Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
(OP)
I have a plotted Modified Proctor (ASTM D 1557-07) curve of fine sand (SP) with a plotted zero air voids curve that is 14 pounds above the peak and wet side of the Proctor curve. The wet side of the curve is parallel to the plotted proctor curve and the curve does not cross to the right of the proctor curve. But as I stated the ZAV curve is much higher than the plotted proctor curve. Has anyone seen such a case? Is this normal with very poorly graded clean fine sands? Or does this invalidate the proctor curve? I know there are possible variations in soils but 14 lb seems like a big gap. However, the proctor results seem reasonable for this material. The specific gravity test had been performed and is also reasonable. Any thoughts on why the ZAV is not close to the curve?





RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
That is a lot of work to do for very little gain. Using an assumed constant of 2% Air Voids is much simpler and an experienced operator can tell at a glance whether the proctor curve is right or wrong and which points should be ignored or re-done.
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
From my own experience of fine sands [and silts] you generally get a flat compaction curve, air void contents on the wet side in the region of 5 to 10% [as opposed to less than 5% for a clay] and also it becomes very difficult to achieve many points beyond the optimum. Given that you describe the curve plotting parrallel to the air void line, I would take this as a good indication that you have completed the test correctly, however you do have to be careful you do not get a 'double' curve.
In theory if the particles were all the same size and spherical you would only get a mimimum air void content of 33%, no matter how much compaction you applied.
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
You are confusing the total voids ratio with the air voids ratio. Total voids includes the water, air voids does not. In your theoretical example the air void ratio would equal the absorption minus the degree of saturation divided by the mass multiplied by 100 which will come out as around 2% with most materials, including the theoretical spherical material you mentioned.
Your comment about flat curves with clean sands is extremely relevant. Clean sands should be tested with a Max/Min density index and not a proctor test, however, the cutoff line is not clearly defined. The usual cutoff line is 15% fines but if those fines are highly plastic then the percentage can be lowered. In the case of bentonite it is about 1%.
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
If you are not familiar with this approach, let's say you have a maximum dry density of 110.0 at 12 percent. Let's say the zav for 110 pcf is at 13.5 percent. If you take 12 and divide it by 13.5 you'd then have 89 percent saturation for the sample to acheive maximum dry density.
Hope this helps.
f-d
¡papá gordo ain't no madre flaca!
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
That calculation can't be done from the optimum, it is usually done from the wettest point but can be done on any point that is on the wet side of the curve.
At optimum there is still a very small amount of free air voids. It is only after you have passed optimum that the free air voids are totally expelled and the only voids left, are entrained air voids.
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
The ZAV by definition is the point of 100 percent saturation. On any horizontal line from the ZAV (heading to the left) you are going from 100 percent saturation to a lesser value. At zero moisture content, you are at zero saturation. It's a liner relationship between moisture content and percent saturation. That's a fact that has nothing to do with entrained air, or anything else. BigH knows where the body is burried: You have to know the correct specific gravity. If you do, then I stand by my original post.
f-d
¡papá gordo ain't no madre flaca!
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
The entrained air is very relevant, it is the reason why the ZAV line sits out to the right from the compaction curve or to be more precise the compaction curve sits to the left of the ZAV line. As you compact the soil on the dry side of the curve the free air is being expelled as a function of the moisture (under confined conditions the moisture is the strongest ingredient in the mix). As you get to the optimum you have expelled almost all of the free air and as you move on to the wet side of the curve the water has dispelled all of the free air and is now dispelling soil, that is what causes the drop in your compaction curve. The entrained air is still in the material and that is why the curve will always turn before it reaches the ZAV line. Zero air voids cannot be achieved with standard compaction the closest you will get is about 2% air voids. Modified compaction will force more moisture into the particles and as a result will compact to about 1.5% air voids.
As for relevance, this knowledge is necessary for anyone who needs to assess the validity of a compaction curve. Also for relevance this is the answer to the OP's question, which was basically, why is my zero air voids line higher than my proctor curve?
Regards
Michael
RE: Zero Air Voids Curve 14 lbs higher than Plotted Proctor Curve?
We are describing two different things. I am just making the point that you can determine the percent saturation from considering the positon of any point on the curve with respect to the ZAV. You are describing how the curve cannot coincide with the ZAV owing to the presence of entrained air (and ultimatly the requirements for compaction via the Standard/Modified Proctor). These two statements are not mutually exclusive.
f-d
¡papá gordo ain't no madre flaca!