Lab Report #1:

SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SOIL SOLIDS BY WATER PYCNOMETER

ABSTRACT
This experiment is made to determine the specific gravity ( ) and water (moisture)
content of soil by the used of water Pycnometer. This parameter can be determined by
following the ASTM D854-10 and D2216–05. Knowing the specific gravity of soil sample,
we could be able to analyze phase relationships of soil such as void ratio and degree of
saturation. In this experiment, for sample no. 1, the specific gravity and specific gravity at
are equal to 2.736 and 2.732, respectively; while for sample number 2, their values are
2.891 and 2.886, respectively. We also computed for the average values of the specific
gravity ( ) and specific gravity at ( ) which are 2.813 and 2.809,
respectively. The computed water content for both samples, and , are 443.92% and
446.75%, respectively. Their average water content, , is equivalent to 445.37%.

Submitted by: Angel U. Gacutan

Group Mates:
Francis Bianes
Kathlyn Jane Madrid
Jan Kenneth Salvacion
John Carlo Villar

Date Performed: July 4, 2011

Date Submitted: July 15, 2011

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I. OBJECTIVES

 To determine the specific gravity of soil passing through Sieve No. 4 (4.75mm)
by means of water Pycnometer
 For the students to appreciate the materials used in the real structures and provide
knowledge on how aggregates are used and tested

II. MATERIALS USED

 Test Specimen or Soil Samples. May be moist or oven-dry soil and shall be
representative of the soil solids that pass the 4.75-mm (No. 4).
 Thermometric Device. Must be capable of measuring the temperature range within
which the test is being performed, having a readability of 0.1°C and a maximum
permissible error of 0.5°C. The device must be capable of being immersed in the
sample and calibration solutions to a depth ranging between 25 and 80 mm.
 Water Pycnometer. It shall be either a stoppered flask, stoppered iodine flask, or
volumetric flask with a minimum capacity of 250 mL. The volume of the pycnometer
must be 2 to 3 times greater than the volume of the soil-water mixture used during the
deairing portion of the test.
 Digital weighing balance. It should has a 0.01 g readability. When using the 250–mL
pycnometers, the balance capacity shall be at least 500 g and when using the 500–mL
pycnometers, the balance capacity shall be at least 1000 g.
 Drying oven. Thermostatically controlled oven, capable of maintaining a uniform
temperature of 110 ±5°C throughout the drying chamber.
 Hot Plate. It serves as an entrapped air removal apparatus. Must be capable of
maintaining a temperature adequate to boil water.
 Sieve. That must have a diameter of 4.75 mm (or simply Sieve No. 4)
 Funnel. A non-corrosive smooth surface funnel with a stem that extends past the
calibration mark on the volumetric flask or stoppered seal on the stoppered flasks. The
diameter of the stem of the funnel must be large enough that soil solids will easily
pass through.
 Bowl. Must be large enough for the Pycnometer to be submerged on water
 Towel (or insulated gloves). It can be used for protection when transferring the
heated Pycnometer.
 Water. Must be distilled water.

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III. METHODOLOGY

In performing the experiments, the subsequent steps must be followed:

PYCNOMETER CALIBRATION

Clean and dry the Measure mass of the Filled it with 250-ml
pycnometer pycnometer distilled water

Measure mass of
pycnometer +
Determine the volume
waterUsing a
of the pycnometer
thermometer, get
temperature of the water

SPECIFIC GRAVITY DETERMINATION

Using the Eliminate air bubbles

Emptied and dried Poured distilled
thermometer, by heating the
the pycnometer water into the
measure the pycnometer (using
and put the soil pycnometer until the hot plate) for
temperature of the
sample inside its 2/3 full about 15 mins.
water

Let it cool for a Measure and

Submerged the Filled the
while until it record the mass of
pycnometer on pycnometer with
reaches its original the pycnometer +
water water upto its rim
temperature water

Remove all the wet After 24 ± 4.,

Oven-dry the soil
soil and placed in a Measure the dry
for 24 ± 4 hrs.
pan. mass sample.

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IV. DATA AND RESULTS

TABLE 1. Gathered Data

SOIL SAMPLE NUMBER 1 2
Mass of empty pycnometer (g) 86.29 88.08
Mass of pycnometer + water (g) 329.83 331.66
Temperature of distilled water (°C) 26.50 26.50
Temperature of water + soil (°C) 28.00 27.00
Mass of soil sample (g) 65.33 65.12
Mass of pycnometer + soil sample + water (g) 359.55 362.27
Mass of oven-dried soil (g) 46.84 46.8

TABLE 2. Density of Water & Temperature Coefficient (K) for Various Temperatures

Based on Table 2, at a temperature of :

Density of Water 0.99665

Temperature Coefficient, K 0.99844

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V. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS

Specific gravity is the ratio of the mass of unit volume of soil at a stated temperature to the
mass of the same volume of gas-free distilled water at a stated temperature. The specific
gravity of a soil is used in the phase relationship of air, water, and solids in a given volume of
the soil sample. Whereas, the water (moisture) content of a soil sample represents the weight
of free water contained in the sample expressed as a percentage of its dry weight. For many
materials, the water content is one of the most significant index properties used in
establishing a correlation between soil behavior and its index properties and is used in
expressing the phase relationships of air, water, and solids in a given volume of material.

Formula Used:
Calculate the specific gravity of soil solids at the test temperature, , as follows:

(Equation 1)
( )

where:
= the density of the soil solids Mg/m3 or g/cm3,
= the density of water at the test temperature ( ), from Table 2, g/mL or g/cm3.
= the mass of the oven dry soil solids (g), and
= the mass of pycnometer, water, and soil solids at the test temperature, ( ), g.

Calculate the specific gravity of soil solids at 20°C as follows

(Equation 2)

where: = the temperature coefficient given in Table 2.

Calculate the water content of the material as follows:

(Equation 3)

where:
= water content, %,
= mass of container and moist specimen, g,
= mass of container and oven dry specimen, g,
= mass of container, g,
= mass of water ( ), g, and
= mass of oven dry specimen ( ), g

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Given:
These are the following gathered data that can be used to solve the needed parameters:

FOR SPECIFIC GRAVITY:

Soil Sample
Parameters
No. 1 No. 2
329.83 331.66
359.55 362.27
46.84 46.8
0.99665
0.99844

FOR WATER (MOISTURE) CONTENT:

Soil Sample
Parameters Symbol
No. 1 No. 2
Mass of soil sample (g) 65.33 65.12
Mass of oven-dried soil (g) 46.84 46.8

Data Calculations:
Using Equations 1, 2 and 3, we could solve for the following parameters:

Specific gravity of the two soil samples at the test temperature, :

( )

( )

Specific gravity of the two soil samples at

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Average specific gravity of the two soil samples

Average specific gravity of the two soil samples at

Water (moisture) content

For sample no. 1:

For sample no. 2:

Average water (moisture) content

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VI. CONCLUSIONS

From the experiment, the specific gravity of soil sample no. 1 ( ) and no. 2 ( ) are 2.736
and 2.891, respectively. Whereas the values of specific gravity at denoted as (for
soil sample 1) and (for soil sample 2) are 2.732 and 2.886, respectively. The main
difference between the two samples is the amount of water placed in the soil sample set-up.
Furthermore, the resulting average values of the specific gravity of the two soil samples
( ) is 2.813 while at , the average specific gravity ( ) is 2.809. The specific
gravity of soils that ranges from 2.6 to 2.9 are considered as clayey and silty soil solids. Since
all of the computed values of the specific gravity falls under that range, it can be concluded
that the soil samples are clayey and silty soil solids.

The water (moisture) content of our two soil samples, and , are 39.47% and 39.15%,
respectively. Their average water content, , is equivalent to 39.31%. Therefore, the soil
sample is slightly saturated with water.

The possible sources of errors may be due to:

 Human error in reading measurements (e.g. reading the lower meniscus of the
graduated cylinders and thermometer).
 Instrument error since the water Pycnometer we have used has no calibration mark
and we just have to assume and set our own. Also, the balance used in measuring the
various masses needed does not readily give a stable reading and is very sensitive
even to very small movements. In addition, some pans we have utilized have tiny
holes in it causing some water to leak.
 Some water and soil samples were spilled during the experiment. Also, some soils
were lost in transferring it from containers to another and during mixing. These can be
observed by comparing the mass of the original soil with the dried mass of the soil
after the experiment.
 Temperature reading is changing little by little but we make sure that its almost
constant before measuring and recording.

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VII. REFERENCES

 ASTM D2216–05: Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Determination of Water

(Moisture) Content of Soil and Rock by Mass
 ASTM D854-10: Standard Test methods for Specific Gravity of Soil Solid by Water
Pycnometer
 Braja M. Das, "Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering, 2nd Edition", Thomson
Canada Limited, page 17
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_gravity
 http://www.uic.edu/classes/cemm/cemmlab/Experiment%204-
Specific%20Gravity.pdf