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2 Specific Gravity

This lab report describes procedures for determining the specific gravity (Gs) of soil grains using a pycnometer method. Gs is the ratio of the mass of a unit volume of soil to the mass of the same volume of water and provides information about weight-volume relationships. The pycnometer method involves weighing a sample of oven-dried soil both in air and submerged in water to calculate the volume of solid particles. Multiple measurements should be taken and averaged to determine Gs. Bubbles in the sample would cause an overestimation while changes in water temperature require a correction calculation.

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Hawkar IBRAHIM
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305 views5 pages

2 Specific Gravity

This lab report describes procedures for determining the specific gravity (Gs) of soil grains using a pycnometer method. Gs is the ratio of the mass of a unit volume of soil to the mass of the same volume of water and provides information about weight-volume relationships. The pycnometer method involves weighing a sample of oven-dried soil both in air and submerged in water to calculate the volume of solid particles. Multiple measurements should be taken and averaged to determine Gs. Bubbles in the sample would cause an overestimation while changes in water temperature require a correction calculation.

Uploaded by

Hawkar IBRAHIM
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lab. Report NO.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SOIL GRAINS (GS)

DEFINITION

The specific gravity Gs of a soil is the ratio of the mass of a unit


volume of a material at a stated temperature to the mass of the
same volume of distilled water at stated temperature (4o C). Or the
specific gravity of soil grains is unit weight of the solid particles to
the unit weight of distilled water at 4o C.

Ws / V  ( material)
Gs = =
Ww / V  ( water ) at 4 o C

INTRODUCTION

• The choice of using a pycnometer method is purely academic.


When the soil particles passing the No. 4 (4.75 mm) sieve.

• The volume of a known weight of soil grains can be obtained by


using stoppered bottle of known volume (pycnometer) depending
on the Archimedes principle (if a body submerged in a volume of
water will displace a volume of water equal to the volume of
submerged body). Then the pycnometer holds a standard volume
of distilled water at 20o C.
At temperature above 20 oC. the volume will be slightly more.
At temperature below 20 oC. the volume will be slightly less.

• The specific gravity of solids for most natural soils falls in the
general range of 2.65 – 2.85, the smaller values are for the coarse
– grained soils.

• The Gs of soil grains (absolute solid) will always be larger than the
bulk Gm based on non-inclusion of soil voids in the computation.

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Lab. Report NO. 2

PURPOSES
• Gs is useful for determining weight volume relationships.

• It is used in the computation of most of the laboratory tests; such


as: hydrometer test, consolidation test.
• Specific gravity may be useful in soil mineral classification.

APPARATUS

The equipment for determination specific gravity includes:


1. Pycnometer with capacity 100 ml and stopper.
2. Vacuum pump.
3. Balance accurate to 0.01 g.
4. Distilled deaired water.
5. Thermometer, ranging from 0 to 50o C.
6. Drying oven.
7. Wash bottle.
8. Desicator.

PROCEDURE

1. Measure weight of empty stoppered bottle with stopper wb, which


must be clean and dry.
2. Take about 25 to 30 g of oven dried soil and transfer the soil into
the pycnometer then obtain the weight of pycnometer and dry
soil wbs. Taking care not to lose any of the soil.
3. Add sufficient distilled water to fill the stoppered bottle half-full
to three-fourth full (do not fill it completely).
4. Put the stoppered bottle without stopper inside a desicator and
attach the desicator to a vacuum line and for at least 10 min.
subject the contents to a vacuum (the reduced air pressure
should cause the water to boil).

5. When deairing process is complete, add deaired water to fill the


T1
stoppered bottle volume.

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Lab. Report NO. 2

6. Obtain the weight of the (bottle + stopper + soil+ water) wbws ,


and take the water temperature T1.
7. Empty the stoppered bottle and its contents. Then fill it with
T2
distilled deaired water and measure its weight wbw. Take the
water temperature T2.
Note:
• if T1= T2 or the temperature is within + 1 oC of the temperature
used for obtaining wbws the procedure is complete(has been
terminated)
• If T1 ≠ T2 calibration is necessary. The bottle must be calibrated
at the same temperature as during the test. Any change in water
temperature modifies the bottle volume.
 w atT 2
• wbw (at T2) = *[ wbw (at T2)- wb ] + wb
 w atT1

γ ( see Lambe book at page 147 or any book)


CALCULATION
The specific gravity of a soil is calculated as follows:

WT = Wbw + Ws

Ww = WT – Wbws = Wbw + Ws – Wbws

Ws = Wbs - Wb

Specific Gravity (Gs) =


ws
wbw + ws - wbws
x α

α =  ( water ) atT 2
at 20o C
( water )

Where: ws = is the weight of the soil solids (g).


wbws = the weight of the bottle + stopper + soil+ water (g).
wb = weight of empty stoppered bottle with stopper (g).
wbs = the weight of stoppered bottle and dry soil (g).
wbw = the weight of stoppered bottle full of water (g).

α = The temperature correction coefficient.

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Lab. Report NO. 2

NOTE :
If two or three separate measurements have been made on the
same soil specimen, the average value of specific gravity is then
calculated.

DISCUSSION

In addition of the general questions (from Report Writing) answer


the following questions
1. If you did not adequately de-air your specific gravity specimen
such that bubbles remained, would you overestimate or
underestimate specific gravity? Why?
2. What is the effect of water temperature on the determination of
specific gravity of soils?

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Lab. Report NO. 2

SPECIFIC GRAVITY DATA SHEET


(Gs)

Name:

Class:

Group No.:

Soil Type

Sample Sample Sample Sample


1 2 1 2

Number of a bottle
Weight of empty stoppered bottle with
stopper wb (g)
Weight of stoppered bottle and dry soil
wbs (g)
Weight of the( bottle + stopper + soil+
water) wbws (g)
The temperature of wbws (T1)
Weight of the bottle full of distilled water
wbw (g)
The temperature of wbw (T2)

Specific Gravity Gs

Average Specific Gravity Gs

Signature: ………………………………

Test date: / / 2020

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