Joan Veronica Uy Date Submitted: July 7, 2008

Jerome Juacalla
Juanita Maulion Jr.
Renmar Dacones
Randy Lopez

Exercise No. 1
Mechanical Analysis of Soils

I. Introduction

Soil properties such as specific gravity or bulk density, hydraulic conductivity,

moisture retention properties and infiltration characteristics are essential
information to every engineer. These properties can easily be determined
from the size distributions of sol particles for there are plenty of relationships
between the particle size distribution and soil properties. The most widely
used method for determining the particle size distribution is through the
hydrometer method which measures the density of the soil water suspension
giving the measure of concentration of soil particles in suspension.

Using Stoke’s Law, with w defined as 1000[30µh/g(γs- γl)]1/2, the table for
values of w (sedimentation parameter) for the determination of particle size
from observed hydrometer readings was determined. This table will be used
for the particle size distribution in this experiment. However, the constants
used for the table may vary in the experiment. Adjustments must be made to
w by multiplying correction factors. For temperature varying from 30oC, the
correction factor is (µ/µ30)1/2. For a particle density varying from 2.65 g/cc, the
correction factor is [(2.65-0.99949)]/[ γs -0.999490].

II. Objectives
• To determine the particle size distribution of the given soil sample by
the hydrometer method
• To present the particle size distribution curve for the given soil sample
• To determine the texture of the given soil sample

III. Materials and Methods

Apparatus and Supplies:
Hydrometer Plunger
Mechanical stirrer Flush bottles
1 liter graduated cylinder Calgon
Sedimentation table Thermometer

Procedure:
a. Calibration
1. 110 ml of calgon solution was added to a 1 L graduated cylinder
 2. 1 L distilled water was added then the solution was mixed with a
plunger
3. The temperature of the solution was measured and recorded
4. The hydrometer was slowly lowered and the scale reading was
determined at upper edge of meniscus surrounding the stem

b. Sample Preparation
1. The weight of the container was determined
2. Two 44.0 g sol sample was weighed and recorded
3. One of the two samples was oven-dried for 48 hours at 105oC oven
setting. The weight of the oven-dried sample was determined
4. One of the two samples was placed in stirring cup
5. 110 ml calgon solution was added
6. 400ml distilled water was added
7. The solution was soaked for 15 minutes
8. The solution was stirred for 5 minutes using the motorized stirrer
9. The solution was transferred completely to a graduated cylinder
with a flush bottle
10. Water was added to bring the level of solution to 1100 ml
11. The temperature was measured and recorded
12. The solution was mixed with plunger while holding the base firmly.
Long strong up and down strokes was used, making sure that the
plunger travel from bottom of the cylinder to near the solution
surface
13. The plunger was removed

c. Hydrometer Reading
1. Hydrometer readings were made for the following time periods: 0.5,
1.0, 3.0, 10.0, 30.0, 90.0, and 270.0 minutes right after stirring.
2. The solution was re-stirred after the last hydrometer reading for the
720.0 minutes hydrometer reading.
3. Corrections were made with the hydrometer readings, R.
4. The concentration of suspension was determined
5. The summation percentage of suspension was determined
6. The corresponding particle size or diameter was determined

d. Data was plotted on semi-log paper, P vs x

e. The percent sand, silt and clay as determined
f. The soil texture was determined using the standard chart for soil
textural classification.

IV. Results and Discussions

Table 1. Values derived from hydrometer readings

t (mins) R Temp (oC) Rc -R- Rl P w wc x (microns)
0.5 23 30 19 50.36 44.2 44.2 62.50824
 1 22 30 18 47.71 44.5 44.5 44.5
3 20 30 16 42.41 45.0 45 25.98076
10 19 30 15 39.76 45.3 45.3 14.32512
30 16 30 12 31.80 46.2 46.2 8.43493
90 13 31 9 23.85 47.1 45.84 4.89798
270 12 30 8 21.20 47.3 47.3 2.87859
720 11.5 28 7.5 19.88 47.4 49.35 1.80253

From the results of the hydrometer reading, the following values on table 1
were derived. The hydrometer readings, R, were adjusted by subtracting Rl.
The sedimentation parameter, w, for some hydrometer readings were also
adjusted by multiplying µ/µ30 to each w since the temperature of the soil
solution varies from the 30oC used in the Table for values of w. The particle
diameter, x, was determined in microns by using the formula x(microns)=w/t1/2
and plotted against the percentage of suspension, P=100(Rc /Co), for each R
on a semi-log scale with x on the log scale.

Using the Attenberg soil particle classification and from Figure 1 (see
attached page), the P vs x graph, it shows that the soil sample has 18.7% of
clay, 21.4 % of silt and 59.9% of sand. As expected, the sand particles settled
first at the between ___ to ___ minutes. The silt particles settled next,
between ___ to ___ minutes. The clay particles settled last between ___ to
___ minutes.

Using the standard chart for textural classification, the soil sample is sandy
loam.

V. Summary and Conclusion

Properties of soil, essential to engineering field, can be determined by using

the soil particle distribution of a soil. One of the methods used for soil particle
distribution is the hydrometer method. Hydrometer measures the density of
the soil water suspension. With this and using Stoke’s Law, the diameter of
the soil particles were determined by using the time it took for a particle to
settle at the bottom of the container, since soil particles have different
velocities depending on their sizes. Following the Atterberg soil particle
classification, the percentage of sand, silt and clay in the soil sample were
determined. In this given sample, 59.9% sand, 21.4 % silt and 18.7% clay.
The texture of the soil can then be determined by using the standard chart for
soil textural classification, and for this given sample, it was sandy loam.

Answers to Questions
1. Given:
temperature of 30oC
particle density of 2.60 g/cc
height of 10cm
 a) Size fraction of 0.05cm
t= [10cm(18)(0.008007P)] / [980.7(2.6 - 1)(0.052)]
t= 0.374s

b) Size fraction of 0.002cm

t=[10cm(18)(0.008007 P)] / [980.7 (2.6-1)(0.0022)]

t= 229.6287 s or 3.83048 min

c) Size fraction of 0.0002cm

t= [10cm(18)(0.008007 P)] / [980.7 (2.6-1)(0.00022)]
t= t=22962.87091 s or 6.3786 hrs

2. In determining the particle size distribution of a certain type of soil would

give the properties of soil such as specific gravity or bulk density, hydraulic
conductivity and moisture retention properties which are essential in the
field of engineering. These are needed in the field of engineering like in
determining backfill material for road construction, landfill liners to prevent
leachate from seeping into the groundwater and for construction bases of
structures such as multi-storey buildings.

VI. Sample Computation

VII. References

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscosity
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