IN-SITU DENSITY

TEST

ETB 3463 SOILS AND EARTHWORKS

NAME : RAJAPAKSHA R.A.K.M

INDEX NO : EGT/16/513

GROUP NO : B4

DATE : 1/06/2019

1
Objective

 To determine the insitu or field density of a soil using Sand Cone method.
Apparatus

 Sand cone apparatus

 Dry, clean and non cemented sand
 Balance readable to 1g, drying oven

Theory

Sand cone method is a method of determining the insitu or field density of a soil. There are several
methods can be used such as, Balloon densometer, Shelby tube and nuclear gauge. Above equipment’s
had their own pros and cons. Above all Sand cone method were used. The relevant field soil density can
be found using a specific sample, after mass of that soil sample was noted, the task of finding the relevant
volume of the sample takes place using sand that density known.in order to find the Dry or Bulk density
of soil sample below equations were used.

𝑀𝑠 +𝑀𝑤
 𝐵𝑢𝑙𝑘 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 − 𝛾 = 𝑉

𝑀𝑠
 𝐷𝑟𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 − 𝛾𝑑𝑟𝑦 = 𝑉

𝑀𝑤
 𝑀𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 − 𝑤 = × 100 %
𝑀𝑠

𝛾 𝑀𝑠 + 𝑀𝑤 𝑀𝑤
= = 1+ = 1+𝑤
𝛾𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑀𝑠 𝑀𝑠
Figure 1. Sand cone test on
Therefore, field

1
𝛾𝑑𝑟𝑦 = 𝛾 Air
(1 + 𝑤)

Volume
𝑀𝑤 Water (𝑉)

𝑀𝑠 Soil

Figure 2. Idealized soil

sample content

2
Procedure

A. determination of bulk density of sand

1. Empty apparatus weighed and placed it on a firm level surface and close the valve.
2. Cone was filled with sand.
3. Valve was opened while keeping the cone at least half full of sand.
4. Apparatus was filled with sand valve was closed.

B. Determination of sand weight required to fill the cone

1. Apparatus was inverted on a clean, level surface with valve closed.
2. Valve was opened until and kept until sand stopped running.
3. Valve was closed and apparatus weighed with remained sand.
4. Sand removed was replaced and valve was closed.

C. Determination of the bulk density of soil

1. Surface of the location was prepared to be tested so that it is a level surface.
2. Inverted apparatus was seated on the prepared plane surface over the special plate provided
and marked the outline of the hole.
3. Test hole was dug inside the mark being very careful to avoid disturbing the soil that will
bound the hole. Soils that the essentially granular require extreme care. All loosened soil in
the container was placed over carefully to avoid losing any material.
4. Then, apparatus was seated in previously marked position, valve was opened and after the
sand has stopped flowing, valve was closed.
5. Apparatus was weighted with remaining sand and weight of sand used in the test was
determined.
6. Next, material that was removed from the test hole was weighted.
7. After that, material was mixed thoroughly and secured with a representative, sample for
moisture determination.
8. Finally, Moisture sample was dried and weighted.

Calculations

 Mass of the bottle (kg) – M1

 Mass of bottle filled with sand (kg) – M2
 Mass of bottle and sand after inverting on a flat surface (kg) – M3
 Mass of bottle and sand after filling the hole (kg) – M4

Calculate the bulk density of sand.

Mass of the sand in the bottle = M2-M1

= 9.807-1.182

= 8.625 kg

Volume of the bottle = 0.005 m3

3
 8.625
 Bulk density of sand (𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑 ) = 0.005

= 1725 kgm-3

Calculate bulk density, moisture content and dry density of soil.

 Mass of pan (kg) –W1

 Mass of soil and pan (kg) –W2

Mass of the sand in the corn (𝑀𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛 ) = M2-M3

= 9.807-8.293

= 1.514 kg
𝑀 1.514
Volume of the cone (𝑉𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛 ) = 𝛾 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛 = = 0.877 × 10−3 𝑚3
𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑 1725

𝑀3 − 𝑀4
𝑉𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛 +𝑉ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 =
𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑

𝑀3 − 𝑀4
𝑉ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 = − 𝑉𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛
𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑
8.293−4.464
𝑉ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 = − 0.877 × 10−3 = 1.342 × 10−3 𝑚3
1725

So,
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙
 Bulk density of the soil (𝛾𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑘 (𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙) ) = 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙

𝑊2 −𝑊1
= 𝑉ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒

(3.985−1.172)
= 1.343×10−3

2.813
= 1.342×10−3 = 2096.12 kgm-3

 Mass of wet soil + can (kg) - − 𝐾1

 Mass of dry soil +can (kg) − 𝐾2
 Mass of can (kg) − 𝐾3
𝑊𝑤 𝐾1 −𝐾2
Moisture content of soil -w % = = × 100
𝑊𝑠 𝐾2 −𝐾3

144×10−3 −130×10−3
= % = 13.86 %
130×10−3 −29×10−3

𝛾𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑘 (𝑀𝑠 + 𝑀𝑤 ) 𝑀𝑠
= ÷
𝛾𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑉 𝑉

(𝑀𝑠 + 𝑀𝑤 ) 𝑉
= ×
𝑉 𝑀𝑠
(𝑀𝑠 +𝑀𝑤 )
= =1+𝑤
𝑀𝑠
4
 𝛾𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑘 2096.12
 Dry density of the soil 𝛾𝑑𝑟𝑦 = = 1+0.138 = 1841.93 𝑘𝑔𝑚−3
1+𝑤

Results

The experiment was carried out and below results had obtained,

 bulk density of sand as 1725 kgm-3

 bulk density of soil as 2096.12 kgm-3
 water content of soil as 13.86%
 dry density of soil as 1841.93 kgm-3

Conclusion

According to our results, bulk density of soil was larger than the bulk density of sand. According to that
fact our results were assumed as accurate.

Discussion

The In-situ density test is a method of experimentally determining the in-situ or field density of a soil.
There are few available methods and among them sand cone method was used since its more accurate
and larger sample is used. The main purpose of running this soil density test is to determine if proper
compaction is for any specific construction application. Since Field density is a depend on moisture
content and it directly affect the field density. Because of that it is more relevant to report the test results
in terms of dry density. In our tested area, the dry density of the soil is found to be 1841.93 kgm-3

Several possible errors were occurred during the practical and they directly affect the readings and guide
to miscalculations. Here are major errors occurred during the practical.

 Compaction might occur due to high pouring rate of the sand into the bottle and vibration
occurred.
 After valve opened, determination of sand flowing is stopped or not is hard to observed.
 Test hole walls were unstable and causing unnecessary voids that could guide for false results.
 Soil density may change due to small rocks and most of gravel size particles.
 Due to evaporation soil samples loss their water content and result may slight differ.

With those errors and on these environments, values had to be measured. Rectification can be done to
eliminate above errors as below,

 Sand cone apparatus can be made with more transparent material in order to observe the sand
flowing till it stopped.
 After test hole been digger, we can paste a thin Bentonite clay all along the soil boundaries to
eliminate unnecessary voids or else equipment that would able to make a test hole without
minimum disturbances can be used.
 In order to have more accurate field density, more than one sample could be gathered from
different places on the relevant field.
 In order to prevent evaporation of excavated soil, sample was covered and brought quickly to
lab for weighing and water content determination.
 The sand had to be filled with slow flow rate in order to rectify compaction error.

5
Topsoil was gathered from a residual soil deposit and soil sample was well graded, undisputed and gravel
size particles were observed. Soil has more dark-brown color indicating organic and good moisture
content. We used

In sand cone method, there are limitations such as,

 Many steps had to be followed in order to attain results.

 Large area required than other density tests.
 Due to many steps its time consuming and considered as a halt equipment.
 The test had to be done on a horizontal surface as shown in figure 1. Sand cone test on soil.
 The base plate had to hold tight while digging the hole.

As shown in figure 1, the test carried on a horizontal surface and the major objective of using this method
is to calculate the volume of excavated soil sample using the sand. Since sand density and mass known
the volume of sand can be calculated along with the cone volume. Volume of the bottle was given as the
0.005 m3. In figure 2. Idealized soil sample content is shown and mass of air in void spaces are
considered as zero. This method commonly used in Highway construction and soil embankment projects.

References

https://books.google.com/books/about/Measurement_of_Engineering_Properties_of.html?id=1XgmteFuL2kC

https://www.dailycivil.com/field-density-test-sand-cone-method/

https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/full/10.1680/geot.9.T.004

https://www.academia.edu/12322077/In-situ-density-report