Job#2: Determination Of Specific Gravity Of Fine Grained

Soils In The Laboratory.

Objective:
Determining the
Significance:
It is some time required to compare the density of the aggregate soil solids to the density of
water. This comparison is in the form of ratio and is termed as specific gravity of the soil solids.
Together with the soil moisture content and unit weight, specific gravity is frequently used to
solve for the various phase relationships, such as void ratio, porosity, and degree of saturation.
Specific gravity is also required in the calculations associated with the grain size analysis,
consolidation and compaction.
Apparatus:
1. Pycnometer
2. Weighing balance sensitive up to 0.01 gm
3. Thermometer
4. Large beaker
5. Wash bottle
6. Soil sample
Related theory
Specific gravity:
The specific gravity of any substance is defined as the unit weight of material or soil divided by
the unit weight of distilled water at 4℃.
𝛾𝑠
𝐺𝑠 𝑎𝑡 4℃
𝛾𝑤
Here
1. 𝛾s refers to the unit weight of soil.
2. 𝛾w refers to the unit weight of water.

Equal volumes:
For this experiment we have to find the weight of equal volume of sand and water at any
specific temperature.
𝑊𝑠/𝑉
𝐺𝑠 =
𝑊𝑤/𝑉
Here volumes should be equal.
𝑊𝑠
𝐺𝑠 =
𝑊𝑤

The volume of a known weight of soil grains can be obtained by using a container of known
volume and the Archimedes principle that a body submerged in a volume of water will displace
a volume of water equal to the volume of the submerged body.
Pycnometer:
A small device like a small flask usually used to take the weights of equal volumes. Used to
measure the specific gravity.

Getting the weight of equal volume:

For this we use a small flask I.e. pycnometer. We fill both soil and water in it then subtracting
different weights we found the weight of equal volume of water. We subtracted the weight of
water that goes into pores and at the top of soil solid in the free space from the weight of water
filled in the pycnometer.
We take the empty weight, weight filled with soil, weight filled with soil and water, and weight
of pycnometer filled with water only and then we calculated required weights from these
weights.
Temperature correction:
Temperature correction is very important in this experiment in order to get good results. As
density of water is maximum at 4 degrees so we take thus as a standard and we calculate a
temperature correction factor from this. Which is then multiplied to get correct results.
This temperature correction factor is represented by 𝛼 .
𝛾𝑇
𝛼=
γ4℃
Where 𝛾T represents unit weight at the temperature of the test performance and 𝛾4℃ is unit
weight of water at at 4℃.
And this correction factor is then multiplied by the specific gravity value.
𝑊𝑠
𝐺𝑠 = ∗𝛼
𝑊𝑤

Typical values of correction factor:

Temperature T (℃) Correction factor (𝛼)
4 1.000
15 0.9999
20 0.9982
25 0.9971
30 0.9957
35 0.9941

Sources of error:
1. Major error is caused by improper of mixing of soil and water as soil has voids and empty
spaces so in order to get correct weight and volume water should reach these pores and
voids.
2. Air may present both in soil and water so we have to remove this.
3. Use of low precision weighing balance is also a major cause.
Typical values of specific gravities:
These values can be used as a guide to check whether the test results are in the correct range or
not.
Type of soil Gs(Specific value)
Sand 2.65-2.67
Silty sand 2.67-2.70
Inorganic clay 2.70-2.80
Soil with mica or iron 2.75-3.00
Organic soils Variable but may be under 2.00
Procedure:
1. First of all, we measure the weight of empty pycnomter.
2. Then we fill some soil sample in the pycnometer and the we measure the weight.
3. After that we fill the pycnomter with water which already has some soil sample in it
which was about 1/3 of its volume.
4. The we mix tis mixture thorough.
5. Then we again weight it.
6. After that we wash it and we again fill it water
7. Then we again weigh it
8. We perform this procedure many times.
9. Then we perform different calculations to get specific gravity.

Observations and calculations:

Specific gravity is given as
𝑊𝑠
𝐺𝑠 = ∗𝛼
𝑊𝑤

(𝑊2 − 𝑊1)
𝐺𝑠 = ∗𝛼
[(W4 − W1) − (W3 − W2)]
Here
W1=Weight of empty pycnometer
W2=Weight of empty pycnometer plus soil sample
W3=Weight of empty pycnometer plus soil sample plus water
W4=Weight of pycnometer completely filled with water
𝛼 is the Temperature correction factor