Table of Contents:

List of experiments:

Sr. No Description

1 Determination of moisture content by Oven Method

2 Determination of moisture content by Speedy Moisture Tester

3 Particle size analysis (sieve analysis) of soils.

4 Determination of Liquid Limit of Soil

5 Determination of Plastic Limit of Soil

6 Determination of Shrinkage Limit of Soil

7 Moisture Density Relationship by Standard Proctor Test

8 Moisture Density Relationship by Modified Proctor Test

9 Determination of Field Density of Soil by Sand Replacement Method.

10 Determination of Field Density of Soil by Core Cutter Method.

Practical 1
Determination of the moisture content of soil.
Laboratory Method

Equipment:
 Drying oven, Balance, Moisture can, Gloves, Spatula

Procedure:
 Record the moisture can and lid number. Determine and record the mass of an empty,
clean, and dry moisture can with its lid.
 Place the moist soil in the moisture can and secure the lid.

 Determine and record the mass of the moisture can (now containing the moist soil) with
the lid.
 Remove the lid and place the moisture can (containing the moist soil) in the drying
oven that is set at 105 °C. Leave it in the oven overnight.
 Remove the moisture can. Carefully but securely, replace the lid on the moisture can
using gloves, and allow it to cool to room temperature. Determine and record the mass
of the moisture can and lid (containing the dry soil)
 Empty the moisture can and cleans the can and lid.

Observation And Calculations :

W1 = Weight of empty can = 12.5 gm
W2 = Weight of wet soil and empty can = 29.13 gm
W3 = Weight of dry soil and empty can = 24.8 gm
W = Weight of wet soil = W2-W1 = 16.63 gm
Wd= Weight of dry soil = W3-W1 = 12.3 gm

Moisture content = (W-Wd)x100/Wd = 35.20 %

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Practical 2

Determination of moisture content by Speedy Moisture Tester

Field Method (Speedy Moisture Tester)
Equipments:
 Calcium carbide pressure moisture tester “Speedy”, which includes a balance, steel ball.
 Cleaning brush

Procedure:
 Place the steel balls into the body.
 Take two full measures of reagent and place in body of vessel. For bulky materials, use
three to five measures to ensure adequate coverage.
 Measure the sample. The sample size needed is determined by the manufacturer of
tester.
 Tester kit may have an electronic balance or a beam balance. For a beam balance, lift
into an upright position and add material to the pan. The correct amount of material is
determined when the red markings on the balance and beam coincide.
 Place the sample in the cover of the “Speedy”.
 Hold the “Speedy” in a horizontal position and place the cover on the end. Bring the
stirrup in position and tighten. This should be completed without the sample and
reagent coming in contact with each other.
 Hold vertically so that the material in the cap falls into the “Speedy” body. Return the
instrument to a horizontal position, shake to break all lumps, and mix the soil and
reagent. Shake with a rotating motion to put the steel balls into ‘orbit’ around the inside
circumference. Rotate for 10 seconds, rest for 20 seconds. The rest time allows for
dissipation of the heat generated by the chemical reaction. Continue this cycle for a
minimum of 3 minutes.
 When the needle stops moving, hold the instrument horizontal at eye level with the
dial facing you. Read and record the dial reading to the nearest 0.1.
 Hold tester away from body. Point the directional release away from yourself and anyone
else, and then slowly release the pressure. Avoid breathing the fumes. Empty the

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 contents and examine for lumps. If material contains lumps, repeat the test.
 Thoroughly clean the tester with the brush provided.

Observation And Calculation

Guage reading = 0.5
Moisture content = 5 %

03
Practical 3
Particle size analysis of soil.
Sieve Analysis
Equipment:
1. Sieves, a bottom pan, and a cover
Note: Sieve numbers 4, 10, 20, 40, 60, 140, and 200 are generally used for most standard
sieve analysis work.
2. A balance sensitive up to 0.1 g
3. Sample Splitter

Procedure:
1. Collect a representative oven dry soil sample. Samples having largest particles of the size
of No. 4 sieve openings (4.75 mm) should be about 500 grams. For soils having largest
particles of size greater than 4.75 mm, larger weights are needed.
2. Break the soil sample into individual particles using a mortar and a rubber-tipped pestle.
(Note: The idea is to break up the soil into individual particles, not to break the particles
themselves.)
3. Determine the mass of the sample accurately to 0.1 g (W).
4. Prepare a stack of sieves. A sieve with larger openings is placed above a sieve with
smaller openings. The sieve at the bottom should be No. 200. A bottom pan should be
placed under sieve No. 200. As mentioned before, the sieves that are generally used in a
stack are Nos. 4, 10, 40, 100, and 200.
5. Sieves are arranged in descending order of their sizes with pan at bottom.
6. Pour the soil prepared in Step 2 into the stack of sieves from the top.
7. Place the cover on the top of the stack of sieves.
8. Run the stack of sieves through a sieve shaker for about 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Stop the sieve shaker and remove the stack of sieves.
10. Weigh the amount of soil retained on each sieve and the bottom pan.
11. If a considerable amount of soil with silty and clayey fractions is retained on the No. 200
sieve, it has to be washed. Washing is done by taking the No. 200 sieve with the soil
retained on it and pouring water through the sieve from a tap in the laboratory.

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Observation & Calculation:
The results of the mechanical (sieve) analysis shall be reported as follows:
Sieve No Sieve Weight Weight passed Cumulative Percentage
opening retained (gm) percent passing
(mm) retained

4 4.75
19.4 3.88 3.88 96.12
10 2
149.8 29.96 33.84 66.16
20 0.85
85.7 17.14 50.98 49.02
40 0.425
57.7 11.54 62.52 37.48
60 0.250
50 10 72.52 27.48
100 0.15
43 8.6 81.12 18.88
200 0.075
65 13 94.12 5.88
Pan
24.4 4.88

Gradation curve is obtained by plotting percentage passing on y-axis and log of sieve sizes
on x-axis using a semi-log paper. Gradation curves are the best representation of soil
nature i.e. it is well graded, uniformly graded or poorly graded soil.

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 Uniformity coefficient (Cu) and coefficient of gradation (Cc) are also give us an idea of soil
nature. They are calculated as follows:

Cu = 16 Cc = 0.56
General Comments:
The parameter Ccis also referred to as the coefficient of curvature. For sand, if Cu is
greater than 6 and Ccis between 1 and 3, it is considered well graded. However, for a
gravel to be well-graded, Cushould be greater than 4 and Ccmust be between 1 and 3.
Conclusion
The soil is Poorly graded soil.

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Practical 4
Determination of Liquid Limit of Soil.
Equipment:
Casagrande liquid limit device, Grooving tool, Moisture cans, Spatula or knife, Paper
towel, Balance sensitive up to 0.01 g, Oven

Procedure:
1. Determine the mass of three moisture cans (W1).
2. Put about 250 g of air-dry soil, passed through No. 40 sieve, into an evaporating dish.
Add water from the plastic squeeze bottle and mix the soil to the form of a uniform
paste.
3. Place a portion of the paste in the brass cup of the liquid limit device. Using the spatula,
smooth the surface of the soil in the cup such that maximum depth of the soil is about 8
mm.
4. Using the grooving tool, cut a groove along the center line of the soil pat in the cup.

Turn the crank of the liquid limit device at the rate of about 2 revolutions per second. By
this, the liquid limit cup will rise and drop through a vertical distance of 10 mm once for
each revolution. The soil from two sides of the cup will begin to flow toward center.
Count the number of blows, N, for groove in the soil to close through a distance of 0.5 in.
(12.7 mm).
If N = about 25 to 35, collect a moisture sample from the soil in the cup in a moisture can.
Close the cover of the can, and determine the mass of the can plus the moist soil (W 2).
Remove the rest of the soil paste from the cup to the evaporating dish. Use paper towels
to thoroughly dean the cup.
If the soil is too dry, N will be more than about 35. In that case, remove the soil with the
spatula to the evaporating dish. Clean the liquid limit cup thoroughly with paper towels.
Mix the soil in the evaporating dish with more water, and try again.
If the soil is too wet, N will be less than about 25. In that case, remove the soil in the cup
to the evaporating dish. Clean the liquid limit cup carefully with paper towels. Stir the soil
paste with the spatula for some time to dry it up. The evaporating dish may be placed in
the oven for a few minutes for drying also. Do not add dry soil to the wet-soil paste to

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 reduce the moisture content for bringing it to the proper consistency. Now try again in
the liquid limit device to get the groove closure of 0.5 in. (12.7 mm) between 25 and 35
blows.
5. Add more water to the soil paste in the evaporating dish and mix thoroughly. Repeat
Steps 3, 4 and 5 to get a groove closure of 0.5 in. (12.7 mm) in the liquid limit device at a
blow count N = 20 to 25. Take a moisture sample from the cup. Remove the rest of the
soil paste to the evaporating dish. Clean the cup with paper towels.
6. Add more water to the soil paste in the evaporating dish and mix well. Repeat Steps 3, 4
and 5 to get a blow count N between 15 and 20 for a groove closure of 0.5 in. (12.7 mm)
in the liquid limit device. Take a moisture sample from the cup.
7. Put the three moisture cans in the oven to dry to constant masses (W 3). (The caps of the
moisture cans should be removed from the top and placed at the bottom of the
respective cans in the oven.)

Calculation:
Test no 1 2 3
Moisture content in 23.06 24.4 27.5
percentage
Number of blows 31 29 20

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Practical 5
Determination of Plastic Limit of Soil.
Equipment:
Porcelain evaporating dish, Spatula or knife, Moisture cans, Ground glass plate, Balance
sensitive up to 0.01 g., Oven

Procedure:
1. Put approximately 20 grams of a representative, air-dry soil sample, passed through No.
40 sieve, into a porcelain evaporating dish.
2. Add water from the plastic squeeze bottle to the soil and mix thoroughly.
3. Determine the mass of moisture can in grams and record it on the data sheet (W1).
4. From the moist soil prepared in Step 2, prepare several ellipsoidal-shaped soil masses by
squeezing the soil with your fingers.
5. Take one of the ellipsoidal-shaped soil masses (Step 4) and roll it on a ground glass plate
using the palm of your hand. The rolling should be done at the rate of about 80 strokes
per minute. Note that one complete backward and one complete forward motion of the
palm constitutes a stroke.
6. When the thread is being rolled in Step 5 reaches 1/8-in. (3.18 mm) in diameter, break it
up into several small pieces and squeeze it with your fingers to form an ellipsoidal mass
again.
7. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 until the thread crumbles into several pieces when it reaches a
diameter of 1/8-in. (3.18 mm).It is possible that a thread may crumble at a diameter
larger than 1/8-in. (3.18 mm) during a given rolling process, whereas it did not crumble
at the same diameter during the immediately previous rolling.
8. Collect the small crumbled pieces in the moisture can put the cover on the can.
9. Take the other ellipsoidal soil masses formed in Step 4 and repeat Steps 5 through 8.
10. Determine the mass of the moisture can plus the wet soil (W2) in grams. Remove the cap
from the top of the can and place the can in the oven (with the cap at the bottom of the
can).
11. After about 24 hours, remove the can from the oven and determine the mass of the can
plus the dry soil (W3) in grams.

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Calculations:
Test no 1 2 3
Moisture content in 14.8 15.2 15.1
percentage
Plastic limit = (14.8+15.2+15.1)/3 = 15

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