered in modified Proctor test is 4.5 times of that

delivered in standard Proctor test.
Apparatus and accessories required:
Standard proctor mould with base plate and collar
Standard proctor rammer
Metal trays
Weighing balances of 1 g accuracy and 0.01 g accuracy
Trowels
Extractor jack
Measuring cylinder (500 cc)
Moisture cans
Extractor jack
Scraper (straight edge)
Oil or grease
Oven to dry the soil samples
 Testing procedure for Standard Proctor test:
1. Note the dimensions of the mould collar and base plate.
2. Take the empty weight of the mould i.e. without the collar
and the base plate
3. Apply a thin layer of grease on the inner side of the
mould and affix it to the base plate by means of wing
nuts provided.
4. Place collar on the mould.
5. Take about 3000 gm of air- dry soil passing through sieve
size 4.75 mm in a tray.
6. Note the hygroscopic moisture content of the soil.
7. Add approximately 4% water to the soil in a tray, mix
thoroughly with trowel and cover it with moist cloth.
8. To determine Proctor density:
a) Place soil in the mould in 3 layers 50 mm thick each
in a loose state
b) Give 25 blows to each layer using proctor rammer
c) Scrap the top surface of the layer before placing the
next layer of loose soil
d) Remove collar, trim the soil with a straight edge,
disconnect the mould from base plate and weight it.
9. Take two samples one from top and other from bottom of
the mould for moisture content determination
10. Extrude the compacted sample from the mould, break it
in to original size. Add another 3-4% of water and repeat
step 7 to 10.
11. Continue the operations until a decrease in the weight of
a soil is observed for at least two successive readings
12. Draw a plot of moisture content versus dry density and
determine the maximum dry density and optimum
moisture content.
13. On the same graph, plot constant degree of saturation
lines for 100%, 90%, 80% degree of saturation and
estimate the degree of saturation corresponding to
maximum dry density
Specimen calculations for standard proctors test :
 Proctor cylinder details:
 Diameter =10 cm
 Height = 12.73 cm
 Volume = 1000 cc
 Proctor rammer details:
 Standard proctor rammer = 2.6 kg
 Drop = 31 cm
 No of blows = 25, No of layers = 3
 Empty weight of proctor mould = 2300 g
 Moisture content determination
Wet Average Degree
Wet
wt. Of Wet moistur Dry of
Trail weight Void
soil + density, Wet Wt of e density saturat
no of soil, Dry soil Moistur Ratio, e
mould, g/cc Can no soil + empty content, , g/cc ion , S,
g + can, g e%
g can, g can, g % %

460 61.73 59.81 35.60 7.93

1 3700 1400 1.4 7.50 1.302 0.920 20.3
436 58.53 57.21 38.12 7.07

470 66.30 63.50 36.40 10.33

2 3859 1559 1.559 10.90 1.405 0.779 34.9
324 63.84 61.21 38.29 11.47

311 77.06 72.04 39.55 15.45

3 3995 1695 1.695 15.04 1.473 0.697 53.9
420 73.51 68.78 36.45 14.63

378 71.42 66.08 37.30 18.55

4 4053 1753 1.753 19.72 1.464 0.707 69.73
69.16 34.94
192 76.31 20.89
5 5
33.65
397 78.41 70.06 22.93
0
5 4017 1717 1.717 23.53 1.389 0.799 73.6
249 71.53 64.38 34.75 24.13
1. Wet wt. of soil + mould: 3995 g
2. Wet weight of soil: 3995 – 2300 = 1695 g
(weight of empty mould = 2300g)
3. Wet density = 1695/1000 = 1.695 g/cc
4. Water content = (wt. of water/ wt. of solids)×100
=(73.51-68.78)/(68.78-36.45 )×100
= (4.73/32.33)×100 = 14.63%
 wet
   (w= moisture content)
5. Dry density = 1 w
dry g / cc

= 1.695/(1+0.1504)
= 1.473 g/cc
6. Void ratio = G= 2.5
G. w (determined
e 1 using specific
dry
gravity test)
Gw
7. Degree of saturation (S)%: S x100
e
 17

Graph of standard proctor test

OMC= 17% , MDD= 1.48 g/cc
 Compaction curves for Standard and Modified Proctor tests
- Increase in compactive effort results in increase in maximum dry
density and decrease in optimum moisture content.
 At a particular moisture content, the maximum possible dry
density can be obtained from compaction curve; and achieved
degree of saturation and percentage air voids can be
estimated using the following equations.

d 
G w (1  n a )Gw
wG d 
1 1  wG
S

 Again, from the above equations, at a particular water

content for different degree of saturations or different %air
voids, the different dry densities can be theoretically estimated.
These are called theoretical maximum dry densities at
corresponding degree of saturations.
- Saturation lines for 100%, 80%, 70%, 60% degree of saturation
considering G = 2.5 and w = 15%.
Standard proctor test
S = 100% G w
d 
2.2
S=80%
2.1
wG
1
S=70%
S=60%
2

1.9
S
Dry density, g/cc

1.8
For Sr = 80%,
1.7

2.5 1
d 
1.6

0.15  2.5
1
1.5

1.4
0.8
 1.7 gm / cc
1.3

1.2
0 5 10 15 20 25
Moisture content, %
The condition of full saturation, when air in the voids is
completely expelled, is called the ‘Zero air-voids Saturation
condition’ or ‘100% saturation condition’. It is practically
impossible to achieve and only a theoretical concept.
The plot between water content and dry density for this
condition using theoretical equations is called the ‘Zero air-void
line’ or ‘100% saturation line’.

(1  n a )Gw Gw
d  For Zero air void, na = 0 d 
1  wG na = percent air void 1  wG
G w
d  Gw
1
wG For full saturation, S = 100% d 
S 1  wG
Where, ρd = Dry density, ρw= density of water, G = Specific Gravity,
w = Moisture content and S = Degree of saturation
 It must be noted here that except 100% saturation or zero
air void condition, the saturation line and air void line are
different.
 As for example, 80% saturation line and 20% air void line
are different.
At 15% water content and 80% degree of saturation,
G w 2.5 1
d  d   1.7 gm / cc
wG 0.15  2.5
1 1
S 0.8
At 15% water content and 20% air voids,

(1  n a )Gw (1  0.2)  2.5 1

d  d   1.45 gm / cc
1  wG 1  0.15  2.5
 Determination of zero air void line:

2.2

Standard proctor test

Equation of zero air void
2.1
Zero Air Void Line
line can be expressed as:
2

Gw
d 
1.9

1  wG
Dry density, g/cc

1.8

1.7

1.6

1.5 G= 2.5 (determined using

1.4 specific gravity test)
1.3 At w = 15%,
1.2
2.5 1
d   1.8 gm / cc
0 5 10 15 20 25
Moisture content, %

1  0.15  2.5
- Saturation lines for 100%, 80%, 70%, 60% degree of
saturation
Standard proctor test

2.2 S = 100%
S=80%
G w
2.1 S=70%
d 
S=60% wG
1
2

1.9
S
Dry density, g/cc

1.8

1.7

1.6

1.5
2.5 1
d   1.7 gm / cc
1.4
0.15  2.5
1.3 1
1.2
0.8
0 5 10 15 20 25
Moisture content, %
Typical Compaction Curve
 TEST PROCEDURE FOR MODIFIED PROCTOR TEST:
1. Note the dimensions of the mould collar and base plate.
2. Take the empty weight of the mould i.e. without the collar
and the base plate
3. Apply a thin layer of grease on the inner side of he mould
and affix it to the base plate by means of wing nuts
provided.
4. Place collar on the mould.
5. Take about 4000 gm of air- dry soil passing through sieve
size 4.75 mm in a tray.
6. Note the hygroscopic moisture content of the soil.
7. Add approximately 3% to 4% water to the soil in a tray,
mix thoroughly with trowel and cover it with moist cloth.
8. To determine Proctor density:
a) Place soil in the mould in 5 layers
b) Give 25 blows to each layer using modified proctor
rammer
c) Remove collar, trim the soil with a straight edge,
disconnect the mould from base plate and weigh it.
9. Take two samples one from top and other from bottom of
the mould for moisture content determination
10. Extrude the compacted sample from the mould, break it
in to original size. Add another 3-4% of water and repeat
step 7 to 10.
11. Continue the operations until a decrease in the weight of
a soil is observed for at least two successive readings
12. Draw a plot of moisture content versus dry density and
determine the maximum dry density and optimum
moisture content.
Specimen calculations for modified proctors test :
 Proctor cylinder details:
 Diameter =10 cm
 Height = 12.73 cm
 Volume = 1000 cc
 Proctor rammer details:
 Modified proctor rammer= 4.89 kg
 Drop = 45 cm
 No of blows = 25, No of layers = 5
 Empty weight of proctor mould = 2325 g
 Moisture content determination
Wet Degree
Wet Average
wt. of Wet Dry of
weight moisture Void
soil + density, Wt of density saturati
of soil, Can Wet soil + Dry soil + Moisture content, Ratio, e
mould, g/cc empty , g/cc on , S,
g no can, g can, g % %
g can,g %

518 51.172 50.480 36.2 4.85

3672 1347 1.347 5.00 1.282 0.948 13.1
333 50.60 49.75 33.25 5.15

33 54.689 53.160 33.03 7.60

3804 1479 1.479 7.40 1.377 0.815 22.68
396 60.98 59.435 38.010 7.20

251 58.100 56.415 38.96 9.65

3912 1590 1.590 10.00 1.445 0.729 34.26
20 57.35 55.32 35.7 10.35

415 56.421 54.115 35.7 12.52

4067 1742 1.742 13.11 1.540 0.623 52.58
224 60.638 57.615 35.56 13.71

19 60.861 57.27 36.27 17.10

4026 1701 1.701 16.2 1.463 0.708 57.21
323 54.07 51.63 35.68 15.30
1. Wet wt. of soil + mould: 3672 g
2. Wet weight of soil: 3672 – 2325 = 1347 g
(weight of empty mould = 2325g)
3. Wet density = 1347/1000 = 1.347 g/cc
4. Water content = (wt. of water/ wt. of solids)×100
=(51.172-50.480)/(50.48-36.2)
= (0.692/14.28)×100 = 4.85%
 wet
  
1 w
dry g / cc
5. Dry density: (w = moisture content)
= 1.347/(1+0.05)
= 1.282 g/cc
6. Void ratio: G= 2.5
G. w (determined
e 1 using specific
dry
gravity test)

7. Degree of saturation(S)%:

Gw
S x100
e
 OMC= 13.8 % ,MDD= 1.54 g/cc

1.6 0.55

0.6
1.55

0.65
1.5

0.7
Dry density, g/cc

Void ratio, e
1.45
0.75

1.4
0.8

1.35 0.85

0.9
1.3

0.95
1.25
0 5 10 15 20
Moisture content, %
 Determination of zero air void line:

Zero air void line zero air void line can be

2.45
expressed as:
Modified proctor test
Gw
d 
2.25

2.05
1  wG
Dry density, g/cc

1.85
G= 2.5 ( determined using
specific gravity test)
1.65 At w = 10%,

2 .5  1
d 
1.45

1  0.1 2.5
 2 gm / cc
1.25
0 5 10 15 20
Moisture content, %
- Saturation lines for 100%, 80%, 70%, 60% degree of saturation

2.45
G w
d 
S=100%

S=80%
wG
2.25 S=70% 1
S=60% S
Modified proctor test
2.05
Dry density, g/cc

1.85

2.5 1
d 
0.10  2.5
1.65

1
1.45 0.6
 1.764 gm / cc
1.25
0 5 10 15 20
Moisture content, %
NOTE: If the %retained on 4.75 mm IS sieve is more than
20%, a larger mould is used for both Standard and Modified
Proctor tests. In that case, 56 number of blows are required
on each layer instead of 25 blows. Rest of the procedure is
same.

Small mould Larger mould

Diameter = 100 mm Diameter = 150 mm

Effective height = 127.3 mm Effective height = 127.3 mm

Inner volume ≈ 1000 cc Inner volume ≈ 2250 cc

No. of blows on each layer = 25 No. of blows on each layer = 56

Number of layers (SPT) = 3 Number of layers (SPT) = 3

Number of layers (MPT) = 5 Number of layers (MPT) = 5

 Factors affecting compaction
1) Water content

2) Amount of compaction

3) Type of soil

4) Method of compaction

5) Admixtures
 Effect of compaction on properties of soil
1) Soil structure

2) Permeability

3) Swelling

4) Pore water pressure

5) Shrinkage

6) Compressibility

7) Shear strength
 Methods of Field Compaction
1) Tampers

2) Rollers

- Smooth wheeled rollers

- Pneumatic-tyred rollers

- Sheep-foot rollers

3) Vibratory compactors
Smooth wheeled roller
Sheep-foot roller

Pneumatic-tyred roller Vibratory roller