Kyle Bruender
PROCTOR
TEST
Jonas Soares
Da Silva
2/4/2015
Geotechnical Experiment No. 3
The
SUMMARY
Objective
To obtain the relationship between the moisture content and the density of a soil sample using the
Proctor test. The Proctor test will be referencing the MnDot Lab Manual 1305 procedures.
Theory
The Proctor test is a method to determine the characteristics in which the soil will compact more
efficiently, it finds the optimum moisture content and the maximum dry density. Those
characteristics will help to maximize the bearing capacity of a foundation or minimize the
undesirable settlement of a construction.
RESULTS
Proctor Test
A sample weighting approximately 10.000 lb. of oven dry soil was used at the proctor test. The
test consisted of compacting the soil with different moisture contents. 5 samples with the
moisture content starting at 6 percent to 14 percent were used, always adding 2 percent to the
next sample. Adding the mixed soil in the mold then did the compaction by dropping the hammer
25 times uniformly to get 1 layer of approximately 1/3 of the mold height. This procedure was
done until the mold gets full of compacted soil.
After the compaction the soil was weighted and a representative specimen was taken into a can
and putted into the oven to determine the moisture content. This procedure was done with the 5
samples and generates the following table:
Table 1: Standard Proctor Test Data Sheet
Point No.
Weight of wet soil and mold (lbs)
Weight of mold (lbs)
Wet weight of soil (lbs)
Wet Density (pcf)
Can No.
Weight of wet soil and can (lbs)
Weight of dry soil and can (lbs)
Moisture loss (lbs)
Weight of can (lbs)
Weight of dry soil (lbs)
Percent moisture (%)
Dry density (pcf)
6%
1
13.240
9.227
4.014
120.405
8%
2
13.332
9.227
4.106
123.165
10%
3
13.556
9.227
4.329
129.870
12%
4
13.605
9.227
4.378
131.340
14%
5
13.549
9.227
4.322
129.660
0.136
0.129
0.007
0.031
0.098
6.939
112.592
0.144
0.135
0.009
0.031
0.104
8.249
113.779
0.082
0.077
0.005
0.031
0.046
10.164
117.888
0.147
0.134
0.013
0.031
0.103
12.137
117.124
0.173
0.154
0.018
0.031
0.123
14.830
112.915
With the Table 1 was plotted the following graph of the moisture-density relationship. With the
graph was determined that the optimum moisture content and the maximum dry density being
10.5% and 118.2 pcf respectively.
Figure 1: Sample Moisture-Density Relationship
Sources of Error
This test is subject to a several number of errors, such as material lost during mixing, poor soil
compaction by the technician, wrong number of blows, poor soil mixing, or hammer lifted at
different heights. To avoid such errors, the responsible for the test must strictly follow the
MnDOT standards.
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
MnDot Manual Section 1305
APPENDIX
APPARATUS
Proctor Test
A.) Mold
B.) Proctor Hammer (5.5-lb, 12)
C.) Sample Extruder
D.) Balances
E.) Drying Oven
F.) Cans
G.) Mixing Tools
PROCEDURE
Proctor Test
1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
5.)
6.)
7.)
8.)
9.)
Take the representative sample of soil (oven dried).
Weigh the soil sample.
Weigh the mold.
Add 6 percent of water to the sample and uniformly mix.
Fill the mold with 3 layers of soil.
At each layer, blows the soil with the hammer 25 times to compact the layer.
Weigh the mold with soil.
Remove the soil from the mold with the extruder.
Take a sample of the soil into a can and weigh, then dry oven at 110 Celsius for
12 hours and weigh again to determine the moisture content.
10.) Repeat the procedure adding 2 percent of water to the next sample. Do it for the 4
next samples.
11.) Calculate the moisture content for each sample: w = (Wwet soil and can - Wdry soil and can)/
(Wdry soil and can - Wcan)
12.) Calculate the wet density of each sample: wet = (Wwet soil and mold - Wmold)*30
13.) Calculate the dry density of each sample: d = ( wet / (1+w))
14.)
15.)
Plot a Moisture-Dry Density graph.
Determine the optimum water content and the maximum dry density.
SAMPLE CALCULATIONS
Proctor Test
w=
W wet soil canW dry soilcan
W dry soil canW can
W
( wet soilmoldW mold )30
wet =
yd =
wet
1+ w