UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHEASTERN PHILIPPINES

Inigo St., Bo.Obrero, Davao City

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Civil Engineering Department

CE 412
Soil Mechanics

LABORATORY REPORT
EXPERIMENT No. 12
Field Density Test (Sand Cone Method)

PREPARED BY SUBMITTED TO
Huertas, Mark Gabriel N. ENGR. JEF V. DE LEON
GROUP NAME SECTION
SOIL MAN (GROUP 3) CE 4-3
EXPERIMENT PERFORMED REPORT SUBMITTED
October 23 – 24, 2018 October 30, 2018

OBJECTIVES
 To determine the in – situ density of natural soil from specific field area.
 To familiarize the processes of sand cone method in a field density test.

INTENDED LEARNING CONTENTS

 Students would be able to know the procedures in finding the in – situ
density of the natural soil.
 Students would be have an idea of how it can be applied in real life
engineering applications.

DISCUSSION
 This laboratory experiment encompass the determination of the dry
density of the compacted soil or the pavement material. Every field has its own
level of compaction. If this field is to be improved we have to compare its
compaction to the soil that we are to fill into it to obtain a constant compaction.
In cases where it will be a subject for an excavation its in-situ level of compaction
must be check if it fits the soil where it will be poured. Mainly it is done for the
specification required from different engineering application. One of the simplest
methods of determining the field unit weight of compaction is by the sand cone
method. In the sand cone test a metal plate is placed on the soil, the metal plate
has a circular hole in its middle, and the technician removes soil from the region
immediately below the hole. Sand is placed to determine the volume of the
burrow. This soil is usually placed in a sealed container for future weighing and
moisture content determination.
PROCEDURE

Calibration of Cone

1. Determine the weight of the Ottawa sand that is required to fill the cone.
This can be done by filling the one-gallon bottle with Ottawa sand.
Determine the weight of the bottle + cone + sand, W3. Close the valve of
the cone, which is attached to the bottle. Place the base plate on a flat
surface. Turn the bottle with the cone attached to it upside down and
place the open mouth of the cone in the center hole of the base plate.
Open the cone valve. Sand will flow out of the bottle and gradually fill the
cone. When the cone is filled with sand, the flow of sand from the bottle
will stop. Close the valve. Remove the bottle and cone combination form
the base plate and determine it weight, W4.
Preparation of Fieldwork

2. Determine the weight of the gallon can with the cap, W5.

3. Fill the one-gallon bottle (with the sand cone attached to it) with sand.
Closed the valve of the cone. Determine the weight of the bottle + cone +
sand, W6.

Fieldwork

4. Now proceed to the field with the bottle and the cone attached to it (filled
with Ottawa sand-Step 5), the base plate, the digging tools, and the one-
gallon can with its cap.
5. Place the base plate on a level ground in the field. Under the center hole of
the base plate, dig a hole in the ground using the digging tools. The
volume of the hole should be smaller than the volume of the sand in the
bottle minus the volume of the cone.
6. Remove all the loose soil from the hole and put it in the gallon can. Close
the cap tightly so as not to lose any moisture. Be careful not to move the
base plate.

7. Turn the gallon bottle filled with sand, with cone attached to it, upside
down and place it on the center of the base plate. Open the valve of the
cone. Sand will flow form the bottle to fill the hole in the ground and the
cone. When flow of sand from the bottle stops, close the valve of the one
and remove it.

8. Bring all the equipment back to the laboratory. Determine the weight of
the gallon can + moist soil form the field (without cap), W7. Also
determine the weight of the bottle + can + sand after use, W8.
DATA AND RESULTS
Calibration of Unit Weight of Sand

Items Quantity

Weight of jar, W1 0.235 kg

Weight of jar + water, W2 4.665 kg

Volume of jar, V1 0.00443 m3

Mass of the dry sand to fill the jar 6.495 kg

Dry Unit Weight, 𝛾𝑑 Sand 14382.83

𝑁
𝑚3

Calibration Cone

Items Quantity

Weight of bottle + cone + sand (before use), W3 7.720 kg

Weight of bottle + cone + sand (after use), W4 6.290 kg

Weight of Sand to fill cone, Wc 1.430 kg

Results from field test

Items Quantity

Weight of bottle + cone +sand (before use), W6 7.540 kg

Weight of bottle + cone + sand (after use), W8 2.520 kg

Weight of sand to fill the hole, W10 3.590 kg

 Volume of Hole, V2 0.00245 m3

Weight of Can, W5 0.0141 kg

Weight of Can + Moist Soil, W7 0.0853 kg

Weight of Can + Dry Soil, W9 0.0656 kg

Moist Unit weight of Soil in Field, 𝛾 18, 879.24

𝑁
𝑚3

Moisture Content in the field, w (%) 38.25 %

Dry Unit Weight in Field, 𝛾𝑑

Calculation:

𝜌
Volume of Jar, V1= : Dry Unit Weight, 𝛾𝑑 Sand:
𝑚

𝑘𝑔 𝑊
𝜌𝑤= 1000 𝛾𝑑 =
𝑚3 v

𝑚
4.665−0.235 6.495 kg (9.81 2 )
𝑠
V1= 𝛾𝑑 =[ ]
1000 0.00443 m3

𝑁
V1= 0.00443 m3 𝛾𝑑 = 14382.83
𝑚3

Weight of sand to fill the hole, W10 :

W10= W6 – W8 –Wc

W10 = 7.540 - 2.520 - 1.430

W10 = 3.590 kg

Volume of Hole, V2: Moist Unit weight of Soil in Field, 𝛾

𝑁
𝛾𝑑 = 14382.83 w7 = 4.715 kg = 46.254 N
𝑚3
 W10 = 3.590 kg =35.2179 N V2 = 0.00245 m3

35.2179 𝑊
V2 = 𝛾= v
14382.83

46.254
V2 = 0.00245 m3 𝛾 = 0.00245

𝑁
𝛾 =18, 879.24
𝑚3

Moisture Content in the field, w (%)

𝑤7 −𝑤9
w=
𝑤9 −𝑤5

0.0853 −0.0656
w=
0.0656−0.0141

w = 38.25 %

Dry Unit Weight in Field, 𝛾𝑑

𝛾
𝛾𝑑 = 𝑤
1+
100

18, 879.24
𝛾𝑑 = 38.25
1+
100

𝑁
𝛾𝑑 = 13, 655.90
𝑚3

OBSERVATIONS
To obtain the needed sand in the absence of Ottawa sand, the
experimenters obtained a sand and run it through sieve no.10 and took what
retained in the no.200 sieve. The sand was then poured into the jar carefully,
closing the valve first and letting the cone be full before opening the valve and
letting the sand in. It was observed that this method allows the sand to easily go
into the jar. After calibrating the cone the experimenters then proceeded to the
field. In the absence of holes in the base plate the experimenters made use of
surveyors pins to hold the base plate in place. The area picked was at random
and as the burrowing takes place the presence of mud rocks was seen. The
experimenters didn't have much problem in digging this hole. After digging the
sand jar was inverted and the sand was let to flow, this didn't take a while, it was
taken off and the sand was observed to form a pyramid. The jar was then
reweighted and the soil obtained on the field was tested for its water content.

CONCLUSION
The experimenters found out the soil found at a specific side of the field
𝑘𝑁
has a bulk density of 18.88 with an in-situ moisture content of 38.25 %. It
𝑚3
𝑘𝑁
also has a dry density of 13. 66
𝑚3
. It suggests that only at that specific area it has
that kind of bulk density, it doesn't mean that throughout the field it will have the
same bulk density that is why checking the soil's in-situ properties must be
checked from time to time.

RECOMMENDATIONS
 If Ottawa sand is not available sieve a sand in no.10 and no.200. Take the
sand that retained in the no.200 sieve as the fine sand required.
 Bring your own materials such as small shovel, bolo, or any gardening
tools for digging as these may not be present in the lab.
 Check the valves and make sure it is working before the experiment takes
place.
 Pick the base plate that fits the cone prior the experiment.