FEB 323: SOIL MECHANICS

Mwaura Peter Kamau

F21/2519/2020

Environmental & Biosystems Engineering Block

University of Nairobi

P.O. Box 30197-00100

Nairobi

Submitted to:

Keya Augustus

Civil Engineering Block

University of Nairobi

P.O. Box 30197-00100

Nairobi

Date submitted: 25th December, 2022

SUBJECT: HYDROMETER ANALYSIS

Subsidiary method for fine grained soils (hydrometer method)

OBJECTIVES

This method covers the quantitative determination of the particle size distribution in a soil from
the coarse sand size down. The test is not applicable if less than 10% of the material passes the
63 μm B.S. sieve.

THEORY

The hydrometer is used in determining particle size distribution of fine-grained soils. The density
of the suspension is measured with a hydrometer at determined time intervals; then the coarsest
diameter of particles in suspension at a given time and the percentage of particles finer than that
coarsest (suspended) diameter are computed.

APPARATUS

1. Hydrometer
2. Two 1000 ml graduated glass measuring cylinders
3. A thermometer; temperature range 0°C- 50°C, accurate to 0.5°C
4. Mechanical shaker
5. British Standard test sieves 2mm, 600μm, 212μm, 63μm and a receiver.
6. A balance; accuracy of 0.01g
7. A thermostatically controlled drying oven, capable of maintaining a temperature of
105°C to 110°C
8. Stop watch
9. A desiccator containing anhydrous silica gel
10. Millimetre scale
11. Four porcelain evaporating dishes of about 150mm diameter
12. A wide mouthed conical flask or conical beaker of 1000ml capacity
13. A centrifuge
14. 250ml capacity polypropylene centrifuge bottles
15. A 100ml measuring cylinder
 16. A plastic wash bottle containing distilled water
17. A length of glass rod about 150mm to 200mm long and 5mm in diameter
18. A constant temperature bath

REAGENTS

1. Hydrogen peroxide, 20 vol solution

2. Sodium hexametaphosphate solution.

PROCEDURE

1. 50 g of fine soil should be placed in a beaker along with 125 mL of the dispersant
(sodium hexametaphosphate [40 g/L] solution), and the mixture should be stirred until
the soil is completely moist. Give the soil at least 10 minutes to soak.
2. Add 125 mL of the dispersion agent to the control cylinder and fill it to the mark with
distilled water while the soil is soaking. (The reading created by the hydrometer stem and
the control solution at the top of the meniscus is known as the zero connection.) Any
reading below zero should be corrected negatively (-), and any reading between zero and
sixty should be corrected positively (+). The difference between the top of the meniscus
and the level of the solution in the control jar—typically about +1—is the meniscus
correction. To completely combine the contents, shake the control cylinder. Note the zero
correction and temperature, respectively, after inserting the hydrometer and thermometer
into the control cylinder.
3. If additional distilled water is required to fill the mixing cup to at least halfway, transfer
the soil slurry to the mixer. And after two minutes, stir the mixture.
4. Move the soil slurry into the empty sedimentation cylinder right away, then top it off with
distilled water.
5. With the palm of your hand, plug the cylinder's open end and tighten it. For one minute,
alternate turning the cylinder upside down and back up, inverting it around 30 times.
6. Place the cylinder down, then tally the time. To get the initial reading, take out the
cylinder's stopper and carefully and slowly insert the hydrometer. (Note: To reduce
 disruption, the hydrometer should be inserted or removed slowly—about ten seconds—
and released as close as possible to the reading depth to prevent excessive bobbing.)
7. Take the reading by looking at the portion of the meniscus that was formed at its top by
the hydrometer stem and the suspension. Bring the hydrometer back into the control
cylinder cautiously after removing it. It should be very carefully spun in the control
cylinder to get rid of any debris that might have stuck to it.
8. At 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 8 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1
hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 16 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours, take hydrometer
readings.

RESULTS, CALCULATIONS & ANALYSIS

Sample Red soil

Hydrometer No. 4305 Meniscus correction(cm) 0.5
Specific Gravity (measured/assumed) 2.65
Temperature correction (Mt) 0.5
Weight of dry soil 50.0 g Rw 1.0
Rh=1000(h-1)

EQUATION x=Rw=Mt; Rw +Mt-x=Rh-Rw

𝑮𝒔 𝑹𝒉−𝑹𝒘
𝑲 = 𝑮𝒔−𝟏 × × 𝟏𝟎𝟎%
𝑾𝒃

Elapsed Temperature Hydrometer Corrected HR D mm k%

time in in °C reading Rh1 hydrometer
Min reading Rh
0.5 20 28.5 29 8.8 0.0574 89.9394
1 20 26.5 27 9.6 0.0424 83.5152
2 20 23.5 24 10.7 0.0316 73.8788
4 20 19.5 20 12.3 0.0240 61.0303
8 20 15.5 16 13.9 0.0180 48.1818
15 20 12.5 13 15.1 0.0137 38.5455
 30 20 10.5 11 15.9 0.0100 32.1212
60 20 8.0 8.5 16.9 0.0073 24.0909
120 20 6.0 6.5 17.7 0.0053 17.6667
240 20 4.5 5 18.3 0.0038 12.8485
480 20 4.5 5 18.3 0.0027 12.8485
1440 20 4.5 5 18.3 0.0015 12.8485
From Stoke’s law, diameter of particle is calculated as follows:

𝟏𝟖𝟎𝟎𝜼 𝑯𝑹
𝑫 = √𝒈(𝑮 𝒘)
× mm
𝑺 −𝜸 𝒕

Where GS = specific gravity of soil

γW = density of water in g/cm3

D = diameter of particle in cm

g = gravitational acceleration in cm/s2

η = viscosity of water at T °C in poise

Viscosity of water at 20°C = 10.09 milli poise

Percentage by mass, k, of the particles smaller than the corresponding equivalent particle
diameters shall be calculated as follows:

𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝑮𝑺 (𝑹𝒉 − 𝑹𝒘 )
𝐤=
𝒎(𝑮𝑺 − 𝟏)

Where m = mass of dry soil

The values of K shall be calculated for all the valued of D obtained and shall be expressed as
percentages finer than the corresponding values of D. these percentages shall be expressed as
cumulative percentages of the pre-treated sample.
 PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION
100.00

90.00

80.00
PERCENTAGE FINER(BY WEIGHT)

70.00

60.00

50.00

40.00

30.00

20.00

10.00

0.00
1.0000 0.1000 0.0100 0.0010
SIZE OF PARTICLE IN MM

DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

Results from a hydrometer analysis can be used to estimate the percentage of soil with a fineness
of less than 0.002 mm. It is widely acknowledged that clay or clay-size fractions make up the
majority of particles with a size smaller than 0.002 mm. The majority of clay particles are less
than 0.001 mm, and the largest size is 0.002 mm. The flexibility of a soil is influenced by the
presence of clay in it.

REFERENCES

1. American Society for Testing and Materials. ASTM D422: Standard Test Method for
Particle-Size Analysis of Soils.
2. V.N.S. Murthy: Geotechnical Engineering: Principles and Practices of Soil Mechanics
and Foundation Engineering.
3. Soil mechanics class notes.