29‐07‐2019

CE 31003
SOIL MECHANICS
Instructor:
Dr. Paramita Bhattacharya
(SR Sengupta Foundation Lab)
Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Kharagpur
Email: [email protected]

Outline of the lecture-3 & 4

• Grain Size Distribution

Soil Particles
• Soil particles can be classified into the following groups
based upon their texture:
Gravel (>4.75 mm)
Sand (< 4.75 mm & > 0.075 mm)
Silt (< 0.075 mm & > 0.002mm)
Clay (< 0.002mm)

** Gravel and Sand are classified as course texture soil

(> 75m)
** Silt and Clay are classified as fine texture soil (< 75m)

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Soil Particles

Grain Size Distribution (GSD)

• Grain size distribution of coarse grained soil using Sieve
Analysis (size > 75μm)
• Grain size distribution of fine grained soil using Hydrometer
Analysis (size < 75μm)

A Sieve Test Apparatus in a Soil

Mechanics Laboratory
A set of Soil test sieves

Sieves and scale

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Sieve Analysis IS: 2720 (Part 4) – 1985 – grain size analysis

• Separate the soil into gravel and sand portion by sieving the sample
on 4.75 mm IS sieve.
• The material retained on 4.75 mm IS sieve (gravel fraction) will be
subjected to dry sieve analysis through following set of sieves – 80
mm, 20 mm, 10 mm and 4.75 mm.
• Wash the material passing through 4.75 mm IS sieve and through 75
micron IS sieve so that the clay and silt particles will be separated
from the sand fraction.
• Add 2 g. of sodium hexametaphosphate per litre of water and use it
for washing. Washing shall be continued till the water passing through
75 micron sieve would be substantially clear.
• Collect the material passing through and retained on 75μm IS sieve in
different containers and subject it to oven drying.

Sieve Analysis
• The material retained on 75μm sieve will be subjected to dry sieving
through following set of sieves - 4.75 mm, 2.00 mm, 1.00 mm, 600
micron, 425 micron, 150 micron and 75 micron size.
• Arrange the sieves one over the other with the largest aperture sieve
at the top and the smallest aperture sieve at the bottom and fit it to the
mechanical sieve shaker.
• The sample will be subjected to mechanical sieving for minimum of 10
minutes.
• Collect the soil sample retained on each sieve carefully in containers
and weigh the amount retained in each sieve and record it.

Sieve Analysis
Size (mm) W (g) % Cumulative % % finer =
100 – cum %
4.750 30.0

2.00 40.0

1.00 50.0

0.600 15.0

0.425 10.0

0.150 3.0

0.075 2.0

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Example
If you have a soil sample with a weight of 150 g, after
thorough sieving you get the following result.
Size (mm) W (g) % Cumulative % % finer =
100 – cum %
4.750 30.0 20.0 20 80

2.00 40.0 26.7 46.7 53.3

1.00 50.0 33.3 80 20

0.600 15.0 10 90 10

0.425 10.0 6.67 96.67 3.33

0.150 3.0 2.0 98.67 1.33

0.075 2.0 1.33 100 0

Grain Size Distribution Curve

Hydrometer Analysis
• Hydrometer Analysis is conducted for soils passing through 75m
sieve.
• Stokes’s equation (for the velocity of a free falling sphere in
suspension) is used to determine grain size distribution for soil finer
than 75 μm in size.
• In the hydrometer analysis the soil finer than 75μm is placed in
suspension and by using Stokes‘s equation the velocity of a free
falling sphere the equivalent particle size and percent of soil in
suspension are computed.
• For soils with both fine and coarse grained materials a combined
analysis is made using both the sieve and hydrometer procedures.

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Particle Size Distribution

• Stokes Law
A sphere falling freely through a liquid of infinite extent
will accelerate rapidly to a certain maximum velocity and
will continue at that velocity as long as conditions remain
the same. The constant velocity is referred as terminal
velocity.

Relationship of the terminal velocity to the physical

properties of the sphere and liquid

γ γ
𝑣 𝐷
18η

Where s = unit weight of soil grains (g/cm3)

 l = unit weight of liquid (g/cm3)
η = viscosity of water (g-s/cm2) =
μ = absolute viscosity (dyne s/cm2)
D = diameter of grain (cm)
v = terminal velocity (cm/s)

Limitations of the applications of Stokes Law

for grain size analysis
• Grain size 0.2 mm to 0.0002mm
• Grain shape should be spherical. But soil particles are not
exactly spherical but flaky or needle shape
• Infinite extent of suspension is mandatory but it is not
possible. Moreover, the rate of fall is influenced by the
presence of other surrounding particles in the suspension.
It is found that the such influence is not appreciable for
concentration  50 g/litre
• It is necessary to prevent the formation of flocs. Sodium
hexametaphosphate or sodium oxalate can be used as
deflocculating agent.

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Hydrometer Analysis

He : effective depth of hydrometer.

Effective depth He is defined the distance from the surface of the soil
suspension to the level at which the density of the soil suspension is being
measured.

Calculation of Effective Depth

𝑉
𝐴

H1
h
H
2

𝑉
2𝐴

•𝐻 𝐻 = AB

Hydrometer Test
• The grain size can be determined by using the following
equation:
18η𝑣 18η 𝐻 𝑐𝑚
𝐷 𝑋
γ γ γ γ 60𝑡 𝑚𝑖𝑛
• He is the effective depth for a given hydrometer.

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Calibration of Hydrometer
• Take approximately 800 ml water in a 1000 ml measuring cylinder.
Note down the water level in the measuring cylinder.
• Immerse the hydrometer in the water within the measuring cylinder.
Note down once again the water level in the measuring cylinder.
• The difference of readings between step 1 and step 2 gives the
estimate of the volume of the hydrometer bulb (VH) in ml plus volume
of that part of the stem that is submerged. For practical purposes the
error to the inclusion of this stem volume may be neglected.
• Measure the weight of the hydrometer to the nearest 0.1 g. This is
weight is due to the volume of the bulb plus the volume of the stem
below the 1000 ml graduation mark. For practical purposes the error
due to the inclusion of this stem may be neglected.
• Determine the cross sectional area (Aj) of the 1000 ml measuring
cylinder in which the hydrometer is to be used. The sectional area is
equal to the volume include between the two graduations divided by
the measured distance between them.

Calibration of Hydrometer
• Place the hydrometer on the paper and sketch it. On the sketch note
the lowest and highest readings which are on the hydrometer and
also mark the neck of the bulb. Mark the center of the bulb which is
half of the distance between neck of the bulb and tip of the bulb.
• Record the distance (He1) from the lowest calibration mark (RH1) on
the stem to the centre of hydrometer bulb.
• Record the distance (He2) from the highest calibration (RH2) i.e. neck
of the hydrometer bulb to the centre of hydrometer bulb.
• Plot a curve (C1) of He vs RH on the graph paper using the following
equation:
𝐻 𝐻

Note~ This equation can be used to find out any distance He

corresponds to the hydrometer reading RH for sedimentation period up
to 4 minutes.

Calibration of Hydrometer
• Plot another curve (C2) He vs RH on the graph paper using the
following equation:
𝐻 𝐻 𝑅 𝑉
𝐻 𝐻
𝑅 𝑅 2𝐴

Note~ This equation can be used to find out any distance He

corresponds to the hydrometer reading RH for sedimentation period
after 4 minutes.

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Procedure of Hydrometer Analysis

• Take around 50 g or 40 g (Ws) dry soil passing through 75 μm I.S.
sieve. Mix it with approximately 100 cc distilled water and prepare a
thin paste.
• Add suitable quantity (around 100 cc) of deflocculating agent with the
paste. It is then allowed to soak for five minutes.
• Transfer the sample into a dispersion cup. Fill the cup three-fourths by
using distilled water. Stir the suspension for minutes.
• Transfer the suspension into a 1000 cc jar of uniform cross section.
Add more water so that total volume will become 1000 cc.
• Mix the suspension in the jar thoroughly by firmly placing the palm of
the hand on the open end and turning the jar upside down and back.
• Now place the jar on the table and immerse the hydrometer into the
suspension. Start the stop watch. Take the reading of the hydrometer
immediately after inserting the hydrometer, ½ , 1, 2 and 4 minutes.

Procedure of Hydrometer Analysis

• Take the hydrometer out from the suspension.
• Mix the soil suspension thoroughly once again and re-start the stop
watch.
• Note down the reading of the hydrometer after 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 120,
240 minutes etc from. Insert the hydrometer only about 30 seconds
before each hydrometer reading. Precautions should be taken while
inserting the hydrometer into the suspension so that it becomes
stable at the time the reading is due. The hydrometer should be taken
out as soon as the reading is taken without disturbing the suspension.

Data From Hydrometer Test

Elapsed Hydrometer Hydrometer reading
time reading (rh) [RH= (rh -1)X1000]
(seconds)

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Corrections on Hydrometer readings

• Meniscus correction (+Cm)
• Temperature correction (Ct)
• Dispersing agent correction (-Cd)
Rc = RH + Cm  Ct - Cd
• Hence find out the effective depth (He) and the
corresponding size of the grain

Calculation
• Percentage finer (N) than a size D will be
expressed as:

Wt. of solids per cc at depth 𝐻 after time 𝑡 𝑊

𝑁 100
Wt. of solids per cc in the original suspension 𝑊

• If Rc is the corrected hydrometer reading then

specific gravity of soil suspension = 1

Calculation
• Therefore we can write:
𝑅 𝑊𝑡. 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑐 𝑤𝑡. 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑐
1
1000 𝑤𝑡. 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑐
𝐺 1
1 𝑊
𝐺
→ 𝑊

→ 𝑁 %