iy Designation: D 425 ~ 88 (Reapproved 2001) Standard Test Method for Centrifuge Moisture Equivalent of Soils’ xia tpn oe cs ovis, et as eon Arn uence cas he Ya oa ARTE A Streets) oes net cheng sve the nt ion eg of the mois- ture equivalent of soil in the laboratory by means of a centrifuge technique. 2 This wst mediod is limived w disturbed specimens of coarsergruined soils haying fines of low plasticity such as SP, SW, SC-SM, or SM soils. The tes is limited 1 soils passing the 2.00-mm sieve or that fraction of a soil passing a 2.00-mm Nom: I Tes Method D 3152 or Text Method D: to evalaste che capillary-moistue relations of fine ‘coarso-gralned sollshaving nes of medium to high pasty, undisturbed soll, and soils at spocitic daira units weights. 1.3 The test method is temperaturedependent, and consis- ent comparable results can be obtained only if the tests are performed under a constant-temperature condition, 14 ‘The values stated in SL units are to be regarded as the standard. 1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. Ht is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- biluy of regulatory limuations prior to use 2, Referenced Documents 2.1 ASTM Standards: D653 Terminology Relating wo Soil, Rock, and Comusined Fluids? 1D 2216 Tew Meda for Laboratory Determination of Water (Moisture) Content of Soil and Rock by Mass? 1.2325 Test Method for Capillary-Moisture Relation for Coarse- and Medium-Textured Soils by Porous-Plate Apparatus® 13152 Test Method for Capilary-Moisture Relationships for Fine“Textuted Soils by Pressure-Membrane Apparatus? 14753 Specification for Evaluating, Selecting, and Speci- ing Balances and Seales for Use in Soil, Rock, and Consiniction Materials Testing? "This at muted ie ue th jraiton of ASTM Commit B18 on Si and Rock and ine dist esponaly of Subcom 1803 on Teme, Pay, and Density Characeiss of Sol. ‘Careat edton epyrovet May 27, 198. Pubnted Jly 1988, Originally published as D 25-28. Last previous edtion D251" "Anal Bok of ASTM Stantrds Nl DUI, ieyon©ASIM 10a Hater, Wet Conotasa, PR SK O50, Une Se. Copyright by the ASTM Internation Sun Dee 15 1S:4048 2002 E111 Specification for Wire-Cloth Sieves for Testing Pur- poses? 3. ‘Terminology 3.1 All definitions are in secordance with Terminology D653. Terms of particular significance are as follows: 3.2 capittary fringe zone—the one above the free water elevation in which water is held by capillary action, 3.3 conirifuge moisture equivalent the water content of a soil after it has been saturated with water and then subjected for ‘one hour to a centrifugal force equal to 1000 times that oF gravity 34 specific retention—the ratio of the volume of water that ccannot be drained from a saturated soil under the action of forve of gravity to the total volume of voids. 35 water-holding capacity—the smallest value to whieh the ‘water content of soil or rock can be reduced by gravity duiage. 4, Summary of Test Method 4.1. The centvifige moisture equivalent oF soils is deter- ‘mined by initially air-drying the soil, selecting wo 3-g test specimens, thoroughly soaking each test specimen, and then determining the water conteat of each specimen after it has ‘boon centrifuged for 1 h ata foree equal to 1000 times that of aravity at a controlled temperature of 20 + 1°C. 5. Significance and Use 5.1 Not all water contained in a saturated soil can be removed by gravity drainage. The amount of water retained aller gravily drainage is usually expressed as water bolding capacity or specific retention. It varies with time, and with the panicle-size disuibuuion and plasticity of the soil Gi geweral, increasing in value with inereasing plasticity index). 5.2 Tn general, the centrifuge moisture equivalent is based ‘on the theory of applying a centrifugal forve great enough to reduce the capillary Iringe zone enough that it can be ignored ‘without introducing much error, even in small specimens, and {yet not so great as to withdraw a large proportion of the water that is held securely above the capillary fringe, For example, if 2 soil will hold water 100 mm by capillarty acting against ‘ravi, the soil will theoretically he. alle. to hold the water only 0.1 mm against a centrifugal force that is 1000 times greater * Anmeal Book of ASTM Starks, NO W602h 0 425 than the force of gravity. It has been determined that for at Least ‘mediumn-textured soils (sandy to silty particle-size distribution) the cenuifuge moisture equivalent approximates the water holding capacity and when combined with the bulk density can be used t0 calculate an approximate specific retention and specific yield. These properties when combined with porosity ccan be used to estimate aquuler storage coetlicient. 6. Apparatus 6. Centrifuge—A contsifuge of such a size and so driven that a force equal 10 1000 times the force of gravity may be exerted on the center of gravity of the soil specimen for | h, The conuifuge chamber stall be capable of nai controlled temperature of 20 * 1°C, The revolutions per minute, N, required to provide a centrifugal force of 1000 times gravity is devermined from the equation: a revolutions per minute, relative centrifugal force (1000), radius of rotation 10 center oF gravity oF the test specimen, em, and m= mass of the body, taken as unity. For normal equipment installation, N will equal approxi- ‘mately 2300 rpm. 6.2 Gooch Crucible—A procelain Gooch crucible having & Cantrituge Hes ma ‘Crucipie Holder perforated bottom, 2 capseity of approximately 25 mL, and a diameter at bottom of about 20 mm (Fig. 1. Crueibies should, be numbered and paired im such a way that their masses meet the requirements of the manufacturer of the centrifuge 63 Babcock Trunnion Cups—At least one pair of centrifuge cups with caps and with a crucible holder for supporting the Gooch crucible above the bottom of the cup «ig. 1). The holder shall have sulicent clearance to fit fully within the cup and short support the cup in sucl a mamuet Unat de water ejected during the centrifuging operation does not come in contact with the crucible and soil. Cups and crucible holders should be balanced in pairs opposite each other in the cen fuge and should be numbered in pairs (or example, 1, 1A. 2 2A, et). 6 Filter Paper—A circular pivce of filter paper just lage enough to cover the inside bottom of the Gooch crucible, Nor: 2—fFilter papers may be purchased already cut co size from a sciemtie supply company. A medium speed high wet sength (hardened) paper is recommonnded 65 Balance—A balance having a readability of 0.01 g. and accurate 1 40.03 g. [Nore 3For addtional information on balances role to Specification Dats 6.6 Humidifier—A desiccator cabinet or large desicoator jar ‘with water in the lower half works satisfactorily. The desiccator plate should be covered with hardware cloth on which to set the crucibles and soil specimens. Souch Grasible ‘{Perforoles Bottom Rapeeck Trunnion ” cup Filter Paper Mountings of Maistore Eeuivalest Roooratas FIG. 1 Crucible, Trunnion Cup, and Cup Holder Copyright by the ASTM Internation Sun Dee 15 1:41:07 Zoneh 0 425 6.7 Oven—A thermostatically controlled drying oven, pref. erably of the forced-draft type, capeble of maintaining a uniform temperature of 110 = 5°C throughout. 68, Waster Content Containers Suitable coniainers made of material resistant 1 corrosion and change in mass. upon repeated heating, cooling, and cleaning. Containers shall have close-titing lids to prevent loss of moisture trom the soi before intial weighing and 10 prevent absorption of moisture from the atmosphere following oven drying and before final weighing. One container is needed for each water content determination. Containers should be 60 to 90-ml. capacity [Nore 4H recommended tha the containers be numbered in pars to coincide withthe erie numbcrs 6.9 Mortar and Pestle—A mortar and rubber-covered pestle suitable for breaking up the aggregations of soil particles 6.10 Sieve—2.0X-mm (No, 10) sieve conforming to Speci- fication E 11. A sieve bottom pan and lid are also highly desirable for facilitating specimen preparation 7. ‘Test Specimen 7.1 Expose the soil sample, as received, 10 the air at room temperature until dried thoroughly. Break up the aggregations thoroughly in the mortar with 9 rubher-caveres! pestle. Dry sieve this material on a 2.00-mm sieve. Nom: $—If the sample, as rocived, has a mass much greater than reqpned to perform this est the sample can he thorwiphly mixed and a sample weighing abou 50 g splice for aed 7.2 Take wo 5-g specimens from the material passing the 2.00-mm sieve afier it has been thoroughly mixed. The crucibles should be numbered and paired in such a way thatthe masses of the crucibles and contents meet the requirements of the manufacturer of the centrifuge. 8. Procedure 8.1 Place the specimens loosely but evenly in the paired Gooch erueibles, in which previously has been placed a piece ‘of wer filter paper that just covers the bottom of each crucible. Place the ericihle in a pan af distilled or remineralized water Of a depth at least $ mm greater than the height of sol in the ccup and allow the soil to take up water until “saturated.” Bight hours or overnight usually is satisfactory, as indicated by the presence of free water covering the eusface of the soil. Place the crucible and specimen in the humidifier to drain for atleast 12.10 ensure uniform distribution of moisture throughout the soil mass. Pour or siplion olf any water standing above Ue surface of the specimens and place the crucibles in the centrifuge cups fited as described in 6.2. Place the paired ervcibles in the centrifuge cups opposite each other in the centrifuge. Copyright by the ASTM Internation Sun Dee 15 1:41:09 20ne 8.2 Control the centrifuge ata temperature 20 + 1°C. Bring the centrifuge t0 the required speed within 5 min by five suocessive equal steps of the rheustat, with I min at each step. ‘Maintain the centrifuge for 60 min at a constant speed which, for the diameter head used, will exert a centrifugal force 1000 times the force of gravity upon the center of gravity of the test specimen. Following this period of centntuging at required speed, allow the centrifuge to come to rest with as litle braking as possible, but not to exceed a 5-min tine interval 83 When water is observed on the top of the soil afier centrifuging, the soil is said co have water-logged. The centri- fuge moisture equivalent is not considered to be valid for this ‘material and the report should be so noted. 84 Immediately afier centrifuging, transfer soil from the crucibles tothe water content containers as quickly as possible {0 minimize moisture loss; it isnot necessary to remove all of the soil from the crucibles. Then determine the water content of each specimen in accordance with Method D 2216. 8.5 A copy of a sample data sheet is shown in Fig. 2. Any ddata sheet can be used, provided the form contains all the required data 9. Caleulation 9.1 Caleutste the centvifuge moisture equivalent as the average of the water contents of the two specimens. 10. Report 10.1 The report shall include the following: 10.1.1 Identification of sample (material) being tested, by boring number, sample number, test number, etc. 10.1.2. Average centrifuge moisture equivalent of the speci- men tothe nearest 1%. Ifthe specimen was waterlogged, the report should state thatthe centrifuge moisture equivalent was, not valid for the sol tested 10.1.3 Indication of which west specimen if any, was water- loggest 11, Precision and Bias ILL Precision—Information on the precision oF this est method is being gathered 12. Keywords 12.1 centrifuge moisture equivalent; specific reuention: spe- cific yield, storage capacity; water holding capacity ALL, Pail, RC, and Moris, DL A., “Specie VieldColuma Drainage and Cente Moun: Comer," U'S, Geol Survey War Spy Pape 162-4, 1968,h 0 425 (1) Laboratory Sapte ne —— - (2) contateer Wo 1) Meiahe of containar « (6) Meiaht of container + ary" sanele (Wecde 9 TE) ane ot posture ta 4-4) a Wipe of enter ela T Gy werant oF dev samete. Gale o ta''6) i (8) ister Equivalent Genel E12 2 FT x 100 (8) Beerage tovature Equiv Tent (ene) 1 2 Bute and Wares bralyzod Be Computes ___ chectes (2) tavoratory sammie to, (2) Container ho, (O) wergre oF coreatner + met sanple ewe) @ (1) Weight of container + ary same feeds 9 (5) Weight oF mveture Gy) 7 90a} (6) wetgnt oF container (Wels 9 (7) Weight of ary seaples (is) y 8) (8) Moisture Eoyivgtent Hx 100 eee Tae: etyeed_——— computed — checked FIG. 2 Centrituge Moisture Equivalent Sample Data Sheet The Ararican Soi fr Testing arc tras ike no poston respec the vty of any patent ight assert n connection with any tom mentored in ths standard. Uses of Bis standard ar eres achsed tat detonation of te ako any such Dalat rie, ad eo ilingomont of euch ight, are ately thor own rsponetey “hist suet oreo aay te bythe espe lain comic a at be reviewed every fe yours and {thot rerse, etter eapprowedorwihcrawh. Your Contents are ivi elo fr revisor a is standard ofr actor andars (2rd shuld baaceaaed 0 ALTA Hosur, Your canvas ul acave cash sanakeatan sta masg of to fespansbs ‘ect! commits wc you mayan ys fee tel your commen ihve hol reco fi heey you shou ae Yur views noun fo fe ASTH Carmi on Slandars a he adress show below. ‘Thi standand i cnyighled by ASTI, 100 Bar Harbor Dre. PO Box C700. We! Conshohocken PA 19426-2959, Unted Sites Incl rapt (angie or mele cope) of tha standard ray be sane by contacting ASTM a the above adsteas or at srOsz0%8 (prone, BTOSSE-O5H5 fat 0” SersceCasin ry (eal); er OUP! the ASTM webste (wWW.AST.Cg) Copyright by the ASTM Internation Sun Dee 15 13:41:10 20ne