NAME NUR SYAHIRA BINTI MOHD SALIHIN

NO MATRIX 06DKA20F2012
LECTURES NAME UMI HANI

GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORY
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
POLITEKNIK PORT DICKSON

HAND AUGER TEST

OBJECTIVE
To determine the bulk density and moisture content of a given soil sample, rock and similar
materials where the reduction on mass by drying is due to loss 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 (%).

APPARATUS
1) Hand Auger (150mm Auger, connecting rod, spanner)
2) Sampling tube
3) Hydraulic Extruder
4) Knife
5) Ruler
6) Sampling Bag
7) Hoe
8) 3 Moisture content can
9) Temperature control oven
10) Electronic scale
11) Speedy Moisture Content
 4. Sampling Tube
2. Hoe

4. Screw driver

3. Scoop
1. Hand Auger

5. Pail

WORKING METHOD
1) Drill out the soil by using hand auger to 1m depth and bring back about 5 kg soil as
disturb soil.
2) Connect the sampling tube to connecting rod.
3) Press down soil sampling tube into base of hole.
4) Take 3 soil sample tubes from the hole as undisturbed soil. Put the soil into sampling
bag.
5) Weigh of the empty moisture cans with the lids and record their mass (W1) g and
number the can.
6) Take out soil from soil sampling tube by using Hydraulic Extruder.
7) With extra carefully cut the soil into 5cm length from each soil sampling tube. Place
the soil sample into a can. Place the cap on the can and record the can with the lid
and moist soil (W2) g.
8) Remove the lid, place it underneath the can and put the can into drying oven.
9) Repeat the steps for the two other cans. There should be three moisture cans in the
oven.
10) The can should be remained in the oven for at least 24 hours.
11) After 24 hours, weigh and record the new weight of the moisture can with the dried
soil and lid (W3) g.
RESULT

A. Determination of Bulk Density b

No. of Test 1 2 3
Length of soil (mm) 8.0cm 8.2cm 8.3cm
Diameter (mm) 3.4cm 3.4cm 3.4cm
Volume, V (V = j2t) (mm3) 78662.827 83562.286 75387.714
Soil weight, W (kg) 151.0 115.6 163.6
Bulk Density b, (b = W/V) 2.078 x 103 1.383 x 103 2.170 x 103
(kg/m3)
Value of bulk density : (2.078 x 103 + 1.383 x 103 + 2.170 x 103) / 3
= 1877 kg/m3

B. Determination of Moisture Content

No. of Test 1 2 3
Weight of can, W1 (g) 28.6 29.6 39.1
Weight of can + Moist Soil, W2 (g) 118.5 130.8 124.4
Weight of can + Dry Soil, W3 (g) 105.0 111.0 116.8
Weight of Dry Soil, Ws(g) 76.4 81.4 77.7
W3 – W1 (g)
Weight of Water, Ww (g) 13.5 19.8 7.6
W2 – W3 (g)
Water Content, w (%)
w = Ww x 100 (%)
Ws 17.67 24.32 9.78
Ws

Moisture content of soil : (17.67 + 24.32 + 9.78) / 3

= 17.26%

DISCUSSION
The discussion should answer the following question:
a) State the value of bulk density and moisture content of soil sample.

- The value of bulk density that we get in this experiment is 1877 kg/m3 and value
for moisture content of soil sample is 17.26%

b) Based on your visual observation (color, textures, loose or dense) state the type of
soil sample.

- Based on the visual observation we found that the soil that we used in this
experiment is clay soil
CONCLUSION
The conclusion should answer the following question:
1) What were possible sources of error?
- We find that errors in data retrieval and errors in calculating the results are most
likely the cause of errors in the results of the hand auger method.

2) What is the difference between disturb soil and undisturbed soil (in table).
- Based on our discussion and the data in the table, the difference we found
between disturbed soil and undisturbed soil is that disturbance is used to make
soil classification and bulk density while undisturbed soil is used for shear test,
permeability test and reinforcement test

In conclusion, by our observation the hand auger test is carry out using a stainless steel
cylinderor bucket which open at both end with the bottom edge design with a twisting
motioninto the ground to collect the soil sample. The auger has a T-shaped handle
whichattached on top of the cylinder or bucket. The best method to do the hand auger test
isto remove 150mm of the top soil before collecting the soil sample which will be adisturbed
sample. Also it is best to do the hand auger test is when the site is safe ofany hazardous
material and there is no rain before hand