Specific Gravity of

Soils

Specific Gravity
This number indicates how much
heavier/lighter a material is than
water.
In soils, SG refers to the mass of solid
matter of a given soil sample as
compared to an equal volume of water.

Specific Gravity
For example: A material with SG of 2 is twice as
heavy as water (2x 62.4 lbs/ft3 ) = 124.8 lbs/ft3
Equation Form: SG = Ms/Vswater
We use the SG of soils to calculate other engineering
properties like the volume of solids in a sample.
This leads to the phase diagram (like last class)
and
S, n, e

Specific Gravity
Soil Solids
1 ft3

Water
1 ft3

W = 187.2 lbs
SG= 187.2/62.4 = 3.0

W= 62.4 lbs

General Ranges of SG
For Soils

Sand
2.63 2.67
Silt
2.65-2.7
Clay & Silty Clay
2.67-2.9
Organic Soils
<2.0

Procedures For Specific

Gravity Lab
See Chapter 3, Page
55 For D
Your854
Data Sheet
ASTM
APPARATUS:
500 ml flask
Ice
Heating Plate
Thermometer C
Scale (readability .1g)
Evaporating Dish
Distilled Water

Procedures (Method B)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Dry specimens to constant mass in oven at 110

C.
Select a 500 ml flask and record mass (g)
Fill with distilled water to 500 ml line and
record mass (g)
Record temperature of water in degrees
Celsius (T1).
Pour 2/3 of water back into distilled container

8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

16.

Weigh out 100g of sandy soil and transfer to flask

Add distilled to 2/3 full and boil gently for 10 minutes
Bring temperature back to T1 using cooling bucket
w/ice.
Add distilled to 500 ml line and record mass (g)
Record mass of evaporating dish (g)
Pour ALL sample into dish and dry to constant weight.
Record mass of oven dried dish/sample.
Complete calculations on data sheet, including
correction for temperature . SG is always reported
at 20 C.
See page 44 for correction factors.