DENSITY FOR SOIL BY SAND DISPLACEMENT

METHOD
SCOPE : To determining the dry density of soil compacted in layers 150mm to 250mm thickness.
IS CODE : IS: 2720 (PART xxvii) 1974

APPARATUS :
Large sand pouring cylinder, tools for excavation holes, cylindrical calibrating container
(Dia -150mm, depth 175mm and 100mm dia, depth 150mm), Balance, plane surface (A
glass of 600 mm sq and 10 mm thick) metal container (To collect excavated soil), metal
tray (450mm sq and 50mm deep with 150mm ,100mm dia hole in the centre)
MATERIAL :
Clean uniformly graded natural sand passing 1.0mm and retained on 600µ.
PROCEDURE :

 The pouring cylinder should be filled with a given initial wt. of sand (W1).
 A volume of sand equivalent to that of excavated hole in the soil shall be allowed to run
and closed the shutter when no movement of sand takes place.
 The sand that has filled the cone of the pouring cylinder shall collected and weighed
(W2).
 Internal volume V in ml of calibrating container should be determined.
 The calibrating container should stand on large tray and pouring cylinder placed on
top with constant wt of sand wt. the shutter of pouring cylinder opened and the sand
allowed to run out. When no further movement of sand takes place closed the
shutter the wt. of sand retain on pouring cylinder weighed (W 3).
 The metal tray with centre hole shall be laid on prepared surface of soil to be tested.
The hole in the soil excavated using the hole in the tray as a pattern to the depth of
layer to be tested up to max. 250mm. the excavated soil weighed - Ww .The metal
tray removed and pouring cylinder placed over excavated hole.
 The pouring cylinder filled with constant wt. of sand W1 and open the shutter to flow
the sand into the hole when no movement of sand takes place closed the shutter
and wt. taken – (W4)
CALCULATIONS :
The weight of sand in (Wa) gms required too fill the calibrating container
Wa = W1– W3 – W2
W1 = wt. of pouring cylinder and sand before pouring into calibrating container in gms.
W3 = wt. of cylinder with residual sand after pouring into calibrating container.
W2 = mean wt. of sand in cone in gms.
Wa
The bulk density of sand Уs = X 1000 kg/cum
V

V = volume of calibrating container in ml

The wt. of sand (Wb) in gms, required to fill the excavated hole shall be calculated from the the
following formula :
Wb = W1 – W4 – W2

W1 = wt. of cylinder and sand before pouring into hole in gms

W4 = wt. of cylinder and sand after pouring into hole and cone in gms
W2 = mean wt. in sand of cone in gms.
The bulk density
Ww
Уb = X У skg/ cum
Ws
Ww = wt. of soil excavated in gms.
Wb = wt. of sand required to fill the hole in gms
У s = bulk density of sand in kg/m3
100У b
Уd = kg /m3
100+ω
 Wd
Уd = X У s kg/m 3
Wb
𝛚 = water content of the soil in percent
Wd= wt. of dry soil from the hole in gms
Wb = wt. of sand required to fill the hole in gms

LIMITS :

TYPE OF MATERIAL LIMIT

MOORUM / RED BAJRI / GRAVEL AT LEAST 98% OF THE
MAX. DRY DENSITY
EARTH WORK ON EMBANKEMENT AT LEAST 98% OF THE
MAX. DRY DENSITY

FREQUENCY :

TYPE OF MATERIAL FREQUENCY

MOORUM / RED BAJRI / GRAVEL 2 TEST PER 3000 / CUM

EARTH WORK ON EMBANKEMENT 2 TEST PER 3000 / CUM OF

SOIL