SOIL LABORATORY.

DENSITY, MOISTURE CONTENT AND SPECIFIC GRAVITY.

MEMBERS: ​LAURA DAVILA, GABRIEL ROJAS, DANIEL MURCIA, CARLOS ERASO

SOIL CHARACTERIZATION

In the sample, we could found some specific elements as organic material, and oxidation because of
the smell, and some water content by touching it we can feel some moisture because it took an
intermediate time to get dry on the skin. It also have a black core and we deduced that it have a
principal presence of sand, because when we took the sample and separated it tends to fall apart. It
also have sandy yellow dots, and rocks that when scratch represent gross sandy. The last thing that
we identified it a reddish brown color clay coating due to oxidation.

CONCLUSIONS

1. In the laboratory of specific gravity and based in the table 2 of ​Experimental Soil Mechanics​,
we could saw that the sample has sands with traces of organic matter as mineral, a group of
common mineral in sedimentary rocks .[8]
2. In the table 4.2 of the book Soil mechanics and foundations (Budhu) we could see that in the
sample we have a grain of small size , the description of this table says that grains with
porosity between (80-60)% are loose in coarse-grained according the book criteria
predominant grain with small size due to we got a porosity of 72%. [4]
3. As we could see in the table 4.1 of the Budhu’s book it defines the type of soil according with
the unit weight if we have values of unit weight dry between 13-16 this means the type of
soil is sand. We got a value of unit weight dry of 14,2 KN/ m^3 so we have a Soil type sand.
[8]
4. According to Table 3.1 to characterize the type of soil according to the void ratio, the soil is a
soft organic clay, since the voids ratio is 2.6.[1]
5. According to the specific gravity of 2.65 the mineral that can be found in the soil sample is
the quartz. This is according to the table 2.2 of Fredlund.
6. According to the table 2.1 of Holtz and Kovacs and based on the specific dry weight of 0.92
we have a type of organic soil silt and clays because is in a range of 0.5 to 1.5.
7. This soils is used for embankments construction, primary materials are natural fill materials
that be excavated specifically for earthworks.
8. our sample is a Slightly clayey sand due to the specific gravity, it is easily moldable with the
hand and it dry fast.
9. Based on the water content of the sample, which in this case is 25%, the type of soil we have
is Loess, since according to its characteristics the betas that it presents are yellowish and as
the main mineral it is constituted by quartz and is slightly structured
10. In conclusion we can define our soil type as a clay sand because it predominates in several of
our classifications, it also contains partial quantities of organic material.
REFERENCES

[ 1] Braja M. Das (2001) Principles of Geotechnical Engineering. Fourth edition. (Page 18). Thomson
Learning Editorial. Table 1.5

[2 ] D.G. Fredlund, H. Rahardjo, and M.D. Fredlund. (2012) Unsaturated Soil Mechanics in
Engineering Practice. (Page 49). table 2.2

[3 ] Dante Fratta. Jennifer Aguettant and Lynne Roussel-Smith. (2007) Soil Mechanics laboratory
testing. (Chapter 2).

[ 4] Budhu, M. (2000). Soil Mechanics and Foundations. Page 53. Table No. 4.2 and 4.1

[5] AA Holtz & Kovacs (1981) An Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering (page 15). table 2.1

[6] D.G. Fredlund, H. Rahardjo (1993) soil mechanics for unsaturated soils.

[7] Federal Highway Administration (1991) Rock and Mineral Identification for Engineers

[8] Bardet, J. P. (1997). Experimental Soil Mechanics. Page 134 Table No. 3 (Typical Values of specific
Gravity of Various Soils).

[9] Terzaghi, R. G. (1996). Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice.

[10] Whitlow, Roy (2004). Fundamentos de mecánica de suelos. Editorial cecsa