COLUMBAN COLLEGE

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CEP411L – Geotechnical Engineering 1
Laboratory Manual

Name: ________________________ Date: _____________

Course: __________________ Group No.: ________

CEP411L

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1 LABORATORY

Experiment No. 7

IN PLACE DENSITY OF SOIL DETERMINATION

DISCUSSION:
The determination of in place density is under taken to determine the density of
soil inside. This test will be used as a guide to determine the shear strength of coarse
grained soil. The test is usually done for borrow pits to determine its shrinkage or swell
and for compacted earth fill to determine if compaction effort has been adequately done.

APPARATUS:
1. Digging tools
2. Density apparatus (Jar or Compaction Mold)
3. Sand
4. Balance
5. Drying equipment
6. Miscellaneous equipment

PROCEDURE:
A. Volume of Jar Determination (For Irregular Shaped Jar)

1. Weigh the jar and funnel.

2. Fill the jar with water then remove excess water and weigh jar filled with
water.
3. Determine temperature of water.
4. Repeat procedures 1 to 3 twice and get the average weight.
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COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CEP411L – Geotechnical Engineering 1
Laboratory Manual

B. Bulk Density of Sand Determination

1. Place the apparatus upright and fill the funnel with sand.
2. Open the valve and, keeping funnel half full, fill the apparatus.
3. Close valve suddenly and empty excess sand.
4. Determine net mass of sand by weighing the apparatus.

C. Mass of Sand required to Fill Funnel

1. Put sand in apparatus and invert apparatus on a plain level and plain
surface.
2. Open the valve and keep open until after sand stops running, and close
valve sharply.
3. Weight the apparatus with remaining sand and determine the loss of sand.
This amount is the required mass to fill the funnel.

D. Density of Soil In Place Determination

1. Level the surface so that it is of level plane.

2. Invert apparatus and place it on the ground and mark the outline of the
funnel.
3. Dig a hole bounded by the funnel, being very rare careful to avoid
disturbing the soil around the hole. Place all the soil dug up on a container
and clean the table.
4. Place apparatus with the funnel in contact with the ground and open valve,
and, after sand has stopped flowing, close the valve.
5. Weight the apparatus with remaining sand and determine mass of sand
used in test.
6. Weight the material that was removed from the test hole.
7. Secure a representative sample for moisture determination.
8. Dry and weigh the sample.

CALCULATION:
V1 = volume of the density apparatus in cu.cm.

G = grams of water required to fill apparatus

T = temperature of water
 COLUMBAN COLLEGE
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CEP411L – Geotechnical Engineering 1
Laboratory Manual

ρ = Density of water at temperature, T

V1 = G / ρ

Calculation for bulk density of the sand is as follows:

W1 = W2 / V 1

V1 = volume of density apparatus in cu. cm

W1 = bulk density of sand in grams per cu. cm

W2 = grams of sand required to fill apparatus

Calculation of the moisture content and the dry mass of material removed from test
hole.

WO = 𝑥 100

WO = % moisture of material from test hole

W3 = moist mass of moisture sample in grams

V = volume of test hole

W4 = dry mass of moisture sample in grams

W5 = moist mass material from test hole in grams

W7 = grams of sand that filled the hole and funnel

W8 = grams of sand in funnel

Calculation of the in place dry density of the material tested is as follows:

V=

Wet Density = Dry Density =

/
 COLUMBAN COLLEGE
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CEP411L – Geotechnical Engineering 1
Laboratory Manual

PRELIMINARY DATA SHEET

Name: __________________________ Date: ______________

Course: __________________ Group No.: _________

Experiment No. 7

IN PLACE DENSITY OF SOIL DETERMINATION

A. Volume of Jar Determination

Weight of Jar + Cone

Weight of Jar + Cone + Water
Temperature
Density of Water at Temperature
Volume of Jar
Or Get the Volume of Compaction Mold
Directly

B. Bulk Density of Sand Determination

Weight of Jar/Mold

Weight of Jar/Mold + Sand

Density of Sand
 COLUMBAN COLLEGE
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CEP411L – Geotechnical Engineering 1
Laboratory Manual

C. Mass of Sand that Filled the Cone Determination

Mass of Sand that Filled the Cone = _____________

D. In Place Density of Soil Determination

Weight of sand that filled the cone

Weight of jar + cone + excess sand
Weight of sand that filled the hole + cone
Weight of sand that filled the hole
Volume of hole
Weight of excavated soil
Weight of container
Weight of container + wet soil
Weight of container + dry soil
Weight of water
Weight of dry soil
Water Content
Wet Density
Dry Density

_________________________ _________________________

Student’s Signature Instructor’s Signature