UNIVERSITI TUN HUSSEIN ONN MALAYSIA

Centre for Diploma Studies

________________________________________________________________

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

HIGHWAY AND GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
LAPORAN MAKMAL
LABORATORY REPORT

Kod & Nama Kursus

DAC 22103 – GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Course Name & Code
Tajuk Ujikaji
SAND REPLACEMENT METHOD
Title of Experiment
Seksyen
7
Section
Kumpulan
2
Group
Nama Pensyarah/Pengajar
MOHD IKHMAL HAQEEM BIN HASSAN
Lecturer/Instructor’s Name
Nama Ketua Kumpulan AWANG ALI ZAINUL ABIDIN No. Matrik : AA200641
Name of Group Leader BIN AWANG ALI RAHMAN Matric No. : AA200641

Ahli Kumpulan No. Matrik

Group Members Matric No.
1. MUHAMMAD IMRAN SHAKIR BIN HUSSIN
AA201091
2. CHARVEEIN A/L VIGNES RAU NAIDU
AA200456

3. . DESMUND HAR THING FUNG AA200542

4.

5.

6.
Tarikh Ujikaji
28/3/2022
Date of Experiment
Tarikh Hantar
2/5/2022
Date of Submission

ULASAN PEMERIKSA/COMMENTS COP DITERIMA/RECEIVED STAMP

 Test Title:
Lab Report Rubric DAC 22103 – GEOTECHNICAL
(Assessment Form) ENGINEERING
Criteria 1 2 3 4 5 SCR WT TSCR (%)

Theory, • Theory and other • Theory and other • Theory and other • Theory and other information • Theory and other information
objective, information regarding information regarding information regarding the regarding the laboratory is regarding the laboratory is well
2 0
procedure the laboratory is not the laboratory is laboratory is partly presented presented with some mistakes presented
(10%) presented presented minimally
Analysis / Result • Trends / patterns • Trends / patterns are • Trends / patterns are • Trends / patterns are • Trends / patterns are logically
(25%) are not analyzed not analyzed logically analyzed for the logically analyzed analyzed
Cognitive 5 0
• Analysis is not • Analysis is most part • Analysis is thoughtful • Analysis is insightful
relevant inconsistent • Analysis is general
Reference • Reference was not • Reference was • Reference was partly • Reference was presented in • Reference was presented in
(5%) presented in the minimally presented in presented in somewhat proper format and relevant to proper format and relevant to the
1 0
report the report proper format and relevant to the laboratory work with some laboratory work
the laboratory work minor mistakes /40
Data • Data is not • Data lacks precision • Good representation of the • Accurate representation of • Accurate representation of the
(25%) represented or is not • Greater than 20% data using tables and/or the data using tables and/or data using tables and/or graphs
accurate difference with graphs graphs • Graphs and tables are labeled
5 0
accepted values • Less than 15% difference • Data is fairly precise and titled
with accepted values • Less than 10% difference • Data is precise with less than 5%
Psychomotor
• Precision is acceptable with accepted values difference with accepted values
Participation • Student was hostile • Participation was • Did the job but did not • Used time pretty well. • Showed interest, used time very
(during about participating minimal appear to be very interested. Stayed focused on the well, guide other students and very
1 0
experiment) Focus lost on several experiment most of the time focused on experiment
(5%) occasion /30
Question & • Questions are not • Answers to • Questions are answered in • Questions are answered in • Questions are answered
Discussion answered questions are complete sentences complete sentences thoroughly and in complete
(15%) • No discussion was incomplete • A statement of the results • Accurate statement of the sentences
included or shows • A statement of the of the lab indicates whether results of the lab indicates • Accurate statement of the results
little effort and results is incomplete results support the hypothesis whether results support the of lab indicates whether results 3 0
reflection on the lab with little reflection on hypothesis support hypothesis
the lab • Possible sources of error • Possible sources of error and
Affective identified what was learned from the lab
discussed
Conclusion & • Conclusion & • Conclusion & • Conclusion & • Conclusion & • Conclusion & recommendation
Recommendation recommendation recommendation was recommendation was recommendation was was presented accurately and
(15%) was not presented minimally presented presented somewhat presented accurately and relevant to result obtain from the
3 0
accurate and relevant to relevant to result obtain from laboratory work
result obtain from the the laboratory work with minor
laboratory work mistakes /30

NAME OF LECTURER : SIGNATURE : DATE :

Note : SCR = SCORE, WT = WEIGHTAGE, TSCR = TOTAL SCORE

 STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC
(SCE)
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
CENTRE OF DIPLOMA STUDIES

We, hereby confess that we have prepared this report on our own effort. We also admit not to
receive any help from any third party during the preparation of this report and pledge that
everything mentioned in the report is true.

_________________
Student Signature (Group Representative)

Name : MUHAMMAD IMRAN SHAKIR BIN HUSSIN

Matric No. : AA201091

Date : 31/5/2022

3
 SPECIFIC GRAVITY TEST

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this experiment, students should be able to:

• Understand the methods used to determine the specific gravity in the
laboratory
• Carry out the calculation processes used in determining the specific
gravity
• Identify the specific gravity (Gs) value for soil.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The specific gravity of solid Gs is a dimensionless parameter that relates the

density of the soil particles s to the density of water w, or Gs = s /w . The
density of the soil particles s is defined as the mass in air of dry solids Ms at a
stated temperature divided by the volume of the solid Vs at the same stated
temperature, or s = Ms / Vs.

1.2 OBJECTIVES

The specific gravity (Gs) of a soil is defined as the ratio between the unit masses
of soil particles and water. Gs are useful for determining weight- volume
relationships.

4
1.3 THEORY

The specific gravity (Gs), of a material is defined as the ratio of the weight (or
mass) of a given volume of the material to the weight (or mass) of an equal volume
of water. In the case of a density bottle method:

A sample of pre-dried soil is placed in a standard density bottle, of which the mass
including the stopper is m1. The combined mass of soil, bottle and stopper is m 2.
De-aired, distilled water is added and the whole vacuumed to remove air prior to
topping up and insertion of the stopper. After drying the outside of the bottle,
stopper, soil and water, m3, is determined. The bottle is then emptied, refilled with
de-aired water only, the exterior again dried and the mass of bottle, stopper and
water, m4 is recorded. Then,

mass of soil particles

𝐺𝑆 =
mass of an equal volume of water

is found from the expression:

𝑚2 − 𝑚1
𝐺𝑆 =
(𝑚4 − 𝑚1 ) − (𝑚3 − 𝑚2 )

Where,
m2 – m1 is the mass of soil sample;
m4 – m1 is the mass of water contained by the density bottle;
m3 – m2 is the mass of water occupying the volume not occupied by the
soil and thus;
(m4 – m1) – (m3 – m2) is the mass of water occupying a volume equal to
that of the soil particles.

Hence the specific gravity Gs of a soil is calculated as follows:

5
 𝑤𝑆
𝐺𝑆 =
𝑤𝑆 + 𝑤𝐹𝑊 − 𝑤𝐹𝑆

Where Ws is the weight of the dry soil, WFS is the weight of the flask filled with
soil and water and WFW is the weight of the flask filled with desired water only.

1.4 APPARATUS

1. Volumetric flasks (250 or 500 ml) with stoppers, numbered and calibrated
2. Vacuum pump.
3. Balance accurate to 0.01g
4. Distilled deaired water.
5. Thermometer, ranging from 0 to 500 C, accurate to 0.50 C
6. Drying oven
7. Evaporating dish

Figure 1.1: Apparatus for Determination of Specific Gravity

6
1.5 PROCEDURES

1. The soil samples (pass BS sieve 2mm) were taken from the oven dried
sample with temperature of 105 -110°C. Then the samples were cooled
with the dryer.
2. Washed the volumetric flasks with stoppers, keep it dry and weigh it. (m1).
3. 5 -10g soil sample were taken from soil sample passing BS 2 mm sieve and
put in the volumetric flasks and weight it with the stopper (m2).
4. Add distilled water in volumetric flask mentioned earlier and vacuum it to
remove air in 1 hour. After that, shake that flask and add the distilled water
to fulfill the flask and let it for 1 hour.
5. Dry the surface of flask (wipe with a cloth) and weigth the flask with the
content (m3).
6. Take out the soil and water from the flask, wash and clean it. After that add
distilled water and let it for 1 hour. Add distilled water if the water level in the
flask is decrease. Weight the flask with water (m4).
7. Repeat the test to calculate additional values of Gs until the values of Gs are
within 2 % of each other.

7
1.6 COMMON ERROR

According to Rollings and Rollings (1996), common laboratory error for the
determination of the specific gravity of solids Gs are as follows:

1. Imprecise weights of density bottle and its contents (e.g., the flask is not
clean).
2. Moisture on the outside of the density bottle or on the inside of its neck.
3. Meniscus not level with mark on neck of density bottle.
4. Use of tap water or other water that is not distilled or dematerialized

Incomplete removal of entrapped air from soil suspension. This is often the most
serious error and will tend to lower the computed value.

8
1.7 CALCULATION EXAMPLE

Example:

An in situ test to determine the unit weight of a soil was carried out using the sand
replacement method. 4.620 kg of soil were extracted from the hole which was
then refilled using 3.600 kg of loose, dry, standard sand, the sand having a dry
density of 1.570 Mg/m3.

A specific gravity determination of the soil particles, using a density bottle yielded
the following data:
Mass of density bottle + stopper, m1 = 25.001 g
Mass of density bottle + stopper + oven dried soil, m2 = 36.909g
Mass of density bottle + stopper + soil + distilled water, m3 = 62.587g
Mass of density bottle + stopper + distilled water, m4 = 55.212 g

The results of a water content test on a sample of the soil were as follows:
Mass of tin + wet soil m5 = 24.104g
Mass of tin + dry soil m6 = 22.103g
Mass of tin m7 = 12.302g

Given that the specific gravity of the soil particles (Gs)

mass of soil particles
𝐺𝑆 =
mass of an equal volume of water

Determine:
(a) The specific gravity of the soil particles
(b) The moisture content

9
Solution:
(a) The specific gravity of the soil particles;
Mass of the solid ‘a’ = 36.909 – 25.001 = 11.908g
Submerged mass of the solid, m’s = m3 – m4
= 62.587 – 55.212 = 7.375 g
Mass of water displaced by the solids is (mw)Vs = ms – m’s
=11.908 – 7.375 = 4.533 g
Specific gravity of the particles = ms / (mw) Vs = 11.908 / 4.533 = 2.627

(b) The moisture content;

w = mw = m5 – m6 = 24.104 – 22.103
ms m6 – m7 22.103 – 12.302

= 0.204 or 20.4 %

10
1.8 ADDITIONAL THEORY

In geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering, specific gravity is

used to calculate basic phase relations such as void ratio, porosity,
volumetric water content, degree of saturation, and unit weight of soil.
Geotechnical engineering is a broad field that encompasses the study of
engineering qualities. Geotechnical engineering techniques are frequently
modified to determine compaction, hydraulic conductivity, shear strength,
and compressibility/settlement properties. Additionally, specific gravity is
a fundamental material attribute included in design calculations and
modelling to forecast the behaviour of landfill systems.

Occasionally, the term "specific gravity" is qualified by actual, absolute,

apparent, bulk, or mass. These qualifiers change the meaning of specific
gravity by indicating whether it relates to individual soil particles or the
entire soil mass. The soil solids contain permeable and impermeable
voids, the permeable voids of which can be filled with water. When all
internal spaces (permeable and impermeable) of soil particles are
removed when estimating the actual volume of solids, the resulting
specific gravity is referred to as absolute or true specific gravity.

Gs values must be determined for any geotechnical characterization to

define the relative proportions of solids, liquids, and air in the soil and
thus compute weight-volume parameters and, in turn, determine the
particle size distribution curve in fine-grained soils via hydrometer
analysis. As a result, significant care must be exercised while calculating
the specific gravity of soil solids to produce precise and consistent
findings.

11
1.9 DATA
Data Sheet
Location : Loc. No. :
Soil description: Sample No. :
Sample type : Depth of Sample : m
Operator: Date Started : 28/3/2022

Test no. 1 2 3 4
Bottle no.
Mass of density bottle + stopper (m1) 34.87 34.74 33.32
Mass of density bottle + stopper + oven
dried soil (m2) 39.88 39.84 38.32

Mass of density bottle + stopper + soil 87.70 86.63 85.85

+ distilled water (m3)
Mass of density bottle + stopper + 84.66 83.97 82.56
distilled water (m4 )
Mass of soil sample (m2 – m1) 5.01 5.10 5.00
Mass of water contained by the density
bottle 49.79 49.23 49.24
(m4 – m1)
Mass of water occupying the volume not
occupied by the soil and thus (m3 – m2) 47.82 46.79 47.53

Mass of water occupying a volume equal

to 1.97 2.44 1.71
that of the soil particles (m4 – m1) – (m3 –
m2)
Gs = mass of soil particles
Mass of an equal volume of water 2.54 2.10 2.90
Gs = m2 – m1 .
(m4 – m1) – (m3 – m2)

12
13
1.10 ANALYSIS & RESULT
The difference in specific gravity between bottles 1 and 2 is 0.44, then between
bottles 2 and 3 is 0.80, which is larger than the allowed range of 0.02. As a
result, the test results of bottles are rendered useless because the Gs value
needs to be within 2% of one another. This discrepancy is due to the presence
of air bubbles in the soil and water mixture, impacting the precision of the
result. Despite allowing the soil to vacuum for a sufficient period, air bubbles
remained in the soil. The air was delivered while filling the bottle to the
calibration point. The existence of air bubbles reduced the value of m3 ( weight
of bottle, water and soil), hence lowering the specific gravity value. The
average of the calculated specific gravity values is 2.51, which falls in most of
the specific gravity of soil results.

1.11 QUESTION & DISCUSSION

1. Define specific gravity of soil.

The specific gravity of soils and other construction materials is a basic

feature. This dimensionless unit is used to compute soil density, void
ratio, saturation, and other soil parameters by dividing the density of the
material by the density of water.

2. What typical values of the specific gravity for soil?

The specific gravity of soil solids is an average of all soil particles

included in the sample. The specific gravity of soils ranges typically
between 2.65 and 2.80, with coarser soils having lower specific gravities
than finer soils.

3. Why do we use vacuum while determining the specific gravity of soils?

We use a vacuum pump to apply vacuum progressively and release

entrapped air while spinning the flask to remove air bubbles.

14
4. What is the effect of the water temperature on the determination of the
specific gravity of soils?

The density of a substance compared to a given standard is referred to

as its specific gravity (water). Temperature variation has a significant
effect on the specific gravity of soil. At a higher temperature, the kinetic
energy of the molecules that make up the soil will be greater. As a result,
the molecules will take up a greater volume. However, the material does
not grow in size. Thus, the temperature has an inverse connection with
a specific gravity in general.

5. Discussion

One of the most critical parameters in soil mechanics is specific gravity (Gs).
It is the ratio of the mass of soil solids (or density) to the mass of water (or
density). While determining the specific gravity of soils, the vacuum was used
to remove entrapped air. Water temperature could significantly impact how
well the gas bottle works. So, testing should be done in the range of
temperatures that the device is supposed to be able to handle. The specific
gravity is used to figure out a lot of different things about soil, like:

• Ratio of voids
• Saturation level
• Relationships between mass and volume

The specific gravity of soil solids is frequently required for various soil
mechanics calculations. It is precise and can be determined in the laboratory.
The majority of the results fall between 2.6 and 2.9. The specific gravity of
light-coloured sand solids, primarily composed of quartz, is approximately
2.65, and for clayey and silty soils, it varies between 2.6 and 2.9. Organic
matter and porous particles in soils may have specific gravity values less than
2.0, while heavy compounds in soils may have values greater than 3.0. Each of
the groups achieved a particular gravity value very close to 2.65. These values
are within the specific average values for most soils.

15
1.11 CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION

The specific gravity of a material, represented by the symbol Gs, is

defined as the ratio of its density to that of distilled water at a particular
temperature. Since it is a ratio, the value of Gs is independent of the
unit system employed and is a numerical value without units. The
specific gravity of soil solids is a critical parameter in soil mechanics, as
it is a factor in many equations involving weight-volume interactions.
The specific gravity of soil solids refers to the solid phase of the three-
phase soil system and excludes the water and air phases present in the
space. The soil sample was calculated to have a specific gravity of 2.51.
A more efficient method of removing air bubbles should be devised, as
air bubbles are the source of most errors. More care should be taken
while adding water to the soil-and-water mixture to avoid entrapment of
additional air. Additional time should be allowed for the specimen to
reach thermal equilibrium.

1.14 REFERENCES

1. 1. Guest. (2020). Lab#1 Specific Gravity - PDFCOFFEE.COM.

Pdfcoffee.com; PDFCOFFEE.COM. https://pdfcoffee.com/lab1-specific-
gravity-pdf-free.html
2. Mahajan, B. (2019, November 27). Specific Gravity of Soil | Specific Gravity
Test of Soil | Specific Gravity of Soil Lab Report. Civiconcepts;
Civiconcepts. https://civiconcepts.com/blog/specific-gravity-of-soil
3. BrajaM.Das, Principles of Geotechnical Engineering. Seventh Edition. SI
Edition.Cengage Learning.
4. Yesiller, N., Hanson, J. L., Cox, J. T., & Noce, D. E. (2014). Determination
of specific gravity of municipal solid waste. Waste management, 34(5), 848-
858.
5. . Punmia, B., & Jain, A. K. (2005). Soil mechanics and foundations
6. Federico, A. M., Miccoli, D., Murianni, A., & Vitone, C. (2018). An indirect
determination of the specific gravity of soil solids. Engineering Geology, 239,
22-26.

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