GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

(Open ended Lab)

Find the effect of Marble Powder of Different %ages (10%, 20%, 30%,
40%, and 50%) on the Dry Density of Soil.

APPARATUS:
 Compaction moulds with base plate and collar (mould dimensions are 40584’’ (11.7
cms) high by (10.15cms) inside diameter (1/30Cu ft.) (945 ml)).
 Compaction rammer (standard rammer 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg) with a free fall height of 12”
(30.5 cms).
 Moisture tins
 Large mixing bowl
 Sample extruder
 Steel straight edge
 Trimming knife
 Drying oven at 110 ± 5°C.
 Balance sensitive to 0.01 gm and 1 gm

Introduction
In soil mechanics compaction means to press the soil particles tightly together by expelling
air from the voids space. Compaction is normally produce deliberately and proceed rapidly
during construction often by heavy compaction rollers.
Compaction of soil increases the soil’s density and produces important effects such as:
 An increase in Shear Strength of the soil
 A decrease in future settlement of the soil
 A decrease in its Permeability
These three effects are beneficial for various types of earth construction, such as highways
airfields and earth dams.
compaction is actually a rather cheap and effective way to improve the properties of a soil.

PROCEDURE:
 Select a sample of Air Dries soil that pass the U.S No. 4 sieve. If the material need to
be broken so it should be done in such a way that in it should not crush the particles.
 Take 2700 gm of soil and discard the remaining.
 Then carefully measure 20% of Marble Powder (540gm) on the balance.

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 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

 Remove 20% of the soil form 2700 gm and add the 20% marble powder and mix
both the ingredients evenly.
 Measure the compaction mould less the collar and base plate.
 Measure the compaction mould to determine its volume.
 Then start adding water to the soil specimen (by 7%, 10%, 13%, 16%, 19% and
22% of water). And mix well.
 Then attach the collar and base plate to the mould and start placing the mixture into
it.
 Use the standard compaction method and compact the soil in three equal layers,
each layer being given 25 blows from the rammer weighing 5.5 lbs (2.5kg) dropping
from a height of 12 inches (30.5cms). The blows should be uniformly distributed
over the surface of each layer. The amount of soil used should be sufficient enough
to fill the mould and the excess will have removed when the collar is removed.
 Remove the collar and the base plate carefully and level the top and bottom surfaces
of the mould using a straight edge. If any of the holes happen to appear during the
smoothing of the surfaces, then fill them with soil.
 Extrude the cylinder of the soil from the mould split it, take samples and put them in
the oven for moisture content determination.
 Then Break the sample and again add water, carefully remix and repeat it 5-6 times.
 Return to the laboratory the following day and weight the oven dried samples and
calculate the moisture content of each sample.

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 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

CALCULATIONS:
Bulk Density:
Volume = 946.69cc

ɤb =Wt. of soil in mold/ volume.

ɤb at 7%:

ɤb =2000/946.6900
=2.1126 g/cc

ɤb at 10%:

ɤb =2080/946.6900
=2.1971g/cc

ɤb at 13%:

ɤb =2080/946.6900
=2.1971g/cc

ɤb at 16% :

ɤb = 2280/946.6900
=2.4083 g/cc

ɤb at 19% :

ɤb = 2180/946.6900
=2.3027g/cc

ɤb at 22% :

ɤb = 2120/946.6900
=2.2393g/cc

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

Dry density:
ɤd = ɤb/(1+w)
ɤd at 7%:

ɤd = 2.1126 /(1+0.07)
ɤd =1.9743g/cc or 19.3558 KN/m^3
ɤd at 10%:

ɤd = 2.1971/(1+0.10)
ɤd =1.9973 g/cc or 19.5813 KN/m^3
ɤd at 13%:

ɤd = 2.1971/(1+0.13)
=1.9443 g/cc or 19.0617 KN/m^3

ɤd at 16%:

ɤd = 2.4083 /(1+0.16)
ɤd = 2.0761 g/cc or 20.3539 KN/m^3
ɤd at 19%:

ɤd = 2.3027/(1+0.19)
ɤd = 1.9350 g/cc or 18.9705 KN/m^3
ɤd at 22%:

ɤd = 2.2393/(1+0.22)
ɤd = 1.835 g/cc or 17.9901 KN/m^3

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

Weight of water:
Weight of water = [wet soil-dry soil]

At 7%:
Weight of water =23.2-21.7
=1.5g

At 10%:
Weight of water =30.7-27.8
=2.9g

At 13%:
Weight of water = 31.6-28.5
=3.1g

At 16%:
Weight of water =45.4-40
=5.4g

At 19%:
Weight of water =83.5-71.6
=11.9g

At 22%:
Weight of water =49.4-41.3
=8.1g

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

Water Content (w%):

W= (Wt. of water / dry soil) *100

At 7%:
W= (1.5/21.7) *100
=6.912

At 10%:
W= (2.9/27.8) *100
=10.4316

At 13%:
W= (3.1/28.5) *100
=10.8771

At 16%:
W= (5.4/40) *100
=13.5

At 19%:
W= (11.9/71.6) *100
=16.6201

At 22%:
W= (8.1/41.3) *100
=19.6125

Group#04

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 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

DENSITY DETERMINATION:
Assumed water 7% 10% 13% 16% 19% 22%
content

Water content 7% 10% 13% 16% 19% 22%

Wt. of soil+ 4740g 4820g 4820g 5020g 4920g 4860g

mould

Wt. of mould 2740g 2740g 2740g 2740g 2740g 2740g

Weight of soil in 2000g 2080g 2080g 2280g 2180g 2120g

mould

Wet 2.1126 2.1971 2.1971 2.4083 1.9350 2.2393

density(g/cm^3)

Dry 1.9743 1.9973 1.9443 2.0761 1.9350 1.835

density(g/cm^3)

WATER CONTENT DETERMINATION:

Sample 1 2 3 4 5 6
no.
Can no. A B C D E F
Wt. of 76g 78.7g 81.2g 62.5g 133.3g 61.5g
Can+wet
soil
Wt. of 75.8g 85.1g 57.1g 121.4 53.4g
Can+dry soil

Wt. of 1.5g 2.9g 3.1g 5.4g 11.9g 8.1g

water

Wt. of Can 52.8g 48g 49.6g 17.1g 49.8g 12.1g

Wt. of dry 21.7g 27.8g 35.5g 40g 71.6g 41.3g
soil

Water 6.912 10.4316 10.8771 13.5 19.6125 16.6201

content

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 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

Graph:

Water Content(w%) VS Dry Density(γd)

20.3539
20.5

20
19.5813
Dry Density(γd)

19.5
19.0617
18.9705
19

18.5
17.9901
18

17.5
0 5 10 15 20 25

Water Content(w%)

Maximum dry density γd(max)=20.3539KN/m^3

Optimum Moisture content OMC=16%

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 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

GROUP#03
WATER CONTENT DETERMINATION:
SAMPLE NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Moisture Can No. A B C D E F

Weight of can + wet 43.9 61.2 29.4 51.2 40 38.9

soil (g)
Weight of can + dry 41.8 56.8 27.1 45.1 36.3 34.9
soil (g)
Weight of water (g) 2.1 4.4 2.3 6.1 3.7 4

Weight of can (g) 18.3 18.8 12.5 11.5 18.6 17.7

Weight of dry soil (g) 23.5 38 14.6 33.6 17.7 17.2

Water content (w%) 8.94 11.58 15.75 18.15 20.90 23.25

DENSITY DETERMINATION:
Assumed water 7 10 13 16 19 22
content
Water Content (w%) 8.94 11.58 15.75 18.15 20.90 23.25

Weight of soil + mould 4660 4740 4900 4840 4860 4820

(g)
Weight of mould (g) 2980 2980 2980 2980 2980 2980

Weight of soil in 1680 1760 1920 1860 1880 1840

Mould (g)
Wet Density γb 16.46 17.25 18.82 18.23 18.42 18.03
(kn/m3)
Dry Density γd 15.09 15.48 16.27 15.39 15.19 14.60
(kn/m3)

Optimum moisture Content = 15.75 %

Maximum Dry Density = 16.27 (kN/m3)

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 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

Graph:
Water Content (w%) VS Dry Density (γd)

Water Content(w%) VS Dry Density(γd)

16.4

16.2

16
Dry Density(γd)

15.8

15.6

15.4

15.2

15

14.8

14.6

14.4
0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00%

Water Content(w%)

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 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

GROUP#01
WATER CONTENT DETERMINATION:

Moisture Can no. A B C D E F

Weight of can + wet Soil (g) 37.3 59.9 70.6 75.2 65.1 65.3

Weight of can + dry Soil (g) 36.6 58.4 68.4 71.5 63.1 63.1

Weight of Water (g) 0.7 1.5 2.2 3.7 2 2.2

Weight of Can (g) 29.9 48.9 55.9 53.8 54.1 54.3

Weight of Dry Soil (g) 6.7 9.5 12.5 17.7 9 8.8

Water Content, w% 10.44 15.78 17.66 20.90 22.22 25

DENSITY DETERMINATION:
Assumed water content 7% 10% 13% 16% 19% 22%

Water Content, w% 10.44 15.78 17.66 20.90 22.22 25

Weight of soil + mould (g) 4560 4720 4800 4740 4720 4700

Weight of mould (g) 2740 2740 2740 2740 2740 2740

Weight of soil in mould (g) 1820 1980 2060 2000 1980 1960

Wet density 𝜸b (kN/m3) 18.85 20.51 21.34 20.72 20.51 19.92

Dry Density 𝜸d (kN/m3) 17.62 18.65 18.15 17.14 16.78 15.93

Optimum Moisture Content = 16 %

Maximum Dry Density = 18.65 (kN/m3)

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 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

Graph:
Water Content (w%) VS Dry Density (γd)

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING-1 LAB MANUAL

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