PRACITCAL 2

TO DETERMINE THE SPECIFIC GRAVIY OF A GIVEN SOIL SAMPLE BY

PYCNOMETER METHOD
(AASHTOO-T100),(ASTM-D854)

Apparatus:
• Sieve#04
• Electrical balance
• Electrical oven
• Pycnometer or Stopper bottle
Procedure:
1. Take at least 125 grams of soil sample which has been passed through sieve#04 and
placed in an oven at a fixed temperature of 105⁰C - 110⁰C for 24 hours.
2. Clean the pycnometer and find out its mass (M1).
3. Place the dry soil in pycnometer and find and its mass (M2).
4. Fill the pycnometer with water up to a specified point and find its weight (M 3).
5. Empty the pycnometer and wash it thoroughly and fill it with pure water completely.
6. Determine the specific gravity of the soil sample by using the following formula:

M 2 - M1
Specific gravity = S.G=
(M4 - M1 )-( M 3 - M 2 )

Precautions:
• Pycnometer should be clean while pouring the soil sample.
• Reading should be taken carefully.
• Soil sample should be properly dried before performing the test.
• Sample should not be reduced or increased during the test.

Observations and Calculations:

S.No. Mass of empty Mass of Mass of Mass of S.G. = [(M2 -
Pycnometer (M1) Pycnometer + Pycnometer Pycnometer M1)/{(M4 - M1) - (M3
Soil (M2) + Soil + + Water (M4) - M2)}]
Water (M3)

1.

2.