Experiment Number 2

Soil Particle Distribution Test

Hydrometer

CE 331

Soil Mechanics Laboratory

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 Table of Contents

Contents Pages

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List of Tables

List of Figures 3

1 Objective 4

2 Summary 4

3 Introduction 4

4 Apparatus 5

5 Procedure 6

6 Data Collected and Results 7

7 Calculations 8

8 Discussion 10

9 Conclusion 10

10 References 10

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 List of Tables

Page
Title
Table 1 Time, Temperature and Hydrometer readings 7
Table 2 Constant (K) Values 8
Table 3 Constant (L) schedule 8
Table 4 Constant (a) calculation 8
Table 5 Calculation of ( Rc, R, %finer ,L/t, D) 9

List of Figures

Page
Title
Figure 1 Grain Distribution in soil 5
Figure 2 Hydrometer 5
Figure 3 Sedimentation Cylinder and Temperature 6
Measurement
Figure 4 The Look of the Mixture After 6 Days 7
Figure 5 Particle size distribution curve 9

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 Soil Particle Distribution Test

1. Objective:

The objective of the experiment is to define the particle size distribution

of a soil specimen that all or some of its particles are smaller in diameter
than 0.075, i.e. the particles passes through sieve 200.

2. Summary:

The experiment was conducted during the laboratory period. The

experiment was to determine the particle size distribution on a dry soil
specimen.

The experiment was conducted basing on ASTM152H standards. After

preparing the specimen and mixing it with water and hydrometer is
placed, readings are taken during a different time intervals. Temperature
was measured at each reading. Data was tabulated, calculations were
made and results were discussed.

3. Introduction:

The size range of particles in a soil is one of the most important

properties for soil as it gives an idea of how the soil will act under
different circumstances (wet, dry, saturated, loaded….etc).

There are two methods of determining the size range of soil specimen
particles mechanically
1. Sieve analysis.
2. Hydrometer analysis.

Sieve analysis consist of shaking the soil sample through a set of sieves
that have progressively smaller opening. The sieves used for soil analysis
are generally 203mm in diameter. The soil is then shaken through a stack
of sieves with opening of decreasing size from top to bottom .
Hydrometer analysis is based on the principle of sedimentation of soil
grains in water. When a soil specimen is dispersed in water, the particles
settle at different velocities depending on their shape, Size, weight and
viscosity of the water.

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 Fig. 1 Grain Distribution in soil

4. APPARATUS (Equipment):

1. A hydrometer
2. Sedimentation Cylinder (18in high, 2.5in diameter, marked for a
volume of 1000ml).
3. A temperature measurement.
4. 50gm soil specimen witch its particles are smaller than 0.075mm in
diameter.
5. A mixer.

Sedimentation Cylinder should be cleaned well before use and dried.

The water used in test should be distilled water as said in the standards.

Figure 2. Hydrometer

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5. PROCEDURE:

1. A soil specimen of weight 50gm is prepared which all its particles

passed through sieve 200.
2. 125ml of water with a 4% dispersing agent is prepared (sodium
hexametaphospate).
3. The solution is then mixed with the soil specimen in the mixer for
3.5 minutes.
4. The components of the mixer are then placed in a sedimentation
cylinder and filled with water up to 1000ml.
5. The same solution in step 2 is prepared and placed in a
sedimentation cylinder and filled to 1000ml with water.
6. The hydrometer is then placed in the solution in step 5 and the
reading of the hydrometer is taken and this reading is called zero
correction.
7. The mixture of solution and soil in sedimentation cylinder is shook
well.
8. The hydrometer is placed into the sedimentation cylinder and the
reading at intervals 1-2-3-4 minutes are taken with out removing
the hydrometer.
9. The hydrometer is then removed and the mixture is shook again
and then we place the hydrometer back with in 4 minutes after that
we read the hydrometer, we do the same thing for the 8 minutes
reading and 15-30-45-60-120 minutes readings and so on up to 24
hours.
10.The temperature is measured at each time we read the hydrometer.

Figure 3. Sedimentation Cylinder and Temperature Measurement

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6. DATA & RESULTS :
Table 1. Time, Temperature and Hydrometer readings
Actual
Time of Elapsed
Date Temperature hydrometer
reading time
Reading
18/3/2007 3:30 0
18/3/2007 3:31 1 21 26
18/3/2007 3:32 2 21 25
18/3/2007 3:34 4 21 23
18/3/2007 3:38 8 21 22
18/3/2007 3:45 15 21 21
18/3/2007 4:00 30 22 19
18/3/2007 4:30 60 23 17
19/3/2007 8:11 1001 19 10
19/3/2007 10:58 1166 20 10
19/3/2007 11:59 1229 20 10
19/3/2007 1:30 1320 20 10
20/3/2007 8:00 2430 18 8
20/3/2007 10:10 2560 18.5 8
20/3/2007 1:30 2760 20 7.5
22/3/2007 9:03 5373 19 6.5
22/3/2007 10:15 5445 20 6.5
22/3/2007 11:15 5505 20 6.25

Figure 4. The Look of the Mixture After 6 Days

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7. Calculations :

Calculation of constants using linear intraporation method

Table 2. Constant (K) Values

Specific gravity of solids
Temperature
2.65 2.6 2.64
18 0.014 0.0142 0.01404
18.5 0.0139 0.0141 0.01394
19 0.0138 0.014 0.01384
20 0.0137 0.0139 0.01374
21 0.0135 0.0137 0.01354
22 0.0133 0.0135 0.01334
23 0.0132 0.0134 0.01324

Table 3. Constant (L)

schedule
Hydrometer
L
correction
9 14.8
8.5 14.9
8 15
7.7 15.06
7.5 15.1
7.25 15.15
7 15.2

Table 4. Constant (a)

calculation
Constant
Specific gravity
(a)
2.65 1
2.64 1.002
2.6 1.01

Calculation of the variables

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 Table 4. Calculation of ( Rc, R, %finer ,L/t, D)
Hydrometer Correction
Rc % finer For meniscus L L/t K D(mm)
(R)
100 0.075
23.2 46.4928 27 11.9 11.9 0.01354 0.046708
22.2 44.4888 26 12 6 0.01354 0.033166
20.2 40.4808 24 12.4 3.1 0.01354 0.02384
19.2 38.4768 23 12.5 1.5625 0.01354 0.016925
18.2 36.4728 22 12.7 0.846666667 0.01354 0.012459
16.4 32.8656 20 13 0.433333333 0.01314 0.00865
14.7 29.4588 18 13.3 0.221666667 0.01324 0.006234
6.7 13.4268 11 14.5 0.014485514 0.01384 0.001666
7 14.028 11 14.5 0.012435678 0.01374 0.001532
7 14.028 11 14.5 0.01179821 0.01374 0.001492
7 14.028 11 14.5 0.010984848 0.01374 0.00144
4.5 9.018 9 14.8 0.006090535 0.01404 0.001096
4.6 9.2184 9 14.8 0.00578125 0.01394 0.00106
4.5 9.018 8.5 14.8 0.005362319 0.01346 0.000986
3.2 6.4128 7.5 15.1 0.002810348 0.01384 0.000734
3.5 7.014 7.5 15.1 0.002773186 0.01374 0.000724
3.25 6.513 7.25 15.15 0.002752044 0.01374 0.000721

Figure 5. Particle size distribution curve

100

90
80

70 %finer-Particle s ize
Percentage finer%

60

50

40
30
20
10
0
0.1 0.01 0.001 0.0001
Particle Diameter (mm)

NOTE: calculations and graph were made using Microsoft excel.

8. DISCUSSION :

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 After calculating the diameters and percentages you can see that there is
a big variation between the percent of 0.075mm diameter and 0.046mm
diameter which indicates that either the first reading of the hydrometer
was late to have reading for the bigger size particles or the soil isn’t
well graded at the size interval 0.075mm and 0.046mm. In this test we
left the hydrometer inside the sedimentation cylinder which in the
standard ASTM 152H the hydrometer should be removed after each
reading and the mixture should be shook again and at the reading time
we put back the hydrometer, this procedure helps to prevent the small
particles in the mixture to sediment on the hydrometer which well cause
to have errors in readings. The water used in test wasn’t distilled water
which gives a higher reading in the hydrometer as it increases its
density.

From the graph you can see that the particles are well graded from size
0.0467mm to size 0.00072mm. The graph percentage finer range is
from 46.5% which doesn’t give us the ability to calculate uniformity
coefficient or coefficient of gradation.

At the first day the temperature was measured by a temperature

measurement near the sedimentation cylinder while the other days the
temperature measurement was at a far position from the hydrometer
which doesn’t give an accurate temperature of the mixture and this may
be the reason of the small distortions in the graph.

The test was stopped before the hydrometer reading reaches 3cm which
is the initial reading of the solution which means that there are smaller
particles haven’t been measure in the soil specimen.

9. CONCLUSION:
As a conclusion, the students were required to carryout an experiment
on hydrometer analysis for a soil specimen. Also, the students are able
to understand how the experiment is carried out. The data obtained
was plotted to obtain a particle-size distribution curve. Calculations
were made to obtain the percentage finer and diameter of particles.
10. REFERENCES
1. Principles Of Geotechnical Engineering, Braja M. DAS, 5th edition.

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