DETERMINATION OF SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SOIL

PROCEDURE
1. The sample as prepared shall have distilled water added to fill the
volumetric flask about three fourths full of the stoppered bottle about half full.
2. Remove entrapped air by boiling slowly for 10 min. Roll occasionally the
pycnometer to assist in the removal of air.
3. Cool the sample to room temperature.
4. Fill the pycnometer with distilled water to the calibrated capacity.
5. Clean and dry the outside of the pycnometer with dry cloth.
6. Weigh the pycnometer with water and soil (Wb) and record the
temperature TX
CALCULATION

W S GT
Gs =
X

W S +(W a −W b )

Gs= Specific gravity of soil

Ws = mass of sample of oven-dried soil in grams
Wa = mass of pycnometer filled with water at temperature T1 in grams
Wb = mass of pycnometer filled with water and soil at temperature T1 ¬ in grams
Tx = temperature of the contents of the pycnometer when mass Wb was taken
GTx = density of distilled water at TX
 WORK SHEET FOR SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF FINE-GRAINED SOIL

Container + Dry soil, g

Container, g
Container number
Dry Soil, g
Temp. after boiling (at room temp.)
Pycnometer + soil + water, g, Wb
Pycnometer + water (fr.calibration curve), g, Wa
Specific gravity of distilled water
Specific gravity of soil

Average:
Formula:
W S GT
GS =
x

W s +(W a−W b )

Gs = Specific gravity of soil

Ws = Weight/mass of dry soil
GT = Specific gravity of distilled water
Wb = Pycnometer + Soil + Water
Wa = Pycnometer + Water (from calibration curve)