Item:

Unit weight determination & water content determination & specific

gravity of soil .

Introduction :
Unit weight : is the ratio of the weight of the Sample to its volume
Unit weight used mainly to knowledge the type of soil .
Water content (W/c) : is the ratio of the weight of water to the weight of
the solids in a given mass of soil .
Specific gravity (Gs) : is the ratio of the weight in air of a given volume of
soil particles at a stated temperature to the weight in air of an equal
volume of distilled water at (4°C) .
Also : Gs can be defined as the ratio of the mass of a given volume of
solids to the mass of an equal volume of water at 4 °C .

the purpose of the experiment : ( unit weight & water content )

Determine the water content in the sample to determine the soil type .

Tools :
1. Sensitive balance (0.1 gm) .
2. Oven with accurate temperature control (105+5° C) .
3. Moisture cons .
4. Vernier.
Procedure :
• For unit weight :
1. Weigh the soil sample to (0.1gm) (W) .
2. Take (3) reading for each diameter and height (if cylindrical
sample) and estimate the volume .
• The sample is placed in the oven for a period of (12-18) hours for
drying .

• For water content :

1. Weight a can aluminum cup (W1) .
2. Place a representative sample of wet soil in the can and determine
the weight of wet soil+ can (W2) .
3. Place the sample in the oven .
4. When the sample has dried to constant weight, obtain the weight
of dry soil+ can (W3) .
5. Compute the water content (ω) , (W/c) .

Calculation :
𝜋 𝜋
𝑉 = ( ) × 𝑑2 × ℎ = ( ) ∗ 3.8282 × 8.537 = 98.25 𝑐𝑚³
4 4
𝑊 170.51
𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 = = = 1.735 𝑔𝑚/𝑐𝑚³
𝑉 98.25
𝑊𝑤 𝑊2−𝑊3 192.78−176.52
W/C % = × 100 = 𝑊3−𝑊1 = × 100% = 10.56%
𝑊𝑠 176.52−22.48

Where :
(V) Volume of soil sylinder .
)W( Weight of soil sylinder .
)W1( Weight of pan .
)W2( Weight of pan + wet soil .
)W3( Weight of pan + dry soil .
The purpose of the experiment : ( specific gravity )
1. Determination of soil void ratio .
2. Degree of saturation .
3. Unit weight that's Used in the computation of most laboratory
test (i.e. hydrometer method of grain size analysis) .

Tools :
1. Volumetric flask (Pycnometer), 500 cc. Capacity .
2. Vacuum pump or hot plate .
3. Oven .
4. Balance .
5. Thermometer .
6. No. 4 standard sieve .

Procedure :
• Experimental method :
1. Add distilled water to a clean pycnometer until the bottom of the
meniscus is at the calibration mark .
2. Weigh the (pycnometer +water) to (0.01 g) .
3. Measure the water temperature to 1.0 °C .
4. Heat the (pycnometer +water) slightly by placing it in a warm
water bath and repeat step 2 & 3.
5. Repeat this procedure until enough points are obtained to plot
the calibration .
• Theoretical method :
1. Put approximately 50 g of oven-dry soil weighted to 0.01gm.
into a calibrated pycnometer which is already half full of de
aired, distilled water .
2. Remove all of the air, by attach the pycnometer to vacuum line
or by boiling the pycnometer (pycnometer +water +soil) for
about 10 minutes after boiling .
3. Cool the pycnometer (temperature to the range of the
calibration curve ), and add the distilled water to bring the
bottom of meniscus to the calibration mark. Weigh the
(pycnometer +water +soil), W1 and measured the temp .
4. Compute the Sp. Gr .
Calculation :
compute the values of W2 from the equation:

𝑊2 = 𝑊𝑏 + 𝑉𝑏(1 + ∆𝑇 × 𝐸)(𝑦𝑇 − 𝑦𝑎)

T1=25 , W2=643.77 gm
T2=32 , W2=642.81 gm
T3=35 , W2=642.32 gm
T4=37 , W2=641.98 gm

Where :
)Wb( Weight of clean, dry pycnometer .
)Vb( calibration volume of pycnometer at Tc .
)∆T) T-Tc
(T) temp. in (C˚) at which (W2) is desired.
(Tc) calibration temp. of pycnometer (usually 20 C(˚
(E) thermal coefficient of cubical expansion for Pyrex glass = 0.1*10^-4
/C˚.
(𝑦𝑇) unit weight of water at T( from table A-2 ).
(𝑦𝑎) unit weight of air at T and atmospheric pressure (an average value
of ya accurate for use in this test is 0.0012 gm/cc.(
After taking the weights and temperatures and drawing the curve..
The ideal temperature was dropped (33 ° C) .
So the value of (W2) was equal to 642.1 gm (exp.) , 642.6 gm (Theor.)
and the value of k equal 0.9947 ( from Table A-2 ) .

So :
𝑘. 𝑊𝑠
𝐺𝑠 =
𝑊𝑠 − 𝑊1 + 𝑊2
0.9982 × 50
= = 2.598 (exp. )
50 − 672.89 + 642.1
0.9982 × 50
= 2.532 (𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟. )
50 − 672.89 + 642.6
Where :
)k( Unit weight of water ( from table A-2 ) .
)Ws( Weight of sample .
)W1( Weight (pycnometer +water +soil) .
)W2( Weight pycnometer +water (from calibration curve) .

Discuss the results :

For unit weight & water content ..
Laboratory oven drying at (105s+5° C) does not result in reliable water
content values for soil containing gypsum or significant amount of
organic material. Reliable water content values for these soils can be
obtain by drying in oven at (60° C). Because this certain temperature
(60° C) can not break the minerals or chemical composition of gypseous
or organic soils .
As for the specific gravity ..
After comparison with the ideal values for the specific gravity
specifications It turns out that :
The theoretical and experimental value of specific gravity is less than
2.65, which is outside the international standard values.