GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1 LABORATORY

FIELD DENSITY TEST OF SOIL

LABORATORY EXPERIMENT NO. 6

NAME: GALANG, VAL ALDREAN P.

MAPALO, THERESE GWYNELLE A.
PICPICAN, JOAN A.
SALAZAR, MARK ANGELO G.
SAPDOY, NERI E.
SCHEDULE: MWF 10:10 – 11:30 AM
DATE: FEBRUARY 05 – 14, 2024

I. OBJECTIVE:

 To determine the density and water content of compacted

soils placed during the construction of earth embankments,
road fill, and structural backfill.
 This method frequently serves as the criteria for accepting
soils compacted to densities or percentages of maximum
density, as determined by standardized test methods like
D698 or D1557.

II. LIST OF EQUIPMENT AND APPARATUS:

 Sand Cone
 Electronic Balance
 Base Plate
 Sand cone density apparatus
 Spatula
 Mold of known volume (to take specific gravity of sand)
 Digging tool
 Drying oven
 Guide plate
 Soil pan
 Soil cap (to obtain moisture content) / moisture can
III. DISCUSSION OF THEORY:

Soil field density test (FDT) is a common test conducted in

construction work especially the one related to earthwork. In
actual condition, site soil backfilling is done layer by layer with
each layer compacted with compacting equipment. The layer
thickness is different from one condition to another depending on
its equipment compaction energy. The Soil field density test
measures relative density of soil which has been compacted using
compacting equipment and the result of this test is expressed in
%. This relative density is measured by comparing maximum dry
density obtained from field test with maximum dry density of
laboratory test as a standard reference. In addition, maximum dry
density of laboratory test can be obtained using one of two
methods whether using standard proctor test or modified proctor
test.

When we are talking about soil FDT, our mind might go straight to
sand cone test, as this test is the most common FDT to any
projects and has been standardized by many international
organizations. Basically, when we’re using the sand cone test
method, we calculate the ratio of soil weight and replacement of
soil volume where it is calculated from the sand which already
known its maximum dry density and this ratio is expressed in unit
weight/unit volume. However, this calculation still contains a little
bit appreciable amount of water (maximum wet density). To get
maximum dry density (MDD), we still need another tool to
measure moisture content parameter that later will subtract the
wet density. The most common and portable one is speedy
moisture tester.

This tool uses calcium carbide that when reacts with moisture will
produce gas pressure that drives the pointer to certain value. We
call this value wet moisture content. Moisture content, which is
expressed with %, is measured from materials dry weight
meanwhile speedy moisture tester measurement is based on wet
weight. To obtain dry moisture content, simply use calibration
curve which attached in the speedy moisture tester box.

From the two data which have been obtained, wet density and
moisture content, we can calculate the MDD of the soil. This MDD
value can be compared with previous calculated MDD laboratory
from proctor test, whether the standard or modified one, to get
relative dry density. Overall, this process takes approximately 1
hour to conduct the whole process for one test (depending on
proficiency of people who run the test and number of people in
testing team). The procedure of sand cone test method has been
standardized by international standardization organization like
American society of testing material (ASTM) in ASTM
D1556/D1556M.

Sand Cone Density is an

accurate and reliable test
method that has long been
used to measure the in-
place density of soils. The
procedure is described in
ASTM D1556 / AASHTO T
191. A flat base plate with a
6.5in (165.1mm) circular
opening is positioned at the
test site and used as a
template to excavate the
required amount of
compacted soil material.
The total volume to be
removed is determined by
the maximum particle size
of the soil and can range up to 0.1ft³ (2,830g/cm³). Density test
accessories such as mallets, scoops, chisels, and sample bags are
used during excavation. All the excavated material is carefully
collected and saved in an airtight container.

The pre-weighed Sand Cone Density Apparatus is inverted onto

the base plate and the metal cone is nestled into the base plate
opening. A rotary valve is opened, and free-flowing density test
sand of known density runs into the excavated test hole.

Afterward, the partially filled apparatus is weighed again, and the

volume of the test hole is calculated by dividing the mass of the
sand filling the hole by the bulk density of the sand. The wet
weight of the recovered excavated soil is divided by the test hole
volume to determine the wet density. Dry density is calculated by
dividing the weight of the wet soil by its water content in
 percentage. The percent compaction for the field density test is
calculated by dividing the dry density of the soil by the maximum
dry density from the proctor test.

IV. PROCEDURE/S:

To prepare and test the density of uniformly graded sand, follow

these streamlined steps:

1. Sieve sand to exclude particles larger than a #10 sieve and

smaller than a #40 sieve.
2. Fill a calibrated container with water; subtract the
container's empty weight to find the water's weight.
3. Calculate the container's volume using the formula: Volume
= Weight of Water (gm) / 1 gm/cc.
4. Pour sand through a funnel into the container at a constant
height, level off the top, and weigh.
5. Calculate sand density with: Density = Weight of Sand /
Volume of Container. Repeat to average the unit weight.
6. Flatten a test site for the guide plate (230 x 230 x 5 mm
with a 152 mm diameter hole).
7. Excavate a hole (126-152 mm diameter, depth of the soil
layer), ensuring vertical sides.
8. Weigh the excavated soil and save a sample for moisture
analysis.
9. Fill the hole with sand using the same method as the
container filling.
10. Weigh the leftover sand to calculate the amount used
for filling. Reuse clean sand if possible.

This condensed procedure outlines the preparation of sand,

calibration of containers, and field testing for soil density,
ensuring a streamlined approach for accurate measurement and
testing.
V. LABORATORY DATA AND RESULTS:

Density Determination
Weight of soil from hole 3.7 kg
Density of sand 1483.05 kg/m3
Weight of sand filled in hole 4 kg
Volume of soil 0.003 m3
Volume of proctor mold 9.44x10−4 m3
Wet unit weight 1233.33 kg/m3
Dry unit weight 945.72 kg/m3
Moisture content determination
Weight of wet soil 45.74 g
Weight of wet soil + container 74.27
Weight of dry soil + container 65.62
Weight of container 28.53 g
Weight of moisture 10.67 g
Weight of dry soil 37.09 g
Moisture content 287.61 kg/m3
GENERAL DATA:
Volume of proctor mold 9.44x10−4 m3
Weight of plastic gallon + sand +
9.3 kg
cone (before use)
Weight of plastic gallon + sand +
3.9 kg
cone (after use)
Weight of sand in cone 1.4 kg
VI. COMPUTATIONS:

Weight sand 4.4−3

Density sand = =
Volume proctor mold 9.44 x 10−4 m3

3
Density sand =1483. 05 kg /m

Weight sand∈ hole =Before use −(after use + sand ∈cone)

Weight sand∈ hole =9.3− ( 3.9+1.4 ) =4 kg

Weight sand∈ hole 4

Volume soil= =
Density sand 1483.05

3
Volume soil=0.003 m

¿ 3.7
Unit weight wet soil=Weight soil ¿ hole =
Volume soil 0.003

3
Unit weight wet soil=1233.33 kg /m

( Weight can +wet soil ) −(Weight can+ dry soil af t .24 hrs)
Moisture content=
( Weight can +dry soil aft . 24 hrs )−(Weight ¿¿ can) ¿

Moisture content=23.32 %

3
Weight moisture =1233.33 x 23.32 %=287.61 kg /m

Unit weight dry soil =Unit weight wet soil −(Unit weight wet soil x mstr . cnt .)

3
Unit weight dry soil =945.72 kg/m

Weight wet soil=74.27−28.53=45.74 g

Weight moisture =45.74 x 23.32 %=10.67 g

Weight dry soil=65.62−28.53=37.09 g

VII. LABORATORY SET-UP/DOCUMENTATION:
VIII. REMARKS AND CONCLUSION:

Based on the gathered data from the field density test and
moisture content determination, we can draw the following
conclusions regarding the soil sample analyzed:

1. Density and Weight of the Soil

 The soil's weight when it's moist, considering both the soil
particles and the water inside it, is about 1233.33 kg for every
cubic meter. This tells us a lot about how the soil acts when
it's wet.
 When the soil is dry, it weighs less, around 945.72 kg per
cubic meter. This weight gives us an idea of how tightly
packed the soil particles are without any water. This detail is
particularly important for engineers because it helps them
understand how compact the soil can be.

2. Water Content in the Soil

 The soil holds a lot of water, with its moisture content
reaching 28.76%. This indicates that almost a third of the
soil's weight comes from water. The amount of water in the
soil is a key factor for understanding how the soil behaves, as
it affects the soil's strength and how well it can be compacted.

3. Measuring the Soil

 We figured out the volume of the soil we took out for the test,
which is 0.003 cubic meters. Knowing the volume and weight
 together helps us calculate the soil's density and weight in
different conditions.
 The use of a proctor mold, which has a consistent volume,
shows us that standard methods were used to find out the
soil's best moisture level and its tightest possible packing in
the lab.

4. How We Found the Soil's Density

 To figure out the soil's natural density, we used a method

that involves replacing the soil with sand. This approach is
shown by how we tracked the sand's weight before and after
filling the hole. This method helps accurately measure the
volume of the hole the soil came from.

The careful approach to the test, shown by the consistent

measurements and the detailed tracking of materials like sand
and the cone, underscores the test's accuracy. This level of detail
is crucial for making sure we understand the soil's density and
moisture content correctly. In essence, the test tells us that the
soil is quite moist and has a moderate level of compactness when
dry. These are important points for considering how the soil might
be used in building projects or other engineering works. The soil's
high moisture and how tightly it can pack down might influence
how it's used or what needs to be done to make it suitable for
specific purposes. Further tests could provide even more insight
into what the soil is like and how it can be used.
IX. REFERNCE/S:

Abbas, M. (2018, March 9). Soil Field Density Test Method

Comparison Sand Cone VS EDG.
[Link]
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