Experiment No.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY TEST

OBJECTIVE:
To determine the specific gravity of the soil particles passing 4.75 mm I.S.
sieve using pycnometer.
APPARATUS:
Special
1.
2.
General
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Pycnometer
4.75 mm (or 2mm) I.S. sieve
Vacuum pump (or hot water bath)
Balance (accuracy 0.1 gm)
Drying oven
Desiccator
Glass rod
Distilled and deaired water
Thermometer (0 to 50C)

PROCEDURE
1. Dry the pycnometer thoroughly and weigh with its cap tightly screwed
on.
2. Mark the cap pycnometer with a vertical line parallel to the axis of the
pycnometer so that each time the cap is screwed the same amount.
3. Unscrew the cap and put in about 200 gm of oven dried soil passing
4.75 mm I.S. sieve** and weigh again.
4. Add sufficient deaired water to cover the soil about half full and screw
on the cap
5. Shake well and connect to the vacuum pump and to remove entrapped
air.
6. Allow the air to evacuate for at least 20 minutes for fine-grained soil or
10 minutes for sandy soils. Shake the pycnometer occasionally to assist
in the air evacuation.
7. After the entrapped air has been largely removed, disconnect the pump
and fill the pycnometer with water about three fourth full.
8. Reapply the vacuum for at least 5 minutes. Evacuation should be
continued until very few bubbles appear on the top of the water.
9. After the air has been eliminated, fill the pycnometer with the water
completely up to the mark.
10.Thoroughly dry the pycnometer from the outside and weigh it.
11.Record the temperature of the content in degree centigrade.
12.Clean the pycnometer by washing water thoroughly.
13.Fill the pycnometer with water up to its top and screw on the cap.
14.Weigh the pycnometer after drying it on the outside thoroughly.
15.Repeat the test twice more.
PRECAUTIONS

1. The soil grain whose specific gravity is to be determined should be

completely dry.
2. Dried soil taken for testing should have the soil grains of its original
size, so if on drying soil humps are formed, they should be broken to its
original size.
3. Hold the rubber tubing tightly with the pycnometer so that there is no
leakage when vacuum pump works.
4. Inaccuracies in weighing and failure to completely eliminate the
entrapped air are the main sources of error. Both should be avoided by
careful working.
5. Cap should be screwed up to the same mark during the test.
6. Cap should be properly screwed with washer to avoid any leakage.
OBSERVATIONS AND CALCULATIONS
(a) Determine the specific gravity of soil grains using questions (6-1 A)

G
w2w1
( s)=
( w 2w1 ) (w3w4 )

(b) Calculate the correction factor,

C1 =

C1

Relative density of water at T 1

Relative density of water at 27

(c) Calculate the specific gravity at 27

( G s 27 =(G s )T t x C t
(d) The average of three values of the same soil sample is taken and
reported to the nearest 0.01. if any of the values differ by more than
0.03 from the average, that test is discarded and other is done.
QUESTIONS
1. What do you understand by specific gravity of soil grains?
The Specific of soil grains is important in the calculation of soil properties
like void ratio, degree of saturation.
2. What is the difference between the specific gravity of grains and soil?
The specific gravity of soil grains is needed for the calculations of soil
properties while the specific gravity of soil is the ration between the unit
weights of a substance to water at 4 degree Celsius.
3. Derive an expression for specific gravity of soil grains for laboratory
determination.
Specific gravity = density of water at 27 degree Celsius

Weight of water at equal volume

S.G= (w2-w1)
(w2-w1)-(w3xw4)
W1= empty weight of pycnometer
W2= weight of pycnometer and oven dry soil
W3= weight , oven dry soil and water
W4= weight of pycnometer and full water
4. What are normal ranges of specific gravity for gravel, sand, silt, clay and
organic soils?
Sand
Silt
Clay & Silt Clay
Organic Soils

2.63 2.67
2.65-2.7
2.67-2.9
<2.0

5. What are the relationships between void ratio, degree of saturation and
specific gravity of soil grains?
The terms void ration, degree of saturation and specific gravity are ratios
and thus, do not depend on the amount of soil under consideration. In a
homogeneous soil mass they should be the same anywhere. Their
relationship could be express in:
= ( G+S e ) w
e+1
When soil is saturated S= 1
6. How do you calculate the critical gradient with the help of specific gravity
value?
The hydraulic conductivity is dependent on soil properties and is
computed using:
Ie= G-1
1+ e
7.

What is the effect of temperature on the specific gravity?

The specific gravity is inversely proportional to the temperature and hence
decreases when the temperature is increased.
8. What is the standard temperature at which the value of specific gravity is
determined?
The reference substance is for water which is at its densest is at 4C while for
liquids and for gases it is at 21C.
9. How and where does the specific gravity value help in studying the
consultation properties clays?
The specific gravity helps in determining the denseness or looseness of
granular soil which can describe the properties of soil.

10.What is the difference between density of soil and specific gravity of soil
grains?
The density of solids represents the density of the soil particles collectively
and is expressed as the ratio of the solid phase mass to the volume of the
solid phase of the soil while the specific gravity of soil is defined as the
ratio of the unit weight of solid particles to the unit weight of water at 4C.
11.What are the units of density and specific gravity of soil grains in MKS
system of units?
Density: kg/m3, Specific Gravity: is dimensionless and has no unit
12.How do you use the value of specific gravity in knowing the size of soil
grains by hydrometer analysis?
By knowing the size of soil grains and the specific gravity you can easily
calculate the density and of a certain substance.
13.What is the relationship between dry density of soil at zero air voids,
specific gravity of soil grains and water content?
An increase of dry density means a decrease of voids ratio and a more
compact soil and the relation between moisture content and dry unit
weight for a saturated soil is the zero air-voids line.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY
EXPERIMENT NO. 1
OBSERVATION AND CALCULATIONS
Soil Sample No.

T t =

i.

Test temperature

ii.

Relative density of water at

T t =

iii.

Relative density of water at

27 =

iv.

Correction factor due to temp.,

Ct =

Determination No.
1. Pycnometer/Bottle No.
2. Mass of Pycnometer

W1

(gm)

3. Mass of Pycnometer + dry soil

W2

W3

3
3
78

278

275

280

402

399

405

288

287

290

2.33
2.32

2.32
2.34

2.32
2.31

(gm)

5. Mass of Pycnometer + water

W4

2
2
78

(gm)

4. Mass of Pycnometer + soil +

water

1
1
78

(gm)

6. Specific gravity of soil

7. Specific gravity of soil at 27C =
(6) x C1
Results

Specific gravity of soil grains at 27C = 2.32