Sand replacement

test

Objective
Student should be able to : Determine the in situ density of
natural or compacted soils using
sand pouring cylinders.

Theory

By conducting this test it is possible to determine the field density of the soil. The
moisture content is likely to vary from time and hence the field density also. So it is
required to report the test result in terms of dry density. The relationship that can be
established between the dry density with known moisture content is as follows:

This test is to be conducted by laboratory staff to determine the degree of

compaction after the layer of sand fill or DG material has been compacted .
1. Hand dig an insitu core sample from the compacted soil and weigh to get
the mass of test sample . [ Note : It is usually to pick out the occasional
gravels and cobbles that are of relatively big size before weighing since they
are not the same type of material as the sample]
2. Pour into the subsequent void with fine sand of consistent and known
density ( eg. Quartz sand ) to calculate the volume of the void which is
equivalent to the volume of the test sample. [ Note : Put back the gravels and
cobbles into the void before pouring in with quartz sand ]
3. Get the mass of the sample after oven-dried and divided by the volume of
void to obtain the dry density of the sample .
4. Divide the dry density of sample by the proctor test result , ie. the
maximum dry density of the respective sample to obtain the relative
percentage of compaction .
5. The acceptance criteria for these percentage depends on the specification
requirements and
is generally as follows : * No less than 98% within 150mm below formation level .
*No less than 95% between 150mm and 1200mm below formation .
*No less than 90% beyond 1200mm below formation level .

Equipment

1. Sand pouring cylinder

2. Tools for excavating holes

3. Cylindrical calibrating container

4. Metal containers

5. Metal tray

5. Pan Balance sensitive to 0.1 gram

procedure
i) Calibration

1) Fill the sand-pouring cylinder with sand, within about

10mm of its top. Determine the mass of the cylinder

(M1) to the nearest gram.

2) Place the sand-pouring cylinder vertically on the
calibrating container. Open the shutter to allow the sand
run out from the cylinder. When there is no further
movement of the sand in the cylinder, close the shutter.
3) Lift the pouring cylinder from the calibrating container
and weigh it to the nearest gram (M3).

4) Again fill the pouring cylinder with sand, within 10mm of

its top.

5) Open the shutter and allow the sand to run out of the
cylinder. When the volume of the sand let out is equal to
the volume of the calibrating container, close the
shutter.

6) Place the cylinder over a plane surface, such as a glass

plate. Open the shutter. The sand fills the cone of the
cylinder. Close the shutter when no further movement of
sand takes place.
7) Remove the cylinder. Collect the sand left on the glass
plate. Determine the mass of sand (M2) that had filled
the cone by weighing the collected sand.

8) Determine the dry density of sand, as shown in the data

sheet, part-I.
ii) determination of bulk density of soil
1. Place the sand pouring cylinder concentrically on the top of
the calibrating container with the shutter closed making sure
that constant mass (M0) is maintained
2. Open the shutter of cylinder and allow the sandto move into
the container. When no futher movement is seen, close the
shutter and find the mass of sand left in the cylinder (M 2)
3. Repeat step 2-3 at least thrice and find the mean mass (M 2)

a)

b)

iii) determination of field density of soil

c)

1) Level surface of the soil inthe open field

2) Place metal tray on the surface haring a circular hole of 10cm
diameter at the center. Dig a hole of this diameter up to
about 15 cm dept. Collect all the excavation soil in a tray and
find the mass of excavation 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 futher movement of sand is
noticed. Close the shutter and determine mass of sand which
is left in the cylinder , (M3)
4) The representative sample is taken from the excavated soil
for determination of water content..

a)
d)

b)

c)

DATA & RESULT

Determination of mass of and in the cone
No Test
Volume of calibrating container (m3), Vc
Mass of sand in cylinder before pouring
(M0) (kg)
Mean mass of sand in cone, (M1) (kg)

1
11.39
9.374
0.494

Determination of bulk density of sand

No Test
Mean mass of sand leave in cylinder after
pouring (M2) (kg)
Mass of sand filling calibratung container
(Mc = M0 M1 M2)
Bulk density of sand (s = Mc / Vc ) (kg/m3)

1
7.299
1.581
0.139

Determination bulk density and unit weight of soil

Mass of wet soil from the hole (M) (kg)

1.169

Mass of sand in cylinder after pouring in the hole

(M2) (kg)

7.127

Mass of sand in the hole, (Ms = M0 M1 M3 ) (kg)

1.753

Bulk density of soil , = M / Ms x s (kg/m3)

4.798

Dry density of sand d = / ( 1 + w )

4.505

No of cone

Wet soil

0.079

Dry Soil

0.077

Cone Weight

0.046

Water Content %

6.5 %

Calculation
Vc = r2h
= (5)2 (0.145)
= 11.39 m3

Mc = M0 M1 M2
Mc = (9.374 0.494 7.299)
= 1.581

s= Mc / Vc
= (1.581 / 11.39 )
= 0.139 kg/m3

Ms = M0 M1 M3
= (9.374 0.494 7.127 )
= 1.753 kg

= M / Ms x s

= 1.169 / ( 1.753 x 0.139 )

=

4.798 kg/m3

d = / ( 1 + w )
= 4.798 / (1 + 0.065 )
= 4.505

DISCUSSION
Discussion

1. What is the objective of sand replacement test?

Determine the in situ density of natural or compacted soils using sand pouring cylinders.
2. What is the relationship that can be established between the dry density with known
moisture content?

3. What are the apparatus that need in this test?

There are Sand pouring cylinder,tools for excavating holes,cylindrical calibrating
container,metal containers,metal tray,weight scales.

4. Discuss the different method of compaction of :

a) Cohesionless soil
b) Cohesive soil
c) Cohension less soils cannot be compacted by static pressure, vibration is
the only effective method.
d) Cohesive soils are not susceptible to vibration, static pressure is the
method of compaction for cohesive soils and kneading also works.

Conclusion
Conclusion
What we can conclude from the test is sand replacement is determine the in situ density of natural
or compacted soils using sand pouring cylinders.
The relationship that can be established between the dry density with known moisture content is as
follows:

Sand replacement method (standard method, but does not apply to fill a big stone embankment
and other porous materials, holes or large degree of compaction test) is the use of the basic
principles of particle size 0.30 ~ 0.60mm or 0.25 ~ 0.50mm uniform clean sand, from the the
whereabouts of a certain high degree of freedom to the test inside the cave, according to their unit
weight the same principle to measure the volume of test hole (ie, using standard test hole sand to
replace the aggregate), and in accordance with the moisture content of aggregate to calculate the
sample The measured dry density.

Reference
1. Donald Mcglinchey, Characterisation of bulk solids, 2005, CRC Press DT Afrika.
2. Mazlan Mohammad Abdul Hamid, Standard aggregate sieve analysis TEST, ASTM International Standards Worldwide, (July 2008) ASTM C136-06, retrived from http://www.astm.org/
3. Norliza Muhammad, concrete laboratory,(2006). Gradation Test. (2007), Norliza Muhammad,
FajarBakti.Sdn.Bhd

no

title

page

objective

theory

Equipmnet

6-7

procedure

8-10

Data and analysis

11-13

discussion

14

conclution

15

reference

16