Test Method Title
Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Compaction Characteristics of Soil Using Standard Effort (12,400 ft-lbf/ft ³ (600 kN-m/m ³ )).
Reference Number
ASTM D698
Material
Soil
Test Property
Maximum dry density, optimum moisture content
Description of Test
A soil at a selected water content is placed in three layers into a mold of given dimensions, with each layer compacted by 25 or 56 blows of a 5.5-lbf (24.4-N) rammer dropped from a distance of 12-in. (305-mm), subjecting the soil to a total compactive effort of about 12,400 ft-lbf/ft³(600kN-m/m³). The resulting dry unit weight is determined. The procedure is repeated for a sufficient number of water contents to establish a relationship between the dry unit weight and the water content for the soil. This data, when plotted, represents a curvilinear relationship between the dry unit weight and the water content for the soil. This data, when plotted, represents a curvilinear relationship known as the compaction curve. the values of optimum water content and standard maximum dry unit weight are determined from the compaction curve.
Number of Test Specimens
5
Test Specimen Size
2300-5600 grams
Keywords
compaction characteristics, Density, impact compaction using standard effort, laboratory tests, moisture-density curves, Proctor, Proctor test, soil compaction