Professional Documents
Culture Documents
NO
1. Title 1 Ahmad Aiman Ashraf
2. Introduction 1 Ahmad Aiman Ashraf
3. Objective 1 Wan Muhammad Aiman
4. Theoretical Background 2 Zairi Azizi
5. Problem Statement 2 Zairi Azizi
6. Apparatus 2 Wan Muhammad Aiman
7. Procedure 3 Nabilah & Amirah Syakirah
8. Result & Analysis 4-7 Wan Muhammad Aiman & Ahmad Aiman
Ashraf
9. Discussion 8 Zairi Azizi & Ahmad Aiman Ashraf
10. Conclusion 8 Nabilah & Amirah Syakirah
11. References 8 Nabilah
12. Appendix 9-12 Amirah Syakirah
1.1 Introduction
Level 2 laboratory activities refer to the condition where only the problem is guided and
given. Students are required to find the ways & means and provide the answers to the given
assignment using the group creativity and innovativeness. The activity will enable the
students to appreciate independent learning and prepare them for a much harder task of open
ended laboratory activities.
In this laboratory session, students will be introduced on how to determine the particle density
and specific gravity of soil.
1.2 Objective
1. Conduct the laboratory experiment and being exposed theoretically to other alternative
methods of particle density testing.
There are three tests for the measurement of particle density. These have different
applications, which may be summarized as follows:
3. Pycnometer method for use in a site laboratory on medium and coarse grained soils
The first two are the usual laboratory methods. The third is useful as a simple on-site
procedure where full laboratory facilities are not available and when a result of lower
accuracy is acceptable.
Specific gravity Gs is defined as the ratio of the weight of a certain volume of soil solids to
the weight of an equal volume of distilled water at a constant temperature. As a group you are
given a set of samples to determine the particle density of the soil.
The group must carry out the test following the procedures outline and subsequently analyse
the data and present it in a proper technical format.
3.1 Apparatus
3.2 Procedures
1. The density bottle and stopper were cleaned and dried properly.
2. The dried bottle with stopper was weighed and the mass (m_1) was recorded.
3. About 10-15 gm of oven-dried soil sample was taken and carefully poured into the
density bottle. The bottle with soil and stopper was weighed and the mass (m_2) was
recorded.
4. The distilled water was poured half of the bottle to soak the soil. The bottle was leave
for a period 5 to 15 minutes and was shaken.
5. The bottle was put in the dessicator to remove the entrapped air and was leave for
about 15 minutes.
6. After 15 minutes, more distilled water was poured into the bottle until full and filled
without any entrapped bubble. The stopper was put on and the mass (m_3) was
recorded.
7. The bottle was emptied and cleaned properly. The bottle was filled entirely with
distilled water and was make sure there was no entrapped bubble.
8. The stopper was put on and the bottle was wiped dry from outside. The mass (m_4)
was weighed and recorded.
CALCULATIONS
( W 1W 2 )
G s=
[ ( W 4 W 1 ) ( W 3W 2 ) ]
Determination no. I
Specific gravity of soil,Gs
( 49.4834.83 )
G s=
[ (137.9234.83 )( 146.8349.48 ) ]
= 2.55
Gs at 31
' 0.995369
Gs = 2.55
0.996542
= 2.55
Corrected Gs at 27
0.996542
G s' = 2.55
0.996542
= 2.55
Determination no. II
Specific gravity of soil, Gs
( 47.8134.75 )
G s=
[ (136.0234.75 )( 144.0647.81 ) ]
= 2.60
Gs at 31
0.995369
G s' = 2.60
0.996542
= 2.60
Corrected Gs at 27
0.996542
G s' = 2.60
0.996542
= 2.60
= 2.59
Gs at 31
0.995369
G s' = 2.59
0.996542
= 2.59
Corrected Gs at 27
0.996542
G s' = 2.59
0.996542
= 2.59
Average of specific gravity Gs at 31 ,
2.55+ 2.60+2.59
G s=
3
= 2.58
3.4 Discussion
Based on the data, the experiment was carried out in a constant temperature that is 27C. The
experiment was repeated 3 times to determine the specific gravity,Gs which were 2.55, 2.60,
and 2.59 thus, the average of specific gravity,Gs was 2.58 at the temperature of 31C.
The general range of specific gravity is 2.60 - 2.72. The recorded range from the experiment
is lowe r from the general range because the experiment was carried out in unsuitable place as
the wind might blow sometimes and the density bottle was put inside the Dessicator for only
10 minutes as it should be 7 hours in general. The corrected specific gravity were 2.55 ,2.60
and 2.59 because the temperature used was the same as the early stage of experiment which
was 27C.
3.5 Conclusion
Based on the experiment, we have determined the specific gravity of soil,Gs by using the
density bottle. We determined the specific gravity,Gs by using the formula given in a constant
tempeature. We also calculated the corrected specific gravity,Gs by referring to the table of
specific gravity of water to determine the value of k at 27 C to make sure both result were
4.1 References
Figure 1: empty bottle with stopper was weighed and ( m1 ) was recorded.
Figure 3: the bottle and soil was weighed and ( m2 ) was recorded.
Figure 4: distilled water was put into the bottle until half full.