Ç.Ü.

MÜHENDİSLİK MİMARLIK FAKÜLTESİ

İNŞAAT MÜHENDİSLİĞİ ANA BİLİM DALI

GEOTEKNİK MÜHENDİSLİĞİNDE
LABORATUVAR DENEYLERİ VE
DEĞERLENDİRMESİ

RELATIVE DENSITY TEST FOR SOILS

MALEK ABOZRAIG
2017911862

DANIŞMAN:Dr.Baki Bağrıaçık
Report No 7 December 5, 2018

RELATIVE DENSITY TEST FOR SOILS

DEFINITION
The term relative density is generally used to indicate the in situ denseness or looseness
of coarse (granular) soil. The values of Dr may differ from a minimum of 0% for very loose soil to
a maximum of 100% for very dense soils. Soils engineers qualitatively define the granular soil
deposits according to their relative densities, as shown in Table 1. In-place soils rarely have
relative densities less than 20 to 30%. Compacting a granular soil to a relative density greater
than about 85% is difficult. (Braja M. Das 2014)

Table 1 Qualitative Description of Granular Soil Deposits

Realtive Density (%) Describtion of Soil Deposit
0-15 Very Loose
15-50 Loose
50-70 Medium
70-85 Dense
85-100 Very Dense

INTRODUCTION

Scope
 Relative density is also known as density index. The concept of relative density gives a practically
useful measure of compactness of cohesion-less soils in a natural or artificially compacted state.
Various soil properties, such as penetration resistance, compressibility, friction angle, permeability
and California bearing ratio, are found to have simple relationships with relative density.
 Relative density, gives a better indication of the strength and deformation of soil than its void
ratio or density. Two sands having the same relative density would show similar behavior
under loads, although their void ratios may be different.
𝑒max − 𝑒
𝐷𝑟 =
𝑒max − 𝑒min
Or;
𝜌𝑑 − 𝜌𝑑(min) 𝜌𝑑(max)
𝐷𝑟 = ( )
𝜌𝑑(max) − 𝜌𝑑(min) 𝜌𝑑

Terms
 Dr= Relative density, usually given as a percentage.
 e= In situ void ratio of the soil. The corresponding dry density is ρd .
 emax= Void ratio of the soil in the loosest state. The corresponding dry density is ρd(min) .
 emin= Void ratio of the soil in the densest state. The corresponding dry density is ρd(max) .

Summary of Test Technique

ASTM Test Designations D-4253 and D-4254 (2004) provide a procedure for
determining the maximum and minimum dry unit weights of granular soils to measure the
relative density of compaction in the field. For sands, this procedure involves using a mold with
a volume of 2830 cm3 (In our test a mold with a volume of 1000 cm3 has been used). For a
determination of the minimum dry unit weight, sand is poured loosely into the mold from a
funnel with a 12.7 mm diameter spout (Has not been used in our case).
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The average height of the fall of sand into the mold is maintained at about 25.4 mm. The value
of ρd(min) then can be calculated by using the following equation:
𝑀𝑠
𝜌𝑑(min) =
𝑉𝑚
Where;
Ms = Weight of sand required to fill the mold
Vm = Volume of the mold

The maximum dry unit weight is determined by vibrating sand in the mold for
8 min. A surcharge of 14 kN/m2 is added to the top of the sand in the mold. The mold
is placed on a table that vibrates at a frequency of 3600 cycles/min and that has an
amplitude of vibration of 0.635 mm. The value of ρd(max) can be determined at the end
of the vibrating period with knowledge of the weight and volume of the sand. Several
factors control the magnitude of ρd(max): the magnitude of acceleration, the surcharge
load, and the geometry of acceleration. Hence, one can obtain a larger-value ρd(max) than
that obtained by using the ASTM standard method described earlier. We did the test in another
way, instead of using the vibrated table and a surcharge as stated by the ASTM standards we
used the standard proctor to get the maximum dry density of sand.

Notes
 To determine the relative density, it is essential to determine the specific gravity of soils in
order to calculate the void ratio from dry density in the loosest, in-situ, and densest states.
 Relative density is an arbitrary character of sandy deposit. In real sense, relative density
expresses the ratio of actual decrease in volume of voids in a sandy soil to the maximum
possible decrease in the volume of voids i.e. how far the sand under investigation can be
capable to the further densification beyond its natural state. Determination of relative
density is helpful in compaction of coarse grained soils and in evaluating safe bearing capacity
in case of sandy soils.
 For very dense gravelly sand, it is possible to obtain relative density greater then one. This
means that such natural dense packing could not be obtained in the laboratory.

APPARATUS
The needed equipment for this test (See Fig. 1) includes:

1. Vibratory table, a steel table with a cushioned vibrating deck about 75 cm × 75 cm of

size, consisting of a vibrator with a net mass of over 45 kg and frequency of 3600
vibrations per minute.
2. Cylindrical metal unit mass molds of 3000 and 15000 cm3 capacity with guide sleeves.
3. Surcharge base plates with handle – one surcharge base plate, 10 mm in thickness, for
each size mold.
4. Surcharge masses – one surcharge mass for each size mold.
5. Calibration bar of metal and 75 x 300 x 3 mm in size.
6. Dial gauge holder.
7. Micrometer.
8. Stop watch.
9. Dial gauge – 50 mm travel with 0.025 mm graduations.
Note: It should be clear that the apparatus that we have mentioned above has not been
used because another approach was carried out in the lab.

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10. Balance – portable platform scale, 100 kg capacity with sensitivity of 20 g.

11. Metal straight edge – about 40-cm long.
12. Standard proctor rammer (Its weight 2.5 kg and shall fall freely from a height of 305
mm)
13. Mold Assembly: The molds should be cylindrical and made of rigid metal.

Figure 1 Needed Tools for Standard Relative Density Test

PREPARATION OF SOIL SAMPLE

 Select a representative specimen of soil, using a splitter, riffle, or other method such as
quartering.
 Dry the specimen in the drying oven, maintained at 110  5°C to a constant mass. Oven-
dried sand shall be permitted to cool in an airtight container. It is often desirable to obtain
the water content of the field sample. If this is the case, determine the water content in
accordance with Test Method ASTM D 2216.
 After drying, thoroughly break up the weakly cemented aggregations as to avoid reducing
the natural size of the particles.

PROCEDURE
Determination of Minimum Density
This is done in the following steps:
1. The mold should be weighed and the mass recorded. Soil should be placed as loosely as
possible in the mold by pouring the soil through the spout in a steady stream with a
constant height of free fall of the soil of about 25 mm.
2. While pouring the soil, the pouring device should be moved in a spiral motion from the
outside toward the center to form a soil layer of uniform thickness without segregation.
The mold should be filled approximately 25 mm above the top and levelled with top by
making one continuous pass with the steel straightedge. If all excess matter is not removed,
an additional continuous pass should be made. The mold and the soil should be weighed
and the mass recorded.

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Determination of Maximum Density

1. The maximum density may be determined by either the dry or wet method. While the dry
method is preferred from the standpoint of securing results in a shorter period of time, the
highest maximum density is obtained from some soils in a saturated state. The maximum
density test should be performed on both wet and dry soils to determine which method
results in higher maximum density. If the wet method produces higher maximum densities
(in excess of one percent), it shall be followed in succeeding tests.
 Dry Method:
The dry method for determination of maximum density consists of the following
steps:
i. The mold should be filled with thoroughly mixed oven-dry soil. The guide
sleeves should be attached to the mold and the surcharge base plate should
be placed on the soil surface.
ii. The mold should be fixed to the vibrator deck for assembly and the loaded
soil specimen should be vibrated for 5 to 6 minutes.
iii. The surcharge weight and guide sleeves should be removed from the mold.
The dial gauge readings on two opposite sides of the surcharge base plate
should be obtained and the average recorded. The mold with the soil should
be weighed and its mass recorded.
 Wet Method:
The wet method may be conducted on dry soil or wet soil from the field. The
wet method for determination of maximum density consists of the following
steps:
i. The mold should be filled with wet soil. Sufficient water should be added to
the soil to allow a small quantity of free water to accumulate on the surface
of the soil during filling. During and just after filling the mold, it should be
vibrated for a total of 6 min. During this period, the amplitude of the
vibrator should be reduced as much as necessary to avoid excessive boiling
and fluffing of the soil, which may occur in some soils. During the final
minutes of vibration, any water appearing above the surface of the soil
should be removed.
ii. The guide sleeve, surcharge base plate and surcharge weight should be
assembled as described in the dry method above.
iii. The specimen with the surcharge weight should be vibrated for 5 to 6
minutes. After the vibration, the surcharge weight and the guide sleeve
should be removed from the mold. Dial gauge readings should be obtained
on two opposite sides of the surcharge base plate and recorded. The entire
wet specimen should be care-fully removed from the mold, dried to
constant mass, weighed and the mass recorded.
Determination of In-Situ Density
The in-situ density of soil is determined using sand replacement method or any other suitable
method.

CALCULATION
1. Compute the natural d of the field using the formula:
𝛾𝑤 . 𝐺𝑠 9.81𝑥2.73
𝛾𝑑 = = = 15.764 𝑘𝑁/𝑚3
1+𝑒 1 + 0.70
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2. Computing d for the loose state, the calculations are shown in Table 2. It should be
mentioned that the first value of density (1.439 g/cm3) has been ignored because the
difference between it and the other values is greater than 1%. According to ASTM
D4254 the calculation the average of the minimum-index density should be done from
the trials that agree within 1 %.

Table 2 Results of Loose State for the Big Mold

Loose State
Sample 1 2 3
M (Mold) (g) = 4294 4294 4294
M (Soil + Mold) (g) = 5733 5703 5696
V (Mold) (cm3) = 1000 1000 1000
𝜌𝑑(min) (g/cm3) = 1.439 1.409 1.402
Error (%) = 2.084 0.496 2.571
𝜌𝑑(min) Average (g/cm3) = 1.405
𝛾𝑑(min) (kN/m3) = 13.787

3. Computing d for the dense state, the calculations are shown in Table 3. It should be
seen that the difference between any two values is less than 2% which is

Table 3 Results of Dense State for the Big Mold

Dense State
Sample 1 2 3
M (Mold) (g) = 4294 4294 4294
M (Soil + Mold) (g) = 5883 5910.5 5913.5
V (Mold) (cm3) = 1000 1000 1000
𝜌𝑑(min) (g/cm ) = 3
1.589 1.616 1.6195
Error (%) = 1.974 0.0925 1.883
𝜌𝑑(max) Average (g/cm ) =
3
1.608
𝛾𝑑(max) (kN/m3) = 15.777

4. Calculation of relative density as follows:

𝛾𝑑 −𝛾𝑑(min) 𝛾𝑑(max) 15.76−13.787 15.777
𝐷𝑟 ① = (𝛾 ) = (15.777−13.787) = 99.25 %
𝑑(max) −𝛾𝑑(min) 𝛾𝑑 15.76
5. Repeat the same calculation for the small mold. Table 4 and Table 5 shows the results
of both the loose and dense state.

Table 4 Results of Loose State for the Small Mold

Loose State
Sample 1 2 3
M (Mold) (g) = 1110 1110 1110
M (Soil + Mold) (g) = 1260 1266.5 1260.5
V (Mold) (cm3) = 97.716 97.716 97.716
𝜌𝑑(min) (g/cm3) = 1.535 1.601 1.540
Error (%) = 4.153 3.833 0.332
𝜌𝑑(min) Average (g/cm3) = 1.537
𝛾𝑑(min) (kN/m3) = 15.084

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Table 5 Results of Dense State for the Small Mold
Dense State
Sample 1 2 3
M (Mold) (g) = 1110 1110 1110
M (Soil + Mold) (g) = 1276 1274 1277.5
3
V (Mold) (cm ) = 97.716 97.716 97.716
𝜌𝑑(min) (g/cm ) = 3
1.698 1.678 1.714
Error (%) = 1.204 2.089 0.895
𝜌𝑑(max) Average (g/cm ) =
3
1.697
𝛾𝑑(max) (kN/m3) = 16.648

6. Calculation of relative density as follows:

𝛾𝑑 −𝛾𝑑(min) 𝛾𝑑(max) 15.76−15.084 16.648
𝐷𝑟 ② = (𝛾 ) = (16.648−15.084) = 45.65 %
𝑑(max) −𝛾𝑑(min) 𝛾𝑑 15.76

DISCUSSION
 From the results, it can be seen that the results varied between the big and the small
mold where the first gave a value of 99.25% for relative density. On the other hand, the
small one gave 45.65%. The reason for that, in my opinion, was the method that we
had used to get the maximum index density because we had not used a vibrating table
and moreover we had not followed the procedures according to the ASTM D4253
standard. The procedure should as follow:
Weigh the empty mold (W1). Put the collar on top of the mold and clamp it. Fill the
mold with the oven dried soil sample according to the desired method (dry or wet).
Then place the mold on the vibrating deck and fix it with nuts and bolts. Then place the
surcharge weight on it. The vibrator is allowed to run for 5 to 6 minutes. Then the mold
is weighed with the soil and weight is recorded (W2).
 Using the vibrating table, surcharge, and water will sure give a higher value of density,
the higher the maximum index density will be the lower the relative density will be.
Therefore, if we managed to do it according to the ASTM method we will not the value
of 99.25%. Instead, the result will be more near to the value we got from the small mold
test.
 According to Table 1 we can describe the condition of this soil deposit as described in
Table 6. Compacting a granular soil to a relative density greater than about 85% is
difficult (Braja 2014) which raises a question mark on how we got a value of 99.25%.

Table 6 Describtion of Soil Deposit

Method Relative Density (%) Describtion of Soil Deposit
Method 1 (Big Mold) 99.25 % Very Dense
Method 2 (Small Mold) 45.65 % Loose

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REFERENCES
 Braja M. Das, Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, 2014
 ASTM D4253-00, Standard Test Methods for Maximum Index Density and Unit Weight
of Soils Using a Vibratory Table, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2004,
www.astm.org
 ASTM D4253-00, Standard Test Methods for Minimum Index Density and Unit Weight
of Soils and Calculation of Relative Density, ASTM International, West Conshohocken,
PA, 2004, www.astm.org
 http://www.soilmanagementindia.com/
 http://home.iitk.ac.in/~madhav/geolab.html