GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORY (C3003)

LAB # 1 RELATIVE DENSITY

1. OBJECTIVE
To determine the water content of a given soil sample, rock and similar materials where the
reduction on mass by drying is due to loos of water.
This value is calculated by obtaining the ratio of the weight of water in a given soil mass to
the weight of soil particles and is usually expressed in percent (%). Source of error include :
period drying of the soil, the sample size and weighing errors.

2. EQUIPMENT TO SITE INVESTIGATION

1) Hand Auger ( 150mm Auger, connecting rod, spanner )
2) Sampling tube
3) Hydraulic Extruder
4) Knife
5) Ruler
6) Sampling Bag
7) Hoe

Hand Auger
(150mm Auger, Connecting rod, Sampling tube
spanner)

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 Hydraulic Extruder knife

Hoe

3. PROCEDURE ON SITE
1) Dig out the soil by using hoe to 1m depths and bring back about 5 kg soil as disturb
soil.
2) Connecting sampling tube to connecting rod.
3) Press down soil sampling into hole and then into soil.
4) Take 3 nos of soil sample tube from the hole as undisturbed soil. Put the soil into
sampling bag.

4. EQUIPMENT IN LABORATORY
1) 3 Moisture content can
2) Temperature control oven
3) Electronic scale

5. PROCEDURE IN LABORATORY
1) Weigh of the empty moisture cans with the lids and record their mass (T1) g and
number the can.
2) Take out soil from soil sampling tube by using Hydraulic Extruder.
3) With extra carefully cut the soil into 5cm length from each soil sampling tube.
Place the soil sample into a can. Please the cap on the can with the lid and moist soil
(T2) g.
4) Remove the lid, place it underneath the can and put the can into drying oven.

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 5) Repeat the steps for the two other cans. There should be three moisture can in the
oven.
6) The can should be remained in the oven for at least 24 hours.
7) After 24 hours, weigh and record the new weight of the moisture can with the dried
soil and lid (T3) g.

6. DATA

A. Determination of Bulk Density γb

NO .of Test 1 2 3
Length of soil (mm) 4.5 4.6 4.7
Diameter (mm) 3.9 3.8 4.0
Volume, V (V = πj2t) (mm3) 2756.748 2745.752 2953.047
Soil weight , W (kg) 114.4246 104.4346 106.8733
Bulk Density γb, (γb = W/V ) 0.0415 0.0380 0.0362
(kg/m3)

B. Determination of Moisture Content

No .of Test 1 2 3
Weight of can, T1 (g) 40.7509 39.1173 39.7987
Weight of can + Moist Soil, T2 34.7123 33.6150 33.3602
(g)
Weight of can + Dry Soil, T3 (g) 9.7623 9.6195 9.6629
Weight of Dry Soil, Ws (g) 24.95 24.6955 23.6973
Weight of Water, Ww (g) 6.0386 5.5023 6.4385
Water Content, w (%) 0.242 0.228 0.272

7.CALCULATION
1. Weight of Dry Soil, Ws = T3 – T1 (g)
2. Weight of Water, Ww = T2 – T1 (g)
3. Water Content/Moisture Content, w = Ww x 100 (%)
Ws

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8. CONCLUSION
The conclusion should answer the following question:
1) What were possible sources of error?
2) What is the difference between disturb soil and undisturbed soil (in table).

Advantage

a) Easy to bring, easy to arranged and cheaper

Disvantage

b) Unsuitable for sand soil

GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORY (C3003)

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LAB # 2 RELATIVE DENSITY

1. OBJECTIVE
To determine the relative density at 4°C below room temperature.

2. EQUIPMENT
a) 3 nos. 100 ml Density Bottle
b) Sieve No .8 (size 2.36mm)
c) Mortar rubber pastle
d) Vacuum Desiccator Pump
e) Distilled Water
f) Thermometer

3.PROCEDURE
1) Dry out Density Bottel. Then weigh bottle with the lid to 0.001 gm (W1)
2) Put the dry soil into the mortar. By using Rubber Pastle smash the soil to fine
texture.
3) Pour the soil into Sieve No. 8. (Opening) 2.36mm.
Weigh the passing soil to 10m (W2).
4) Fill in each Density Bottle with 10mg fine soil. Vocuum Desiccator Pump
5) Sprinkle Distilled Water until all the soil totally submerged. Put the bottles into
Vacuum Desiccator Pump for 5 minutes.
6) Beware – not to let the Density Bottle become boiling. Loose out the Vacuum after
all the pressure trapped inside is released.
7) Fill in each Density Bottle wuth Distilled Water. Then put the bottle back into
Vacuum Desiccator Pump for 5 minutes. Weigh the passing soil to 10mg (W3).
Take water temperature (T1° C).
8) Empty the bottles and fill in with distilled water. Then put the bottles back into
Vacuumn Desiccator Pump for 5 minutes. Weigh the passing soil to 10mg (W4).
Take water temperature (T2° C).

Relative Density (Gs)

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Gs = W2 – W1
( W4 – W1 ) – ( W3 – W2 )

Table 1 : Coefficient of Temperature Adjudtment , α

Temperature ( ° C ) α
4 1.0000
15 0.9999
20 0.9982
25 0.9971
30 0.9957
35 0.9941
Note : If the temperature is in between , please do the interpolation.
( e.g : 28° C in between 25° C and 30° C )

4. DATA

NO. 1 2 3
W1 = Bottle + Lid , (gm) 0.030 kg 0.032 kg 0.029 kg
W2 = Bottle + Lid + Dry soil, (gm) 0.037 kg 0.041 kg 0.036 kg
W3 T1 W3 T1 W3 T1
W3 = Bottle + Lid + soil + water (gm) 0.133 28.4 0.136 28.7 0.132 28.7

W4 T2 W4 T2 W4 T2
W4 = Bottle + Lid + Water , (gm) 0.129 28.5 0.131 28.7 0.128 28.6

Relative density , Gs 2.33 2.25 2.33

Average Temperature 0.9961 0.9961 0.9961
Adjustment, α
Soil Specific Gravity = Gs x α 2.3209 2.2412 2.3209