Final Experiment

DETERMINATION OF FIELD DENSITY USING SAND CONE METHOD

1. Objective(s):
The purpose of this test is to determine the insitu density of soil using sand cone method.

2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):

The students shall be able to:
• understand the standard procedure in field density test using sand cone method.
• perform the sand cone method as observed from the results of the experiment

3. Discussion:

Sand cone method is used for the determination for the in-situ dry density of compacted soils, gravels, and crushed
rock materials in earth works and pavement layers by the sand replacement method using a sand pouring cone.
Its basic principle is to measure the in-situ volume of the hole from which the material was excavated from the
weight of sand with known density filling the hole.

4. Resources:

1. Wheel Barrow & Shovel

2. Sand Cone
3. Rod
4. Hand Shovel
5. Jar
6. Moisture Can
7. Basin
8. Scoop
9. Weighing Scale
10. Sand Tray
5. Procedure:

Laboratory Work:
1. Weight the empty jar.
2. Pour water into the jar up-to its rim.
3. Weigh the jar full of water.
4. Determine the temperature of water in the jar.
5. Attach the sand cone to the empty jar and record its weigh.
6. Prepare sand of uniform size.
7. Weigh the apparatus with the sand filled jar.
8. Turn the Jar + Sand Cone + Sand up Side down in center of sand pan and wait until the
sand stop flow to fill the cone.
9. Weigh the apparatus with the remaining sand.

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Field Work:
1. Place the metal tray and fasten the 4 screws.
2. Dig up to 10 to 15 cm deep hole.
3. As you are digging the hole, put the excavated soil into soil pan not to lose the soil moisture.
4. Having the valve closed, turn the Jar + cone upside down and place the cone in the center of hole and
open the valve so that sand flows down to the hole.
5. When flow of sand stop, close the valve and pick the assembly up, then the sand in the cone will be
poured into the tray. The sand will be left there in the field.
6. Measure the weight of the gallon + cone + sand(Remaining Sand).

Laboratory Work:
7. Weigh the soil excavated from the test hole.
8. Take representative sample for the moisture content determination and weigh.
9. Oven the sample in the moisture can and measure the weight.

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Course: Experiment No:
Group No: Section:
Name: Date Performed:
Date Submitted:
Instructor:

6. Data and Results:

Table of calculation:
Test Steps Quantity

DETERMINATION THE AVERAGE VOLUME OF A JAR

Weight of Jar
Weight of Jar w/ Water
Mass of Water
Temperature of Water
Volume of Water

DETERMINATION THE BULK DENSITY AND UNIT WEIGHT

OF SAND
Weight of Jar + Sand Cone
Weight of Jar+ Sand Cone + Sand
Weight of Sand
Density of Sand
Unit Weight of Sand
DETERMINE THE MASS OF THE SAND
REQUIRED TO FILL THE FUNNEL

Weight of Jar+ Sand Cone + Sand (Filled Sand)

Weight of jar + Sand Cone+ Sand ( Remaining Sand)
Mass of Sand to fill the Funnel
DETERMINE THE IN-SITU DENSITY OF SOIL
Weight of Wet Soil
Weight of Moiture Can
Weigth of Dried Soil
Moiture Content of In Situ Soil
Weight Moisture Can
Mass of Soil
Moiture Content of In Situ Soil
Weight of Jar+ Sand Cone + Sand ( Before Use)

Weight of jar + Sand Cone+ Sand ( After Use)

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Mass of Sand to fill the Hole
Volume of Soil
In-Situ Density of Soil

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In details:
W2− W1
Dry density of sand =
V1

Sand to fill the cone = W3 – W4 =

W5− W6−Ws
Volume of the hole =
ϒ sand
Wh
Total soil unit weight =
V2
W8−W9
Field water content =
W9−W7

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡

Field Dry unit weight = 1+
100

𝐹𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡

Relative density = 𝐿𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑚𝑎𝑥.𝐷𝑟𝑦 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡

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7. Conclusion:

8. Assessment (Rubric for Laboratory Performance):

BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT

CRITERIA SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
Members occasionally
Members do not Members always
Manipulative demonstrate needed
demonstrate needed skills demonstrate needed
Skills
skills. skills.
Members are unable Members are able to Members are able to set-
Experimental
to set-up the set-up the materials up the material with minimum
Set-up
materials. with supervision. supervision.

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 Members occasionally
Members do not Members always demonstrate
demonstrate targeted
Process Skills demonstrate targeted targeted process skills.
process skills.
process skills.
Members do not Members follow
Safety Members follow safety
follow safety safety precautions
Precautions precautions at all times.
precautions. most of the time.
II. Work Habits
Time
Members do not finish Members finish on Members finish ahead of
Management /
on time with time with incomplete time with complete data and
Conduct of
Experiment incomplete data. data. time to revise data.
Members have defined
Members do not know
responsibilities most of Members are on tasks and
their tasks and have no
the time. Group have defined responsibilities
defined
Cooperative and conflicts are at all times. Group conflicts
responsibilities.
Teamwork cooperatively are cooperatively managed at
Group conflicts have
managed most of the all times.
to be settled by the time.
teacher.
Clean and orderly
Clean and orderly
Messy workplace workplace with
Neatness and workplace at all times
during and after the occasional mess
Orderliness during and after the
experiment. during and after the
experiment. experiment.
Members require
Ability to do Members require Members do not need to be
occasional
independent supervision by the supervised by the teacher.
supervision by the
work teacher. teacher.
Other Comments/Observations: Total Score

(Total Score)
Rating=
24
x 100

9. References

Murthy, V.N.S. (2011). Textbook of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Singapore: Alken
Company

American Society for Testing and Materials (1999). Standard Test Method for Penetration Test and Split
Barrel Sampling of Soils(D-1586). Pennsylvania: ASTM International

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