A H M 531 Field Compaction test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

Reg.No:0002804 .
Title Of Project : (field unit
weight).
Group.No: S2 .
Date-Day: 2/12/2001 Sunday.

‫ﻣﺆﻣﻦ ﺗﻮﻓﻴﻖ اﺣﻤﺪ اﻟﻌﺘﻮم‬ 1 ATOOMUS

The Civil Engineering Center 1 Visit www.AHM531.com for more lecture notes and E-books!
A H M 531 Field Compaction test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

 Objective:
Know the important of the moisture content.
To determination of field unit weight of compaction by
sand cone method.

Theory:
Relative density =R.D=
γd field / γd lab

Definition:

Then this experiment uses To determination

of field unit weight of compaction by sand cone
method. (field method).

Uses:

To take good statement when we state to built or to

establish foundation.

To find the properties of soil.

‫ﻣﺆﻣﻦ ﺗﻮﻓﻴﻖ اﺣﻤﺪ اﻟﻌﺘﻮم‬ 2 ATOOMUS

The Civil Engineering Center 2 Visit www.AHM531.com for more lecture notes and E-books!
A H M 531 Field Compaction test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

Sample Identification:
we need in this experiment amount of sand which
put in the sand cone.

Equipment:

Container ( Moisture can).

Oven with temperature control.( 105°-110°).
This temperature (we should avoid higher temperature)
to save the organic material from burning.
Sand cone apparatus. This consists of a one-gallon
gass or plastic bottle with a metal cone attached to it.
Base plate.

One-gallon can with cap.

Tool to dig a small hole in the field.

‫ﻣﺆﻣﻦ ﺗﻮﻓﻴﻖ اﺣﻤﺪ اﻟﻌﺘﻮم‬ 3 ATOOMUS

The Civil Engineering Center 3 Visit www.AHM531.com for more lecture notes and E-books!
A H M 531 Field Compaction test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

Balance.

20-30 ottawa sand.

proctor compaction mold without attached extention.
steel straight edge.

GENERAL DISCUTION :
Compaction of a soil may be defined as the process of
closely packing the soil particle together by reducing the
air void in the system.this is achieved by repetitive
application of loads. Loads can be appliede staticly,
dynamically ,or through vibration. These loads act only for
a short duration. As result of compaction, the dry density
of the soil increases. Compaction should be distinguished
from consolidation. In the consolidation process, a load
acts for a long duration and expels the water from the
pores of saturated clay.
Compaction of a soil is an important process, as it
helps it to achieve certain physical properties necessary
for it’s proper behaviour under loads; as for example
proper compaction of a highway embankment, or an
earthen dam reduces the chances of it’s settlement,
increases the shear strength of the soil due to it’s
increased density and reduces the permeability of the soil.
Limits on the dry density that must be achieved by
compacting the subgrades of lightway or airports, from a
part of the specifications laid down by many highways and
airport agencies, for such construction jobs. Certain
design procedures for pavecified value of dry density
before a pavement desigened on the basis of these
‫ﻣﺆﻣﻦ ﺗﻮﻓﻴﻖ اﺣﻤﺪ اﻟﻌﺘﻮم‬ 4 ATOOMUS

The Civil Engineering Center 4 Visit www.AHM531.com for more lecture notes and E-books!
A H M 531 Field Compaction test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

procedures is laid on it. The group index method is an

example of such design procedures. Strength of the soil in
terms of the california bearing ratio can only be measured
after the soil has been compacted under specified and
controlled condition. All this emphasdises as to how
important it is to have a scientific approach to soil
compaction.
There are many factor that effective on thr compaction :
1. The moisture content of the soilk.
2. The mode and amount of compaction.
Compaction of soils in the field is a complex process,
as the soil for constraction is obtaind from the borrow pits
and it may or may not have the moisture content at which
it need be compacted for the embankment or the dam
under construction.

Procedure:
A- Laboratory Work:

determine the dry unit weight of the 20-30 ottawa

sand that will be used in the field. This can be done by
taking a proctor compaction mold and, using a spoon,
filling it wioth ottawa sand. Avoid any vibration or other
means of compaction of the wsand poured into the mold.
When the mold is full strike off the top of the mold with the
steel staight edge. Determine the weight of the sand in the
mold (W1). The dry unit weight of the ottawa sand can
then be given as : γd (sand) = W1/V1.
Where γd (sand) = dry unit weight of ottawa sand.
V1 = volume of proctor mold = 1/30 ft.

‫ﻣﺆﻣﻦ ﺗﻮﻓﻴﻖ اﺣﻤﺪ اﻟﻌﺘﻮم‬ 5 ATOOMUS

The Civil Engineering Center 5 Visit www.AHM531.com for more lecture notes and E-books!
A H M 531 Field Compaction test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

calibrate the cone. That is, we need to determine the

weight of the ottawa sand that is required to fill the cone.
This can be done as following: fill the one-gallon bottle
with ottawa sand. Determine the weight of the bottle +
cone + sand.(W2).close the value of the cone which is
attached to the bottle. Place the base plate on a flat
surface. Turn the bottle weith the cone attached to it
upside down, and place the open cone valve. Sand will
flow out of the bottle and gradually fill the cone. When the
cone is filled with sand, the flow of sand from the bottle will
stop. Close the cone valve. Remove the bottle and cone
combination from the base plate, and determinte is weight
(W3). The weight of sand necessary to fill the cone can
now be determined as : Wc = W2 – W3 .

Determin the weight of the gallon can without the cup

(W4).

before proceeding to the field, fill the one-gallon

bottle (with the sand cone attaced to it ) with sand. Close
the valve of the cone. Determine the weight of the bottle +
cone + sand (W5).

B-Field Work:

now proceed to the field with the bottle with the cone
attached to it ( filled with ottawa sand- step 4), the base
plat, the digging tools, and the one-gallon can with its cap.

place the base plate on a level ground in the field.

Under the center hole of the base plate, dig a hole in the
ground using the digging tools. The volume of the hole
should be smaller than the volume of the sand in the bottle
minus the volume of the cone.

‫ﻣﺆﻣﻦ ﺗﻮﻓﻴﻖ اﺣﻤﺪ اﻟﻌﺘﻮم‬ 6 ATOOMUS

The Civil Engineering Center 6 Visit www.AHM531.com for more lecture notes and E-books!
A H M 531 Field Compaction test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

remove all the loose soil from the hole, and put it in
the gallon can. Close the cop tightly so as not lose any

moisture. Be carful not to move the base plate.

Turn the gallon bottle filled with cone4 attached to it

upside down, and placve it on the center of the base plate.
Open the valve of the cone. Sand will flow from the bottle
to fill the hole in the ground and the cone. When the flow
of the sand from the bottle stops, close the valve of the
cone and remove it. Bringall the equipment back to the
laboratory. Determine the weight (W6) of the gallon can +
moisture soil from the field (without the cup ). Also,
determine the weight oe the bottle +can +sand after use
(W7). Put the gallon can with the moist soil in the oven tp
dry to a constant weight. Determine the weight of the can
+ oven-dry soil (W8).

Result & analysis:

Calculation:

Calibration of unit weight of ottawa sand:

1. Weight of sand in the mold, W1= 1330 g.
2. Volume of mold, V1 = 944 cm3
3. γd (sand) = W1 / V1 = 1330 / 944 = 1.409 g/cm3.

Calibration of con :
1) Weight of the sand which fill the cone, (Wc)= W2 –
W3 = 1710 g.
2) Weight of bottle + cone + sand(before use), (W5)
= 8000 g.
3) Weight of bottle + cone + sand(aftere use) = (W7)
= 4800 g.

‫ﻣﺆﻣﻦ ﺗﻮﻓﻴﻖ اﺣﻤﺪ اﻟﻌﺘﻮم‬ 7 ATOOMUS

The Civil Engineering Center 7 Visit www.AHM531.com for more lecture notes and E-books!
A H M 531 Field Compaction test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

4) volume of the hole = (W5 – W7 – Wc)/ (γd (sand)) =

( 8000 – 4800- 1710) / (1.409) = 1057.49 cm3 .
5) To find water content form that:
W(container) = 32.63 g.
W(container+ wet soil) = 91.3 g.
W(container + dry soil) = 82.68 g.
►(Moisture content) (W %) =
((91.3 - 82.68)/(82.68 –32.63))x100 = 17.2%g.
6) γw for soil=(weight of soil) /( volume of hole)
= (1570/1057) = 1.485g/cm3.
7) ► γd = (γw) / (1+(W%)/100)) =
(1.485) / (1+0. 17)=1.27 g/cm3.

Discussion & Conclusion:

Discuss the result:
Sand replacementr method:
The apparatus consists of a eylinder which copntains sand
graded between no. 25 & no. 52 B.S. sieves. A hole about
4 inches ( about 10 cm ) in diameter is cut into the soil
layer whose density is required. The cylinder with thew
sand is first vweighed and then it is placed over this hole
and the sand poured into the hole, so as to bring the sand
level flush with the edge of the hole. The cylinder of sand
is again weighed. The difference of weights before and
after pouring the sand gives the weight of the sand in the
hole. The volume of the sand is then calculated using the
bull density of the sand. This gives the volume of the hole
and hence the volume of the soil dug out of the hole. The
soil dug out of the hole is carfully preserved and it’s weight
and moisture content are determined. Knowing the weight.
Volume and the moisture content of the soil it’s dry density
can be found. This method can be used for any type of
soil.

‫ﻣﺆﻣﻦ ﺗﻮﻓﻴﻖ اﺣﻤﺪ اﻟﻌﺘﻮم‬ 8 ATOOMUS

The Civil Engineering Center 8 Visit www.AHM531.com for more lecture notes and E-books!
A H M 531 Field Compaction test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

Error:
We can see error in weight of sand.

We can see error in drying when ( T ) made very

high then the organic material decrese.

We can see error in weight of cotainer when it not

clean & dry .

‫ﻣﺆﻣﻦ ﺗﻮﻓﻴﻖ اﺣﻤﺪ اﻟﻌﺘﻮم‬ 9 ATOOMUS

The Civil Engineering Center 9 Visit www.AHM531.com for more lecture notes and E-books!