Object:-To determine the specific gravity of a given soil sample, by density bottle method

Apparatus: - (i) Density bottle 100ml capacity with a stopper having an axial hole inward
(ii) Vacuum Desiccator (200-250mm dia)
(iii) Balance (upto 0.005 g sensitivity)
Theory: - Specific gravity of soil is the ratio of the weight of a given volume of soil particles in air to the
weight of an equal volume of distilled water at a temperature of 4 oC. The specific gravity of a soil is often
used in relating a weight of soil to its volume. Although specific gravity is employed in the identification of
materials, it is of limit value for identification or classification of soils because the specific gravity values of
most soils falls within a narrow range. It is an important factor required for computing the most of the soil
properties e.g void ratio of a soil, unit weight and particle size determination by hydrometer method, degree
of saturation of a soil etc.
Mathematically, it is expressed as
w2  w1
G= ( w2  w1 )  w3  w4 

Where, w1 = Weight of pycnometer (g), w2 = Weight of pycnometer + soil (g)

w3 = Weight of pycnometer + soil + water (g), w4 = Weight of pycnometer full of water (g)
Procedure: - (Density Bottle Method)
Clean the bottle with distilled water, dry it in an oven and cool in desiccator and then weigh it with its
stopper. Keep about 10-15 g of the oven dried cool soil in the bottle and weigh. Cover the soil with air free
distilled water from the plastic or glass wash bottle and leave for a period of 2-2.5 hours for soaking. Add
more water to fill the bottle to about its half. Keep the bottle without stopper in the vacuum desiccator and
slowly apply partial vacuum for about 1-1.5 hours until there is no further loss of air. Release the vacuum
and open the vacuum desiccator. Gently stir the soil in the density bottle by a clean glass rod, wash off
carefully the adhering particles (if any) from the rod with some drops of distilled water and see that no soil
particles are lost. Close the vacuum desiccator and again apply the vacuum. Repeat the process till no more
air bubbles are observed in the soil water mixture. Now take out the density bottle from the vacuum
desiccator and fill it completely with air free distilled water. Observe the temperature of the contents ( oC) in
the bottle and record. Insert the stopper in the density bottle, wipe and weigh. Now, make the bottle empty,
rinse (clean) thoroughly, fill the density bottle with distilled water at the same temperature, insert the
stopper in the bottle, wipe dry from outside and weigh. Take at least two such observations for the same
soil. Note the readings and calculate the specific gravity using equation.

Observation and Calculations:-

SNO. Particulars 1 2
1. Weight of density bottle W1 (g)
2. Weight of bottle with dry soil W2 (g)=
3. Weight of bottle with soil and water W3 (g)
4. Weight of bottle full of water W4 (g)=
5. Weight of dry soil(W2-W1)= (g)
6. Weight of an equal volume of water (W2-W1)-
(W3-W4)g=
7.  5
Specific gravity G =  6

Precautions:-
1. The soil for test should be perfectly dry.
2. Cap of the pycnometer should be screwed up to the same mark for each test.
3. During vacuum process, hold the rubber tube carefully to avoid any leakage.