Department of Civil Engineering

International University (IU)

REPORT
SOIL LABORATORY

Dr. Nguyen Dinh Hung

Group members:
- Trng nh Trit (CECEIU13032)
- Vng Minh Nghi (CECEIU13020)
- V Gia Khnh(CECEIU13016)
- Nguyn ng Khoa(CECEIU13050)
INTRODUTION:
Soil Mechanics is the important subject in Civil Engineering that makes
students understand soil behavior. Laboratory testing provides the engineering
students practical skills to determine the value of soil properties, analyzing
experimental result, and commenting experimental result and report skill.

Not only the knowledge but also the experiment during working in laboratory
is a main step for student, which will be approached in the future. So far, it is
a foundation for another subjects later supporting the worksite such as:
building, bridge, dams, road, tunnels, embankments and slopes. The soil
mechanics laboratory is well equipped and provides students with all facilities
required to deepen their understanding of the principles governing soil
engineering properties and behavior. In this report, 5 experiments were
conducted, which include water content and unit weight of soil, sieving
analysis, atterberg limit, compaction test, and direct shear test. The common
technique and procedure to obtain necessary values of the engineering
properties of soil in Laboratory for design was shown. In addition, the
understanding about using equipment, calculation and the discussion of the
results were included.
*Liquid Limit
1.Objectives
-The moisture content at the point of transition from plastic to liquid state is the liquid limit. These parameters are
also known as Atterberg limits , The liquid limit is determined in the lab as the moisture content at which the two
sides of a groove formed in soil come together and touch for a distance of 12.7(mm) after 25 blows .
2.Equipments

.Liquid device Grooving tool

Spatula Soil specimen

 Containers Glass plate

Graduated cylinder Electric Balance

3.Procedure
- Prepare soil by adding water into sieved dry soil. Water content is checked by weight. Mix dry soil
with water to produce soil paste.
- Place soil in clean Casagrande cup.
- Level soil in cup by spatula.
- Cut groove through center of cup by
- grooving tool
- Turn crank at 2 blows/s.
- Record number of blows with groove closes by 12.7 mm
- Repeat from 4 to 5 soil samples to obtain the number of blow between 15 and 35.
Dry soil with bowl Wet soil with bowl

Weigh container Casagrande cup

4. Data and analysis
I. LIQUID LIMIT
No. of sample n v 1 2 3
Number blows 17 33 30
Mass of contain g 9.23 9.28 9.21
3
Volume of contain cm
Mass of contain + wet
g 24.04 21.76 23.49
soil
Mass of wet soil g 14.81 12.48 14.28
Mass of contain + dry soil g 20.13 18.5 19.75
Mass of dry soil g 10.9 9.22 10.54
Water content % 35.88 35.36 35.48

36.1
36
35.9
Water content(%)

35.8
35.7 Liquid limit =35.62%
35.6
35.5
35.4
35.3
35.2
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Number of blows

5. Conclusion
-The test helps us to determine liquid limit of soil. The liquid limit is the percent of water when number of blows
reachs 25 times.
*Plastic limit
1.Objectives
The moisture content at the point of transition from semisolid to plastic state is the plastic The plastic limit (PL) is
the water content, in percent, at which a soil can be no longer deformed by rolling into 3.2 mm (1/8 in.) diameter
threads without crumbling. This lab is performed to determine the plastic and liquid limits of a fine-grained soil.

2.Equipments

Glass plates Dry oven

3.Procedure
-Air dry soil until it will not stick to hand

-Roll soil on glass plate by hand into thread of 4.2 mm diameter.

-If soil began to crumble, then take water content, otherwise to reroll soil.
 Record the dry soil

4.Data and analysis

No. of sample n v 1 2 3
Diameter of thread soil mm 4.2 4.2 4.2
Mass of contain g 9.22 9.31 9.24
Mass of contain + wet soil g 22.78 20.19 18.99
Mass of wet soil g 13.56 10.88 9.75
Mass of contain + dry soil g 19.23 17.79 16.4
Mass of dry soil g 10.01 8.48 7.16
Water content % 35.46 28.30 36.17

-Mass of Dry Soil (g) =(Mass of Container + Dry Soil)- Mass of container

-Mass of Wet Soil (g) =(Mass of Container + Wet Soil)- Mass of container

-Mass of Water(g)=Mass of Dry Soil-Mass of Wet Soil

-Water Content(%)=(Mass of Water/ Mass of Dry soil)*100

- PL= LL PI

5. Conclusion
-This test illustrates the plastic limit of three samples of soil. Plastic limit is water content (in percent) at which
the soil crumbles, when rolled into thread 4.2mm in diameter

*Direct shear
1. Objectives
-To determine the shearing strength of the soil using the direct shear apparatus.
2. Equipment

Porous plates Round sample cutter and round dolly tampers

Direct shear box apparatus

3.Procedure
-Trim soil by sample cutter to fit in shear box.

-Assemble soil sample into shear box by using a dolly tamper.

-For consolidation, apply required vertical load.

 Manipulate the vertical load of machine

-Record vertical displacement and time for determine consolidation characteristics.

-For shearing (quick test or drained test on sandy soil), lift upper half of box by 2 screws for friction reduction
between upper and lower boxes. Push one-half of box horizontal at rate of 5% per hour. Record horizontally
applied force, vertical and horizontal displacements until shear strain of 30% is reached.

-Repeat test at different consolidation stresses for cohesion intercept and friction angle determination.

Result

Result
 Results

4. Data and analysis

Shear Vertical
Shear force Shear stress Applied force Normal stress
No. displacement displacement
(KN) (KN/m2) (KN) (KN/m2)
(mm) (mm)

1 62.34 2.053 20 0.105 0.007 33.68

2 187.00 1.61 60 0.63 -0.014 202.11

3 280.00 2.604 90 0.914 -0.541 291.00

120

100
Shear stress

80

60

40

20

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

Normal stress

-Calculation the normal stress:

P: Vertical load
 A: Area of the ring

-Calculation the shear stress:

V: Horizontal load

A: Area of the ring

5.Conclusion
This test helps us to figure out clearly about direct shear stress. This test put forward to the limit of shear stress
causing the failure of soil and the relationship between applied force and shear force.

*Water content
1. Objective
Water content determination is required most of laboratory tests in the soil mechanics, which is basic
information utilized in experiment such as: compaction test, shear test.
2. Equipment
Laboratory of Soil Mechanics Civil Engineering Department, provides balance, sample cans/holders,
sample soil and drying oven.

Cans/holders sample Electric balance Drying

3. Procedure
- For water (moisture) content
- Weigh sample holder (w1)
- Contain soil in a sample holder
- Weigh wet soil and holder (w2)
- Place soil in oven at 105C to dry (gypsum or organic soil, temperature is not exceed80C)
- Cool dry soil in desiccators
- Weigh dry soil and holder (w3)

The weight of can The weight of dry soil cans

4.Data and analysis

I. WATER CONTENT
No. of sample n v 1 2 3
Mass of contain g 9.29 9.26 9.24
Mass of contain + wet soil g 17.01 18.02 16.6
Mass of wet soil g 7.72 8.76 8.36
Mass of contain + dry soil g 14.25 14.98 14.85
Mass of dry soil g 4.96 5.72 5.61
Water content % 55.65 53.14 49.00

-Water content is defined as the ration of the weight of water present in a given soil to the weight of dry soil

Ww W Wd
w *100 or w ws *100
Wd Wd Wc
Where
-w = water content
-Wws = weight of wet soil placed in the container (g)
-Wd = weight of dry soil placed in the container (g)
-Wc = weight of container (g)

5. Conclusion
-This test help us to understand deeply about the methods to determine water content and unit weight
*Unit weight
1. Objective
-Unit weight is an important value needed in the most of the laboratory tests. This experiment is applied
to determine the ratio of mass of moist soil to the volume of soil sample, and the dry density is the ratio
of the mass of the dry soil to the volume the soil sample.

2. Equipment
It is supplied balance, shear ring, soil sample, evaporating dish sample by Laboratory of Soil Mechanics
Civil Engineering Department.

Electric Balance Shear ring Evaporating dish

3.Procedure
Soil ring sample or holder for dense soil with stability of shape ; Wax for loose soil;
- Petroleum for dense soil with instability of shape to determine volume
- Weigh soil sample to determine weight of soil (wi)

Mixing soil Weight of ring Weight of dish

4.Data and analysis
UNIT WEIGHT

No. of sample n v 1 2 3
Mass of shear ring g 216.73 216.42 216.42
3
Volume of shear ring cm 80.75 80.75 80.75
Mass of shear ring + wet
g 364.94 362.07 367.42
soil
Mass of wet soil cm3 148.21 145.65 150.62
Mass of shear ring + dry
g 318.85 315.13 319.03
soil
Mass of dry soil g 102.12 98.71 102.61
Water content % 45.13 47.56 46.78
3
Density g/cm 1.83 1.8 1.87
3
Unit weight N/mm 179543 17658 18344.7

For soil without change in volume by drying

*Distribution
1/ Objectives:
-To determine the percent of different grain sizes and the kinds of soil.

2/Equipment:
-Sieves include the square hole: 4.75, 2, 1, 0.85, 0.5, 0.425, 0.25, 0.106, 0.075(mm); pan; sieve shaker; soil
sample, electric balance
 Sieves Sieve shaker Electric balance

3/Procedure:
-There are totally of three stages in the process of sieving analysis.

-Firstly, sieves are selected with the number the experiment. Then, mass of each sieve and pan will be determined.
-Sieves is assemble and ascending. The biggest size sieve is available on the top; the smaller sieves is placed -
gradually off the bottom-pan. Then, it is prepared 1000g soil to put into them.

-Next, they are taken into the sieve shaker to separate the grain size of soil in ten minutes .

-Finally, remove the stack from the shaker and carefully record each sieve and pan, containing the fine soil also.

4/Data and analysis

Initial dry weight (g) Percentage after loss
Mass of Percent of
Diameter Mass of sieve Mass of sieve Cumulative
Sieve No. retained soil passing soil
size mm (g) and soil (g) mass (g)
(g) (g)
4 4.75 570.4 641.5 71.1 1005.54 92.93
10 2.00 535.87 884.00 348.13 934.44 58.31
18 1.00 494.45 786.5 292.05 586.31 29.26
20 0.85 500.05 552 51.95 294.26 24.10
35 0.50 462.3 580 117.7 242.31 12.39
40 0.425 440.34 469 28.66 124.61 9.54
60 0.250 411.39 448.00 36.61 95.95 5.90
140 0.106
200 0.075 415.47 460 44.53 59.34 1.47
Pan 484.19 499 14.81 14.81 0.00
Total
4314.46 5320.00 1005.54
mass
 100

80

Percent finner (%)

60

40

20

0
5 0.5 0.05
Particle size - Log scale

- Soil retained = Mass of sieve and soil - Mass of sieve

- Cumulative mass = total mass of soil (mass of retained soil)

- %percent of passing soil =
x 100%

5. Conclusion
-The test helps us to know clearly about how to sieve the soil as well as to calculate the retained and cumulative
soil. Additionally, by this test I can know how to draw the graph about the percent of finer on the particle size

*Compaction test
1. Objectives
-Compaction test of soil is also known as Proctors test is done to understand compaction characteristics of
different soils with change in moisture content.

2/Equipment:
Automatic compaction machine Hammer

Standard mould and balance

3/Procedure:
-Prepare sufficient amount of air-dried soil (enough for 5 moulds).
-Divide soil into equal portions for each compaction.
-Add water to each portion incremental water content, then mixing each portion. Compact each portion according
to given requirement. In which the last layer, it should not exceed the mould by more than 8 mm.
-Remove compaction collar and scrape surface flat.
-Determine water content and unit dry weight by cans and oven-dry

Weigh the mould Weigh of soil after compaction

Setting up machine within 25 blows

 4. Data and analysis
1 2 3 4 5 6
Mass of container 9.27 9.36 9.22 9.28 9.34 9.26
Mass of container+wet soil 41.18 47.26 40.75 52.12 71.16 50.27
Mass of container+dry soil 37.12 43.39 36.38 47.07 63.75 45.45
Moisture content (%) 10.93 8.91 12.01 10.72 11.6 10.6
1 2 3 4 5 6
Mass of container 9.32 9.28 9.25 9.3 9.23 9.27
Mass of container+wet soil 37 42.4 47.68 38.28 35.1 46.26
Mass of container+dry soil 32.72 37.42 42.44 34.24 30.83 40.98
Moisture content (%) 13.1 13.8 12.3 11.79 13.85 12.88

Mass of container 1 2 3 4 5 6
Mass of container+wet soil 64.85 29.25 57.7 59.3 43.6 40.28
Mass of container+dry soil 56.38 25.54 49.87 51.2 37.9 34.89
Moisture content (%) 15.02 14.52 15.7 15.82 15.04 15.44
1 2 3
Mass of mould 3347 3344 3343
Mass of mould+wet soil 5190 5260 5263.5
Mass of wet soil 1843 1916 1920.5
Diameter of mould 101.5 101.4 101.4
Depth of mould 116.4 116.4 116.4
Volume of mould(cm3) 941.835 939.98 939.98
Unit Weight, (g/cm3) 1.5506 1.5729 1.5744

Assumed Water Content (%) 11 13 15

Actual Average Water Content(%) 10.94 13.046 15.18
Dry unit weight ,d 1.763 1.803 1.773

Relationship gk - w

1.85
1.8
Dry density-KL kh

1.75
1.7
1.65
1.6
1.55
1.5
1.45
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Moisture - m %
 Weight of water
- Moisture Content , or
Weight of dry sample

W Wcan drysoil
w ( can wetsoil ) x100
W
can drysoil Wcan

Weight of moist soil

- Moist Unit Weight , or
Volume of mold

Wmold wet soil

-g
Wmold

Weight of dry soil

- Dry unit weight Volume of mold , or

g
gd
w
1
100

5. Conclusion
-This test helps us to understand the soil characteristic and it can take many year to consolidation. Moreover, by
this test I can know more about optimum moisture content.