MAPÚA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND

GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
SOIL MECHANICS LABORATORY

NAME: _____TARDECILLA, KATRINA LOUISE V.__________________________

COURSE & SECTION: __CE161P-2 / E01__ STUDENT NO.: ___2018140125____

SEAT NO.: _______________________ GROUP NO.: _________________________

EXPERIMENT NO. __2__

__DETERMINING THE SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SOIL__

TITLE

DATE PERFORMED: _____JUNE 06, 2020______________

GRADE
DATE SUBMITTED: _____JUNE 08, 2020_______________

__________ENGR. FLORDELIZA VILLASEÑOR__________

INSTRUCTOR
 Experiment No. 2
DETERMINING THE SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SOIL

Scope

This method is intended for determining the absolute specific gravity of soils by means of a
pycnometer.

Apparatus

1. Pycnometer or volumetric flask, at least 100 ml. capacity

2. Balance, sensitive to 0.01 gram
3. Oven with temperature control
4. Thermometer, graduated to 0.1o C
5. Water bath
6. Evaporating dishes, medicine dropper or pipette

Procedure

In the computation of the specific gravity of a soil from laboratory data, the weight of the pycnometer
filled with distilled water at the test temperature will be needed. This value is usually taken from a plot
of temperature versus weight of bottle plus water. The plot, or calibration curve, can be determined
either by experimental or by theoretical means:

I. Bottle Calibration

A. Experimental Procedure

This procedure consists of obtaining at least three sets of concurrent temperature and weight
measurements about 4 ° C apart and within the temperature range of 20° to 30° C. Each set,
representing the coordinates for a point on the calibration curve, is obtained as follows:

1. To a clean pycnometer add de-aired distilled water at room temperature until the bottom of the
meniscus is at the calibration mark.
2. Carefully dry the outside of the bottle and the inside of the neck above the water surface.
3. Weigh the bottle plus water in a balance sensitive to 0.01 g.
4. Measure the water temperature to 0.1° C. Hold the tip of the thermometer at different
elevations within the water to see if the temperature is uniform. The recorded temperature is
taken with the thermometer inserted to the depth at which the thermometer is designed to read.
(This depth is usually marked on the thermometer.)
5. If the temperature is non-uniform, place the thumb over the open end of the bottle and turn it
upside down and back to mix the water thoroughly for a temperature observation.
6. Heat the bottle of water slightly by placing it in a warm water bath and repeat steps 2-5, each
time removing enough water to bring the meniscus down to the calibration mark. Repeat this
procedure until enough points are obtained to plot the calibration curve as shown in Figure 1.

5
 100
●
80
Boiling Temperature in oC

60

●
40

1 atmosphere
20

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

Absolute Pressure in mm Hg

700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0

Pressure less than 1 atmosphere in mm Hg

FIGURE 1 Boiling Temperature of Water versus Pressure

B. Theoretical Procedure

Points for the calibration curve can be obtained by successively substituting different
temperatures in the following equation:

W2 = WB + VB (1 + T *  )( T −  A )

where:
W2 = weight of pycnometer bottle and water (grams)
WB = weight of clean dry pycnometer bottle (grams)
VB = calibrated volume of pycnometer bottle at TC (ml)
T = T − Tc (oC)
T = temperature in oC at which W2 is desired
Tc = calibration temperature of pycnometer bottle (usually at 20oC)
 = thermal coefficient of cubical expansion for pyrex glass = 0.100 x 10-4 per oC
 T = unit weight of water at temperature T (see Table 1)
 A = unit weight of air at temperature T and atmospheric pressure = 0.0012 gram/cc
VB = calibrated volume of clean, dry pycnometer bottle at Tc

6
 The only bit of data needed is the weight of the pycnometer, which must be absolutely clean
and dry. A good practice is to obtain one check point for the calibration curve by the previously
described experimental method.

II. Specific Gravity Determination

A. Cohesionless Soil

1. Put approximately 150 g of oven-dry soil, weighed to 0.01 g, into a calibrated pycnometer
which is already half full of deaired, distilled water. Be sure no soil grains are lost when they
are put into the pycnometer.
2. Remove all of the air, which is entrapped in the soil by 10 minutes of boiling; accompany the
boiling with continuous agitation. The application of a partial vacuum to the suspension of soil
in water to lower the boiling temperature is desirable, since the lower the temperature at which
the suspension is boiled, the less the cooling which will have to be done later. Graph 1, a plot of
boiling temperature of pure water against applied pressure, indicates the effect of reduced
pressure on boiling temperature.
3. Cool the bottle and suspension to some temperature within the range of the calibration curve
for the bottle.
4. Add water to bring the bottom of the meniscus to the calibration mark.
5. Dry the outside of the bottle and the inside of the neck above the meniscus.
6. Weigh the bottle with water and soil in it to 0.01 g.
7. After checking to be sure that the contents of the bottle are at a uniform temperature, record the
temperature. (See step 4 of the experimental calibration).

B. Cohesive Soil

1. Work a sample of the soil to be tested into a smooth paste by mixing it with distilled water. The
sample used should contain approximately 50 g in dry weight.
2. Pour the paste into a calibrated pycnometer.
3. Remove the entrapped air; cool, and obtain the weight and temperature as was done in steps 2-7
of the procedure for the cohesionless soil.
4. Pour the entire mixture of soil and water into a large evaporating dish of known weight; rinse
the pycnometer carefully to insure the collection of all the soil.
5. Dry the soil in the oven, cool, and weigh. The dry weight of soil grains can be obtained by
subtracting the weight of the empty dish from the weight of the dish with soil in it.

Calculation

The specific gravity of the soil, Gs , can be obtained from;

Ws GT
Gs =
W−W+W
s 1 2
In which,
GT = specific gravity of distilled water at temperature T (see Table 1)
Ws = oven-dry weight of soil sample (grams)
W1 = weight of pycnometer bottle, soil and water (grams)
W2 = weight of pycnometer bottle plus water (from calibration curve in grams)

7
Results

Method of Presentation

A pycnometer calibration is usually presented as a plot temperature versus weight of bottle plus water
(see sample problem no.1).

Questions

1. Define specific gravity of soil?

2. What are typical values of the specific gravity for soils?
3. What can you use to measure the specific gravity of material lighter than water?
4. Why do we use vacuum while determining the specific gravity of soils?
5. What is the effect of water temperature on the determination of the specific gravity of soils?
6. Why would a contractor be interested in knowing the specific gravity of a soil?

Sample Problem No. 1

Pycnometer Calibration

1. Experimental Procedure

Determination No. 1 2 3 4
Weight bottle + water, W2 , in g 674.55
Temperature, T , in oC 22.3

2. Theoretical Procedure

Weight of bottle, WB , g --- 176.37 Cubical expansion for glass in 1/oC, ε, --- 0.10  10-4
Temperature of calibration Tc , in oC --- 20 Unit weight of air  A , in g/cc --- 0.0012
Volume of bottle Tc , VB in cc --- 500
Trial No. 1 2 3 4
Temperature, T , in oC 20 25 30 35
Unit weight of water at T ,  T , in g/cc 0.9982 0.9971 0.9957 0.9941
W2 = WB +VB (1+ T * )( T −  A ), in g 674.87 674.35 673.67 672.89

8
 675
Weight of bottle + water, in g

674
673

● Theoretical
■ Experimental
672

16 20 24 28 32 36

Temperature, in oC

9
TABLE 1 Specific Gravity of Distilled Water Temperature, oC

Temperature, oC Specific Gravity, GT

20 0.9982
21 0.9980
22 0.9978
23 0.9976
24 0.9973
25 0.9971
26 0.9968
27 0.9965
28 0.9963
29 0.9960
30 0.9957
31 0.9954
32 0.9951
33 0.9947
34 0.9944
35 0.9941
36 0.9937
37 0.9934
38 0.9930
39 0.9928
40 0.9926

10
 PRELIMINARY DATA SHEET

Name: TARDECILLA, KATRINA LOUISE V. Group No.

Course/Section: CE161P-2 / E01 Date: JUNE 8, 2020

Experiment No. 2
SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SOIL SOLIDS

A. Calibration of Pycnometer Bottle

1. Experimental Procedure
Determination No. 1 2 3 4
Weight bottle + water, W2 , in g 673.67 674.28 674.57
Temperature, T , in oC 29 27 21

2. Theoretical Procedure
Weight of bottle, WB , g --- 438.92 Cubical expansion for glass in 1/oC, ε, --- 0.10 x 10-4
Temperature of calibration Tc , in oC --- 20 Unit weight of air  A , in g/cc --- 0.0012
Volume of bottle Tc , VB in cc --- 100
Trial No. 1 2 3 4
o
Temperature, T , in C 29 27 21
Unit weight of water at T ,  T , in g/cc 0.996 0.997 0.998
W2 = WB +VB (1+ T * )( T −  A ), in g 538.409 538.507 538.601

B. Specific Gravity Determination

Trial No. 1 2 3 4
Wt. bottle + water + soil (grams) 706.11 706.8 707.07
Temperature (°C) 29 27 21
Weight of bottle + water (grams) 673.67 674.28 674.57
Weight of dry pycnometer bottle (grams) 438.92 438.92 438.92
Weight of container + dry soil (grams) 491.12 491.12 491.12
Weight of dry soil (grams) 52.2 52.2 52.2
Specific gravity of water (from table) 0.996 0.997 0.998
Specific gravity of soil 2.63 2.64 2.64
Average specific gravity of soil 2.64

Student’s Signature Instructor’s Signature

11
 SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS

Weight of Dry Soil (Ws) = 491.12 – 438.92 WB = weight of pycnometer

Weight of Dry Soil (Ws) = 52.2 g bottle
TC = temperature
Theoretical Procedure: VB = volume of bottle
W2 = WB + VB (1 + ΔT * ε) (γT – γA) ε = cubical expansion for glass
(Ws)(Gt) γA = unit weight of air
Specific Gravity (Gs) = γT = unit weight of water
Ws - W3 + W4

Trial 1
W2 = 438.92 + 100 (1 + (29-20) * (0.10 x 10-4)) (0.996 – 0.0012)
W2 = 538.409 g

(52.2)(0.996)
Specific Gravity (Gs) = 52.2 - 706.11 + 673.67
Specific Gravity (Gs) = 2.63

Trial 2
W2 = 438.92 + 100 (1 + (27-20) * (0.10 x 10-4)) (0.997 – 0.0012)
W2 = 538.507 g

(52.2)(0.997)
Specific Gravity (Gs) = 52.2 - 706.8 + 674.28
Specific Gravity (Gs) = 2.64

Trial 3
W2 = 438.92 + 100 (1 + (21-20) * (0.10 x 10-4)) (0.998 – 0.0012)
W2 = 538.601 g

(52.2)(0.998)
Specific Gravity (Gs) = 52.2 - 707.07 + 674.57
Specific Gravity (Gs) = 2.64

2.63 + 2.64 + 2.64

Average Specific Gravity = 3
Average Specific Gravity = 2.64
 GRAPH

Theoretical Procedure

Specific Gravity Determination

 ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

1. Define specific gravity of soil?

The specific gravity of a solid material is the ratio of the weight of a given material’s
volume to the weight equal to the water volume at 20°C. The result tells how much lighter or
heavier a material is compared to water. The specific gravity of the solid matter of the soil
denoted as Gs defines the term specific gravity of soil.
2. What are typical values of the specific gravity for soils?
The specific gravity of soil depends largely on the density of the minerals that make up the
individual particles of soil. The values of the specific gravity for soils typically ranges from
2.6 to 2.85. Furthermore, specific soil types have typical specific gravity values of their own.
Some of it are as follows:
• For the solid substance of most inorganic soils, the specific gravity lies between 2.6
to 2.8.
• The specific gravity of a tropical iron-rich laterite and some other lateritic soils ranges
from 2.75 to 3.0 and can even be higher.
• Quartz-composed sand particles have a specific gravity ranging from 2.65 to 2.67.
• Generally, inorganic clays have a specific gravity that varies between 2.70 to 2.80.
• Some soil types have specific gravities below 2.60 to as low as 2.0. These types are
soils that contain large amounts of organic matters or porous particles.
3. What can you use to measure the specific gravity of material lighter than water?
In measuring the specific gravity of a material lighter than water, apparatuses like the Brix
and Baume Scale, hydrometer, and Westphal balance can be used.
4. Why do we use vacuum while determining the specific gravity of soils?
Air is present inside the pycnometer both after and before adding the soil and water into it,
thus, a vacuum was used in the experiment while determining the specific gravity of soil. This
is an important factor because the amount of air present inside the pycnometer needs to be
reduced, or if possible, removed. Also, the accuracy in results is needed by minimizing or
eliminating any possible errors.
5. What is the effect of water temperature on the determination of the specific gravity of
soils?
The temperature of water affects the specific gravity of soils as they are inversely
proportional from each other, meaning, as the temperature of water increases, the specific
gravity decreases, and vice versa.
6. Why would a contractor be interested in knowing the specific gravity of a soil?
A contractor would be interested in knowing the specific gravity of soil because they have
to be knowledgeable of this mechanical property of soil. An engineer or a contractor should
know the degree of saturation, porosity, and void ratio of the soil in the construction site.
These would help them determine the stability of the site and its capacity to support any future
structure that will be built.
 DISCUSSIONS

The aim of this experiment entitled Specific Gravity of Soil Solids is to determine the
specific gravity of soil solids. The specific gravity is defined as the ratio of the weight of a given
material’s volume to the weight equal to the water volume at 20°C. Based from the principle of
Archimedes, it is also expressed as the weight of dry soil solids in air divided by the weight of wet
soil.

In the experiment, the following apparatuses were used to ensure that it will be performed
correctly: digital balance, evaporating dish, pycnometer bottle, temperature-controlled oven,
thermometer, and vacuum pump.

Three trials were performed during the experimental procedure. The pycnometer bottle was
calibrated by pouring distilled water into it until the lower meniscus is in the same level with the
calibration mark. After which, excess water was wiped off and the bottle with water was weighed.

The second part of the experiment wherein the theoretical procedure was done used the
formula:

W2 = WB + VB (1 + ΔT * ε) (γT – γA)

Where W2 represents the weight of the pycnometer bottle with water, WB as the weight of
pycnometer bottle, TC as the temperature change between the initial temperature and the final

temperature after the calibration, VB as volume of bottle, ε as the cubical expansion for glass, γA

as the unit weight of air, and γT as the unit weight of water. After all data and values were recorded,
the last part of the experiment was performed.

The soil samples were placed in an evaporating dish where an amount of distilled water
was poured to produce a mixture. Following this, the mixture was poured into the calibrated
pycnometer bottle. The water bath was used to maintain the temperature while the vacuum was
used to removed the air inside the bottle. Proceeding to the next procedure, the weight and the
temperature was measured after the bottle was allowed to cool. All gathered data was analyzed
and was used to compute for the specific gravity of soil solids.
 CONCLUSIONS

In the experiment conducted, Determining the Specific Gravity of Soil, a pycnometer was
used to determine the specific gravity. The experiment helped improve familiarization on a method
that can be used to obtain a specific gravity greater than that of water.

In the experimental procedure table for the calibrated pycnometer table, it can be observed
that the two variables, the temperature and the weight of the water bottle with water, has an
inversely proportional relationship. The reason behind this relationship is that the water evaporates
as the temperature increases. This case is the same as the one as in the theoretical procedure.
Meaning, as the temperature increases, the weight of the bottle with water decreases and vice versa.

The final result of the experiment showed that the average value of the specific gravity
obtained, 2.64, lies within the range of 2.6 to 2.85. And since it lies within the range of the typical
values of specific gravity, the results can be accepted and that the experiment was conducted
correctly.

Although the experiment was successfully carried out, there are inevitable factors such as
errors that might have affected the actual result. One of the possible errors committed was the
incorrect reading of temperature. This error affects the experiment as the specific gravity depends
on it. Another error possibly committed was the inaccurate use of apparatuses. The improper and
inaccurate use will also affect the experiment because measurements heavily rely on the
apparatuses and can even cause changes in the data. To avoid all these, it is recommended to
carefully and properly read the procedures. As much as possible, always take note of the
precautions to obtain accurate data.

As a Civil Engineering and Environmental and Sanitary Engineering student, this

experiment is of much importance because it helps me and my fellow students to familiarize and
understand better some of the basic properties of soil like the specific gravity. This will enable us
to improve our knowledge about structure construction and evaluation because the topic of the
experiment, specific gravity of soil, is one of the key properties that an engineer should be well
aware of because it affects the stability of the site foundation.
 REFERENCES
Budhu, M. (2011). Soil Mechanics and Foundations (3rd Ed.). USA: Hamilton Printing Company.
Holtz, W. (n.d.). Soil as an Engineering Material. USA: A Water Resources Technical Publication.
Liu, C., & Evett, J. B. (2009). Soil Properties: Testing, Measurement, and Evaluation (6th Ed).
New Jersey: S4 Carlisle Publishing Services.
Nova, R. (2010). Soil Mechanics. USA: John Wiley & Sons.
Security, G. (2001). Global Security. Retrieved from Global Security:
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/index.html