British Standards compaction testing

Sometimes the density of powder compacted over and above what can be achieved by tapping may be needed. There are no standard procedures for this other than the rather specialized soil compaction tests and density determinations (2.5 and 4.5 kg rammer methods) quoted in a British Standard for soils16. 

Breakdown by confined compression can be tested in a compression cell similar to that in compaction tests, except that the normal forces used are greater here. A British Standard method59 packs a sample of specified quantity and size grade into a steel cylinder, 150 mm nominal diameter a plunger is inserted into the open end of the cylinder and the whole compressed in a compression testing machine. The load is slowly increased up to 400 kN and the product is then sized. A similar test has been used in assessing friability of pellets and coal. 

BS 1377 Part 4. 1990. Methods of test for soils for civil engineering purposes, Part 4 Compaction-related tests. London British Standard Institution. 

See for example, British Standard 1377, 1948, Methods of Test for Soil Classification and Compaction (this standard was revised in 1961). 

In the standard Proctor test a dry soil specimen is mixed with water and compacted in a cylindrical mould of 1 Utre (standard mould) by repeated blows from the mass of a hammer of 2.5 kg falling freely from a height of 300 mm (British Standard sizes). The soil is... 

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