SAMPLING AND TESTING OF SOIL AND SOIL AGGREGATES

In the planning and execution of construction projects, it is vital to know the

subsurface conditions in the construction area. The information includes not only the
location, extent, and condition of the soil layers but also the elevation of the
groundwater table and bedrock; drainage characteristics of the surface and subsurface
soils; and location of possible borrow areas from which suitable soil and other mineral-
product maybe “borrowed” for a construction operation. These are done through:
gathering soil samples, soil testing by either laboratory or field procedures, or both and
soil classification.
The gathering, or collecting of soil samples in the field for the purpose of
testing is called SOIL SAMPLING.
Types of Soil and Method of Sampling
DISTURBED SOILS - are those obtained from the field thru manual sampling on the
point of sources and or at stockpiles for investigation purposes and construction
materials for use in the road and other structures.
UNDISTURBED SOILS - are those obtained from the field with minimum disturbance
by using drilling equipment that provides clean hole before insertion of thin walled
tubes that is both the natural density and moisture content are preserved as much as
practicable. - soil samples are obtained for investigation to determined the properties of
the materials necessary for the design analysis of a structure.
SOIL TESTS
UNDISTURBED SOILS
• Field Density
• Permeability
• Consolidation
• Tri-axial Test
• Shear Test
• Hydrometer Analysis
• Specific Gravity
DISTURBED SOILS
• Moisture Content Determination
• Atterberg Limits
• Compaction
• Particle Size/Sieve Analysis
• Abrasion Test
• California Bearing Ratio
Sampling Aggregates (AASHTO T 2-84, ASTM D 75– 82)
1. Sampling from a flowing Aggregate Stream.
2. Sampling from the Conveyor Belt.
3. Sampling from stockpiles or Transportation Units.
Sampling from Stockpiles
Design a sampling plan when a sample is to be obtain from the stockpile of
delivered soil aggregate material. The sampling plan shall define the number of samples
necessary to represent lots and sublots of specific sizes.
Sampling of soil aggregates in a big stockpile shall be done by taking
sample from the bottom, middle and top of the stockpile.
PREPARATION OF SAMPLES FOR TESTING (LABORATORY SAMPLING)
Samples shall be dried thoroughly in air or in drying apparatus at a
temperature not exceeding 60°C.
Reduction of samples for laboratory testing can be done through:
Specifications for aggregates require sampling portions of the material for testing. Other
factors being equal, larger samples will tend to be more representative of the total
supply. These methods provide for reducing the large sample obtained in the field to a
convenient size for conducting a number of tests to describe the material and measure
its quality in a manner that the smaller portion is most likely to be a representation of
the field sample, and thus of the total supply.
• MECHANICAL SPLITTER
• QUARTERING
Reduction of samples for laboratory testing can be done through:
QUARTERING
The material in the sample pan should be divided into quarters and each
quarter should be mixed individually. Two quarters should then be mixed to form
halves. The two halves should be mixed to form a homogenous matrix.
MECHANICAL SPLITTER
The mechanical splitter splits the sample into two halves as the material
passes through the spaces between the bars in the splitter. The same number of each
particle size goes into each half of the sample, thus keeping the reduced sample
representative of the total collected sample.
COMMON LABORATORY TESTS FOR SOIL
✓Moisture Content Determination
✓Particle Size/Sieve Analysis 3
✓Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit and Plasticity Index
✓Abrasion Test
✓Compaction Test (Moisture Determination Relation)
✓Field Density Test
✓California Bearing Ratio
MOISTURE CONTENT DETERMINATION
A soil’s moisture content (also referred to as water content) is an indicator of
the amount of water present. By laboratory definition, moisture content is the ratio of
the weight / mass of water in the soil to the weight / mass of the dry soil after it has
been dried to a constant weight at a temperature of 110 ± 5 °C.
• Moisture Content - content-amount of water present at the sample after oven drying
at 110 ± 5° C.
•Hygroscopic Moisture Content- amount of water present at the sample at air-dried
condition after oven drying at 110 ± 5° C (note: at least 10g passing 2mm).
• Natural Moisture Content - amount of water present from undisturbed sample.
MOISTURE CONTENT DETERMINATION
Procedure:
1. Record weight of original sample.
2. Place the sample inside the oven at a temperature 110±5 C ̊ for about 1 hour
3. Allow the container and sample to cool down before weighing.
4. After weighing return the sample into the oven for another 15 to 30 min. then weigh
again afterwards.
5. If no further decrease in weight is observed during the oven dry. Then the sample is
said to be oven dried.
6. However if further decrease in weight is observed, repeat the oven drying process
until there is no more change in weight of the sample.
7. Record it as weight of oven dried sample.
PARTICLE SIZE/SIEVE ANALYSIS DETERMINATION
▪ Its significance is to determine the particle size distribution in soil by sieve analysis.
▪ Particle size distribution on soils and aggregates is widely used in the classification
and identification of soils and it is an important criteria in the classification of highway
subgrade materials.
▪ Determining grain sizes and the percentage distribution of each size is done with
mechanical analysis. A complete mechanical analysis is accomplished in two parts:
sieve analysis and hydrometer analysis.
• Sieve Analysis – retained on 2mm sieve / sieve no. 40
• Hydrometer test – Passing on 2mm sieve / sieve no. 40
Size: 100g for sandy soil 50g for silty soil
AASHTO T27 Sieve Analysis for FA & CA AASHTO T88 Particle size analysis of soil.
MAXIMUM SIZE – the smallest size of sieve in which all materials are “required” to
pass.
NOMINAL MAXIMUM SIZE – the smallest size of sieve in which all materials are
“permitted” to pass.
*failed samples can be corrected through proper blending of materials to meet the
required specifications*
Note: Item 200 – ASBC (Aggregate Sub-Base Course
Item 201 – ABC (Aggregate Base Course)
ATTERBERG LIMITS (LIQUID LIMIT, PLASTIC LIMIT and PLASTICITY INDEX)
DETERMINATION (ASTM 4318-95A) LIQUID LIMIT DETERMINATION
If the proper amount of water is present, clays and some other fine-grained
soils exhibit plasticity. Aplastic soil can be deformed beyond the point of recovery
without cracking or exhibiting a change in volume and be remolded.
▪ Is defined as the lowest moisture content at which the soil will flow upon the
application of a very small shearing force.
▪ The liquid limit gives a certain measure of the shearing resistance of a soil when
mixed with water.
▪ It is a measure of the potential cohesion which in turn depends upon the total size of
the contact areas, or the fineness and shape of the grains.
▪ The finer and flatter the grains, the greater will be the total contact area between the
grains, and the higher the amount of water that could be taken into coat the grains.
ATTERBERG LIMITS (LIQUID LIMIT, PLASTIC LIMIT and PLASTICITY
INDEX) DETERMINATION (ASTM 4318-95A) PLASTIC LIMIT
DETERMINATION AND PLASTICITY INDEX
▪ Is defined as the minimum moisture content at which the soil can be readily molded
without breaking or crumbling.
▪ Plasticity Index indicates compressibility; high plasticity index means high degree of
compressibility of a soil. It is also related to permeability; the higher the plasticity index
the lower the permeability; and vice – versa.
▪ The Plasticity Index gives an indication of clay content in soil.
▪ The limit tests and plasticity index are widely used to control the characteristics of soil
which are to be incorporated and also used to determined the classification of soil.
ABRASION TEST
• This test evaluates the structural strength of granular aggregates on soil. It gives an
indication of quality as determined by resistance to impact and wear.
• Percentage of wear is express the difference between original weight of material
coarser than 1.70 mm sieve as a percentage of the original weight of test sample.
• The Abrasion test determines the hardness property of course aggregates. Hard
aggregates gives low crushing value. The lower the value of percent wear on aggregates
shows a hard/good quality of soil aggregate materials.
ABRASION TEST
Apparatus:
▪ Los Angeles Machine
▪ Standard Sieves with pan and cover
▪ Abrasive charges
▪ Balance and weights
▪ Oven- uniform temperature of 110±5 °C
The abrasive charges shall consist of cast – iron sphere of steel spheres approximately
46.80 mm in diameter and each weighing between 390 and 455 grams. The charge
depending upon grading of test sample shall be as follows;
SPECIFICATIONS FOR ABRASION TEST FOR 500 REVOLUTIONS
COMPACTION TEST / MOISTURE DENSITY RELATION TEST OF SOIL
▪ The purpose of the laboratory compaction test is to determine the right amount of
mixing water in compacting a soil fill, in to obtain the maximum density under the
applied energy. It also serves as reference in checking in-place densities of fills under
construction.
▪ In the test, the soil is compacted at a number of moisture contents ranging from
slightly dry to wet, by a specified amount of energy applied in a specified manner. The
dry density and moisture content are determined, then plot is made of dry densities
against the corresponding moisture contents and a smooth curve is drawn through the
points.
▪ The highest point on the curve indicates the Maximum Dry Density ( MDD ) and the
corresponding moisture content is called Optimum Moisture Content ( OMC ).
COMPACTION TEST / MOISTURE DENSITY RELATION TEST OF SOIL
▪ The compaction of soil fills properly compacted fill will not settle very much even
after the loads are imposed, therefore, the detrimental effects of settlement on the
structures are minimized.
▪ Compaction increases the strength of a soil by expelling air from its voids and forcing
soil particles into more intimate contact.
➢ In granular soils, air is easily forced out but in heavy or tight clays, much effort is
required to expel it.
➢ Heavy cohesive soils must be placed in thin layers so that air can be expelled readily.
▪ Compaction should be limited to the optimum number of passes of equipment at the
optimum water content of the soil since additional passes will result in very little
compaction.
COMPACTION TEST / MOISTURE DENSITY RELATION TEST OF SOIL
• Max. Dry Density -highest dry density of compacted layer.
• Optimum Moisture Content -optimal amount of water added to obtained highest
compaction.
• Field Density Test -Is a widely used as control test in embankment to ensure adequate
compaction. -4L capacity jar -12.7mm (1/2 in) dia. Orifice -Sand: passing No. 10 and
retained No.200.
FIELD DENSITY TEST
▪ Density of soil is defined as the weight/mass per unit volume. It is a very significant
engineering property of soils as strength is dependent upon density.
▪ Field density test is widely used as a control test to ensure adequate compaction of in-
placed embankment, subbase, base and gravel surface courses in a ROAD
CONSTRUCTION.
• Field Density Test -Is a widely used as control test in embankment to ensure adequate
compaction.
-4L capacity jar -12.7mm (1/2 in) dia. Orifice -Sand: passing No. 10 and retained
No.200
CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO (CBR) TEST
▪ The most common method of assessing strength and stiffness of both subgrade and
pavement materials. The most common method of assessing strength and stiffness of
both subgrade and pavement materials. CBR -It determines the bearing capacity of soils
on its worst condition. “Higher CBR means higher hardness of materials”.
Examples