compaction rammer for soil testing
1979 Edition

According to IS 9198 Clause 2.1 and Table 1, the materials specified for compaction rammer components include:

Additional notes:

• The rammer foot should be square-ended, have a smooth surface, and be fixed securely with a pin to prevent loosening.
• Chrome plating on the rammer foot is essential for durability.
• Guide pipe length dictates the fall height: 310 ± 0.5 mm for light rammers, and 450 ± 0.5 mm for heavy rammers.
• Mass of moving parts is 2.6 ± 0.025 kg for light and 4.9 ± 0.05 kg for heavy rammers.

This material specification ensures precision, durability, and consistent compaction performance.

IS 9198 defines distinct dimensional criteria for light and heavy compaction rammers as follows:

Summary:

• The heavy rammer has nearly twice the moving mass compared to the light rammer.
• The fall height of the heavy rammer is 140 mm longer, delivering higher compaction energy.
• Both types share similar rammer foot and washer specifications but differ in certain design details.

These differences ensure the heavy rammer achieves greater soil compaction suitable for more demanding applications.

The standard requires the rammer foot to have the following surface finish characteristics:

• The free end of the rammer foot must be square with its sides and possess a smooth finish.
• It must be chrome plated to enhance durability and resist corrosion.
• The materials specified are mild steel or brass, with finishes conforming to IS 226-1975 and IS 4170-1967 standards.

Summary table:

These requirements ensure the rammer foot provides a consistent, wear-resistant surface for reliable soil compaction.

IS 9198 ensures alignment with IS 2720 soil testing methods through several mechanisms:

• It specifies compaction rammers that are directly referenced within IS 2720 Parts 7 and 8, which deal with water content-dry density relations using light and heavy compaction respectively.
• The standard incorporates updated references to the latest editions of IS 2720 (1980 for Part 7 and 1983 for Part 8) to remain consistent with current soil testing methodologies.
• It mandates standardized dimensions and tolerances based on IS 2102 and IS 1239, ensuring uniformity in manufacturing.
• The option to use the ISI Certification Mark guarantees that products meet quality and accuracy requirements, supporting reliable soil testing results.

This integrated approach ensures that the compaction rammers produce dependable and comparable outcomes in accordance with IS 2720 test procedures.

Per IS 9198 Clause 6.1.1, the following guidelines govern the use of the ISI Certification Mark on compaction rammers:

• Application of the ISI Mark is optional but must comply with the Indian Standards Institution (Certification Marks) Act and related regulations.
• The ISI Mark signifies that the product conforms to IS 9198 standards and is manufactured under an inspection, testing, and quality assurance system supervised by ISI.
• Products bearing the ISI Mark undergo continuous surveillance to ensure ongoing compliance.
• Manufacturers are required to obtain a valid license from ISI to legally use the certification mark.
• Detailed licensing and compliance procedures can be obtained from the Indian Standards Institution.

Summary:

These provisions ensure that marked compaction rammers meet established quality and safety standards.