EXPREMENT 2

SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SOIL

Objective
To determine the specific gravity of a soil particle for particle less than 2.0mm by means of
pycnometer.
Theory
Soil is a three –phase system comprising solid liquid and gas. Many soil parameters like unit
weight, void ratio, porosity and water content relates the proportion of the phases with each
other or to the total soil mass/volume but specify gravity of a soil is a property of soil solids
only. Specific gravity of a soil is defined as the ratio of the mass in air of a given volume of
the soil solid to the mass in air of an equal volume of distilled water at stated temperature.

Gs = specify gravity of a soil

Ms = mass in air of a given volume
Mw = mass in air of an equal volume water
The soil to be used in specific gravity test may contain its natural or oven dried .The mass of
the test specimen shall be at least 10g for 50ml , 25g 100 ml and for 100g for 500ml pycnometer.

Apparatus

Pycnometer


Evaporating dish
 Vacuum pump or
heater
Balance


Drying oven

Sieve No 10 or No 4
Funnel



Thermometer
 Desiccators
pipette
 

Sample preparation
1. Oven dry sample for 24hr at a temperature of 105 °C to 115 °C
2. Cool the sample in the desiccators.
3. Sieve the sample on sieve having 2mm sieve opening.
Procedure
1. Weigh 100g oven dry soil.
2. Fill the pycnometer to one third of its volume with distilled water.
3. Place the sample in the pycnometer taking care not to loose any soil.
4. Remove the entrapped air by using vacuum pump or by heating the pycnometer on hot
plate.
5. Fill the pycnometer with water up to its calibration mark and clean and dry the outside.
6. Determine the mass of pycnometer and the contents to the nearest 0.01g.
7. Determine the temperature by inserting the thermometer in the pycnometer.
8. Based on temperature determine the mass of pycnometer filled with distilled water
from pycnometer.
Data collected
 Weight of pycnometer 1 =178.5g
 Weight of dry soil=100g
 Weight of soil + water +pycnometer =731g
 Weight of water and pycnometer = 562g
Computation
Calculate the specific gravity of soil at test temperature.
GS = 100/39 = 2.56

EXPERIMENT 3
SIEVE ANALYSIS
Objective
To obtain the grain sizes distribution of a soil sample coarser than 0.075 mm.
Theory
Soils are product of mechanical and chemical weathering and are found in a wide range of
particle sizes and shape. Simple sieve analyses can be used to different size particle of
coarsegrained soils. In the sieve analysis square holes between the wires of the mesh provide a
limiting size of particles retained on a particle sieve. However, it has to be noted that all soil
particles are spherical, cubical, or any regular shape. The sieve analysis does not provide any
information on the shape of the soil grains regarding whether they are angular or rounded.
Generally the behaviour of cohesion less soil does not depend predominately on the shape of
the grains. Most cohesion less soils consists of roughly equal –dimensional block particles and
sieve analysis provides useful information for engineering purposes.
Statistical relation have been established between the grain size and the significant soil
properties .The suitability criteria for a road airfield and the embankment construction have
been based on the grain size distribution. The prediction of permeability can be done using
grain size analysis. The proper gradation of filter material is established from particle size
distribution.
Simple sieve analysis is used for particle larger than 0.075 mm while sedimentation analysis
for particle smaller than 0.075mm.For soil sample that contains a measurable portion of their
grains both coarser and finer than 0.075 mm size combined analysis is required.
A sieve analysis test consists of shaking the soil through a stack of wire screens with openings
of known size. The particle size is defined as the side dimension of a square hole in which the
particle is retained. The percentage finer is defined as the side dimension of a square hole in
which the particle is retained. The percentage finer can be calculated from the mass of the
sample retained on the sieve, the mass of the sieve ,and the total mass of the sample .A curve
or a table showing the particle size versus the percentage finer on each sieve can presented
the distribution of the grain size.
Apparatus


Set of sieve
Sieve shaker



Balance

Brush

Drying oven


Desiccators
 Mortar and rubber tipped
pestle
Sample splitter(optional)


Sample preparation
 Oven dry the sole at a temperature of 105-115 C for 24 hours.
Break up the aggregate in the dried sample by mortar with a rubber
pestle
 

procedure
1. Select a representative sample of the amount of required to perform the test by the
method of quartering or by the use of splitter.
2. Determine the total mass of the sample
3. Select appropriate set of varying size sieve. Stack the sieve with the smallest at the
bottom to the largest at the top.
4. Weigh each sieve and the pan. Make sure each sieve is clean before weighing it.
5. Place the Stack on the sieve shaker. Carefully pour the sample through the stack of
the sieve .
6. Place sieve cover on the top sieve. Sieve the soil through the Stack the sieves
using the mechanical shaker for 10 minutes.
7. Remove the stack from the sieve shaker .Weigh and record the mass of the sieve
and pan with the retained soil.
Data and Calculation

Plot particle size distribution curve. The grain size distribution of a soil is presented as a curve
on a Semi -logarithmic plot; the ordinates being the percentage finer and the abscissa particle
size (mm) in log scale.
Total mass=1500gm
Mass of Cumulati
sieve with Mass of ve
Mass of retained Percentag
Sieve retained Percentage Percentage
Sieve soil e
No soil Retained passing
[g] [g] Retained
[g]

No.4 604.5 726.5 122 7.40% 7.40% 92.6%

No. 10 560 939.5 379.5 23.01% 30.01% 69.99%
No.20 503 991 488 29.59% 60% 40%
No.40 466 732 266 16.13% 76.13% 23.87%
No.100 436 620.5 184.5 11.19% 87.32% 12.68%
No.120 436 449 13 0.79% 88.11% 11.89%
No.170 424.5 441.5 17 1.03% 89.14% 10.86%
No.200 200 359 159 9.64% 98.79% 1.21%
Pan 274.5 294.5 20 1.21% 100% 0%

Conclusion
From the distribution curve of the sieve analysis the contain all diameter. This indicates
that the soil sample is fairly graded. It can be compacted to a very dense condition and will
develop shearing resistance and bearing capacity.