proctor tests and sand cone test

1. Ali Elyadry 4057
Islam Elfalahe
4154
Ali Elnaas 4099
Ahmed Elghazali
4137
Adham Ra’afat
3837
Monther Ikhries
4135
Soil mechanics
ASE 382

2. TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Modified
Proctor Test
Sand Cone
TEST
Compaction

3. INTRODu
ction

4. Compactio
n
• Increase load-bearing
capacity
• Improve stability
and strength
• Control permeability
and water seepage
• Reduce settlement
and shrinkage
• Provide a durable and
uniform working platform

5. Stages of soil
compaction in real
life

6. 1. Soil Assessment and Preparation:
• Soil Type Identification: Determine if the soil is
cohesive (clay, silt) or non-cohesive (sand,
gravel), as compaction methods and moisture
control differ accordingly.
• Moisture Conditioning: Adjust soil moisture to
near the optimum moisture content (OMC)
determined by the Standard or Modified Proctor
Test to maximize compaction efficiency.
• Layering (Lift Thickness): Spread soil in thin
layers or "lifts," typically 150–300 mm thick, to
ensure uniform compaction throughout the fill.

7. 2. Laboratory Compaction Testing:
• Using Standard or Modified Proctor Test
Conducted in the lab to establish the soil’s
maximum dry density (MDD) and optimum
moisture content (OMC).
• Standard Proctor is used for lighter compaction
needs.
• Modified Proctor is used for heavy-duty
applications requiring higher compactive
effort.

8. 3. Field Compaction:
• Mechanical Compaction Use appropriate equipment
based on soil type and project requirements:
Cohesive soils (clays, silts):
Use sheepsfoot rollers or tamping rammers.
Granular soils (sands, gravels):
Use vibratory rollers or plate compactors.

9. 4. Field Density Testing:
• Sand Cone Test: procedure involves
excavating a small hole, filling it with
calibrated sand, and calculating the volume
of the hole.
• Combined with moisture content
measurement, dry density is computed and
compared to lab MDD to assess
compaction quality.
• Other methods include nuclear density
gauges and rubber balloon tests for rapid
assessment.

10. 5. Monitoring and Quality Control:
• Continuously monitor moisture content
and density during compaction.
• Adjust compaction effort or moisture as
needed to meet specifications.
• Ensure uniform compaction to prevent
future settlement or structural issues.

11. 6. Surface Protection:
• After compaction, seal or protect the
surface to prevent moisture changes
from rain or drying, which can alter soil
density and strength.

13. PURPOSE
Same as standard proctor test

14. apparatus
Compaction mold
and collar
944 (cm³), (collar to
increase mold height
during filling)
Drying oven
(for moisture content
determination)

15. apparatus
Balance
(accuracy 0.01g)
Modified Proctor
hammer
(4.54 kg, 45.7 cm
drop)

16. apparatus
Straightedge
(for leveling soil)

17. procedure
• Preparation of
sample • Add water
• Add layers and
compact them
• Weigh mold
• Repeat with more
water
• Weigh moist soil

18. Differen
ces
• The Modified test better simulates field compaction conditions with heavy
machinery and is used where higher soil strength and lower permeability are
required while the Standard Proctor Test is used for projects with lighter loading
conditions and where lower compaction energy is adequate.
• The three main differences are the hammer’s drop height and its weight, the mold’s
volume, and the layers of compaction.
• The same mold used in the standard test was also utilized for the modified test

19. Calculati
ons
1. Bulk (Wet) Density:
Bulk Density(ρ)= Mass of compacted soil (g)
Volume of mold (cm3
)
2. Dry Density:
Dry Density(ρd)= Bulk Density (ρ)
1 + w/100
3. Moisture Content:
w= Weight of water
Weight of dry
x100

20. Calculati
ons

21. Calculati
ons
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
1.75
1.8
1.85
1.9
1.95
2
2.05
2.1
Results
modified test
Moisture Content (%)
Dry
Density
(g/cm³)

22. Modified vs.
standard

23. Calculati
ons
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
1.5
1.55
1.6
1.65
1.7
1.75
1.8
1.85
1.9
Results
modified test
normal test
Moisture Content (%)
Dry
Density
(g/cm³)

24. Calculati
ons
1.884 g/cm3
at 16.7%
𝛾𝐨𝐩𝐭=𝛒𝐨𝐩𝐭 × 𝟗.𝟖𝟏×𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎=𝟏𝟖.𝟒𝟖𝟐𝐤𝐍/𝐦𝟑
2.068 g/cm3
at 9.65%
𝛾𝐨𝐩𝐭=𝛒𝐨𝐩𝐭 × 𝟗. 𝟖𝟏×𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎=𝟐𝟎.𝟐𝟖𝟕/𝐦 𝟑
Normal Proctor Test
Modified Proctor Test

25. classification

26. Practical
Implications
The Modified Proctor Test is used primarily when the soil compaction requirements are
higher due to heavier loads or more demanding structural conditions. Specifically, you
should use the Modified Proctor Test in the following situations:
• Heavy load-bearing structures such as highways, airport runways, and earth dams
• When modern heavy compaction equipment will be used in the field, since the
Modified Proctor Test better simulates the higher compactive energy.
• Projects requiring higher maximum dry density (MDD) and lower optimum moisture
content (OMC) to ensure reduced settlement, increased shear strength, and lower
permeability of compacted soils.

28. PURPOSE
These test methods are used to determine the in-place
density of compacted materials in construction of earth
embankments, road fills, and structure backfill.

29. apparat
us
1. Sand
Cone
2.Weighing
balance

30. apparat
us
3. Drilling
equipment
4. Excavating
Equipment

31. IDEAL
Procedure
• Equipment required: proctor mold, container and cone, Ottawa sand, balance.
Ottawa sand density
determination (lab)
1. Proctor mold volume ,(Vmold) = 944cm3
.
2. Weigh the mold (Wmold).
3. Weigh the mold filled with Ottawa sand, record it as (Wtotal).
4. Subtract the weight of mold (Wmold) from the total weight (Wtotal) to obtain the weight of
Ottawa sand (Wottawa).
5. Finally calculate the density of Ottawa sand

32. IDEAL
Procedure
• Equipment required: container and cone, Ottawa sand, weighing balance,
flat surface.
Cone calibration (lab)
1. Fill the container with Ottawa sand with the cone attached and weigh them as (W1).
2. Place the container and cone in an inverted orientation on a flat surface and open the
valve, after the sand stops flowing, close the valve and weigh the container and cone,
then record the weight as (W2).
3. Subtract (W2) from (W1) to obtain the weight of sand filling the cone (Wcone).

33. IDEAL
Procedure
1. Level surface of the soil in the open field.
2. Place metal tray on the surface having a circular hole at the center. Dig a hole of the
same
diameter up to about 15 cm depth. Collect all the excavated soil in a tray and find the mass
of
excavated soil (M).
3. Remove the tray and place the sand–pouring cylinder concentrically on the hole.
Open the shutter and allow the sand to run into the hole till no further movement of sand is
noticed. Close the shutter and determine mass of sand which is left in the cylinder, (M3).
In-Situ Test

34. Determination of Hole-mass using Calibrated sand:
-M1: sand before use.
-M2: sand after use.
-Mcone: sand inside the cone.
-Mhole : sand filling the hole.
calculation
s

35. Determination of the Hole’s Volume:
- Mhole : sand filling the hole=2732.6g
- = 1.584g/cm3
- Vhole =volume of hole.
calculation
s

36. Determination of the Hole’s Volume:
- Msoil : mass of excavated soil = 3057g
- Vhole=
- = Density of moist soil
calculation
s

37. Determination of the Hole’s Volume:
- =
- =
- : dry density of soil.
Maximum dry unit weight () = 16.63 KN/m3
calculation
s

38. Relative compaction is the ratio of field dry density to the maximum
dry density from lab tests, expressed as a percentage. It shows how
well the soil is compacted. Values above 95% are typically required
for stable construction.
Calculating Relative Compaction :
-In-situ dry density ().
-Lab dry density ().
-Relative compaction (Rc).
Relative
compaction

39. Classification by Compaction Level:
 90-95% : Typically, acceptable for general construction projects.
 95-100% : Ideal for areas requiring higher stability, like road
bases, runways, and structural foundations.
 Below 90% : May indicate insufficient compaction and might
require rework or additional compaction efforts.
classification

40. ReferenceS
- Soil Mechanic Laboratory Manual, 2024/2025, Mr. Elmutazballah
Eldagharey:
Chapter-5 Field Determination of Density (Standard AASHTO
Method, p. 33–36).
Chapter 6: Compaction (Standard AASHTO Method, p. 37–41).
- ASTM Standards.

41. Thank
you