SOIL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

ECG263
OPEN-ENDED LAB
MARCH 2021 – JULY 2021

TITLE OF EXPERIMENT : FIELD DENSITY TEST (SAND REPLACEMENT METHOD)

LECTURER : FAIRUS AZWAN AZIZAN

MARKS COMMENTS
INTRODUCTION CO4 PO6
OBJECTIVE(S) CO4 PO6
METHODOLOGY CO4 PO6
RESULTS CO4 PO6 2 4 6 8 10
DISCUSSION CO4 PO6 2 4 6 8 10
CONCLUSION CO4 PO6 2 4 6 8 10

TOTAL MARKS
RESULTS‌‌
   ‌
 ‌
Result‌‌from‌‌Calibration‌‌Cylinder‌  ‌

Volume‌‌of‌‌cylinder‌‌(m‌³)‌ ‌ ‌ 1.18‌‌x‌‌10−3   ‌

Mass‌‌of‌‌sand‌‌inside‌‌cylinder‌‌+‌‌cone‌‌sand‌‌(kg)‌  ‌ 5.15‌  ‌

Mass‌‌of‌‌cone‌‌sand‌‌(kg)‌  ‌ 1.25‌  ‌

Mass‌‌of‌‌sand‌‌inside‌‌cylinder‌‌(kg)‌  ‌ 3.90‌  ‌

Density‌‌of‌‌pouring‌‌sand‌‌(kg/m‌³)‌ ‌ ‌ 593.22‌  ‌

 ‌
Field‌‌result‌‌
   ‌

Initial‌‌total‌‌mass‌‌of‌‌sand-pouring‌‌cylinder‌‌(g)‌  ‌ 9200‌  ‌

Final‌‌total‌‌mass‌‌of‌‌sand-pouring‌‌cylinder‌‌(g)‌  ‌ 7450‌  ‌

Mass‌‌of‌‌cone‌‌sand‌‌(kg)‌  ‌ 1.25‌  ‌

Mass‌‌of‌‌soil‌‌removed‌‌from‌‌hole‌‌(g)‌  ‌ 1600‌  ‌

Mass‌‌of‌‌soil‌‌after‌‌oven-dry‌‌(g)‌  ‌ 1430‌  ‌

Moisture‌‌content‌‌of‌‌removed‌‌soil‌‌(%)‌  ‌ 11.89‌  ‌

 ‌
Calculating‌‌weight‌‌of‌‌sand,‌‌
   ‌
Weight‌‌of‌‌apparatus‌‌with‌‌remaining‌‌sand‌‌=‌‌9.20kg‌  ‌
Weight‌‌of‌‌apparatus‌‌after‌‌filling‌‌hole‌‌=‌‌7.25kg‌‌
   ‌
Weight‌‌of‌‌cone‌‌sand‌‌=‌‌1.25kg‌‌
   ‌
Weight‌‌of‌‌sand‌‌=‌‌9.20‌‌-‌‌7.25‌‌-‌‌1.25‌‌=‌‌0.7kg‌‌
   ‌
 ‌
wsand
Ɣcalibration sand ‌=‌‌
V cylinder
‌=‌ ‌ 0.7 −3 =‌ ‌‌593.22‌‌kg/m³‌  ‌
1.18 x 10
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
Calculating‌‌weight‌‌of‌‌poured‌‌sand,‌   ‌
Weight‌‌of‌‌apparatus‌‌+‌‌sand‌‌=‌‌9.20kg‌  ‌
Weight‌‌of‌‌apparatus‌‌after‌‌filling‌‌hole‌‌=‌‌7.45kg‌‌
   ‌
Weight‌‌of‌‌cone‌‌sand‌‌=‌‌1.25kg‌‌
   ‌
Weight‌‌of‌‌sand‌‌=‌‌9.20‌‌-‌‌7.45‌‌-‌‌1.25‌‌=‌‌0.5kg‌‌
   ‌
 ‌
w 0.5
V hole =‌‌ Ɣexcavated soil =‌‌593.22 =‌8‌ .43‌‌x‌‌10−4 m‌³ ‌ ‌
sand pouring

 ‌
w
ρb ‌=‌ ‌V soil ‌=‌‌8.43  x 10
1.6
−4
 
‌=‌ ‌1897.98‌‌kg/m‌³  
‌‌ ‌
hole

 ‌
ρ
ρd   ‌=‌ ‌1 + w
b
‌=‌‌1 + 0.1189
1897.98
=‌‌1696.29‌‌kg/m‌³ ‌ ‌

 ‌
 ‌
DISCUSSION‌  ‌
 ‌
The‌  ‌sand‌  ‌replacement‌  ‌method‌  ‌is‌  ‌used‌  ‌to‌  ‌determine‌  ‌the‌  ‌in-situ‌  ‌of‌‌
  the‌‌
  density‌‌
  of‌‌
  natural‌‌
  or‌‌
 
compacted‌  ‌fine‌  ‌and‌  ‌medium‌  ‌grained‌  ‌soil‌  ‌using‌  ‌a ‌ ‌sand‌  ‌pouring‌  ‌cylinder‌  ‌and‌  ‌replacement‌‌
 
sand.‌  ‌The‌  ‌method‌  ‌is‌  ‌used‌  ‌to‌  ‌determine‌  ‌the‌  ‌in-place‌  ‌density‌  ‌of‌  ‌compacted‌  ‌soil‌  ‌in‌‌
  order‌‌
  to‌‌
 
compare‌  ‌it‌  ‌with‌  ‌the‌  ‌prescribed‌‌
  compacted‌‌
  level,‌‌
  and‌‌
  thus‌‌
  it‌‌
  determines‌‌
  how‌‌
  near‌‌
  the‌‌
  soil's‌‌
 
compaction‌‌is‌‌to‌‌the‌‌specified‌‌compaction‌‌degree.‌‌
   ‌
 ‌
The‌  ‌advantages‌  ‌of‌  ‌the‌  ‌sand‌  ‌replacement‌  ‌method‌  ‌are‌  ‌the‌  ‌results‌  ‌obtained‌  ‌from‌  ‌the‌‌
 
experiment‌‌
  are‌‌
  more‌‌
  appropriate‌‌
  then‌‌
  the‌‌
  result‌‌
  from‌‌
  the‌‌
  core‌‌
  cutter‌‌
  method.‌‌
  Next,‌‌
 the‌‌
 test‌‌
 
technique‌  ‌is‌  ‌quite‌‌
  simple‌‌
  and‌‌
  straightforward‌‌
  and‌‌
  lastly,‌‌
  highly‌‌
  skilled‌‌
  labour‌‌
  and‌‌
  advanced‌‌
 
equipment‌‌
 are‌‌
 not‌‌
 required.‌‌
 Besides‌‌
 advantages,‌‌
 there‌‌
 are‌‌
 limitations‌‌
 that‌‌
 sand‌‌
 replacement‌‌
 
methods‌  ‌can‌  ‌do‌  ‌such‌  ‌as‌  ‌the‌  ‌sand‌  ‌replacement‌  ‌technique‌  ‌is‌‌
  not‌‌
  suitable‌‌
  for‌‌
  granular‌‌
  soils‌‌
 
with‌‌
  a ‌‌high‌‌
  void‌‌
  ratio.‌‌
  This‌‌
  is‌‌
  due‌‌
  to‌‌
  the‌‌
  enormous‌‌
  spaces‌‌
 that‌‌
 allow‌‌
 sand‌‌
 to‌‌
 get‌‌
 through.‌‌
 In‌‌
 
addition,‌‌this‌‌method‌‌also‌‌is‌‌ineffective‌‌for‌‌plastic‌‌or‌‌highly‌‌organic‌‌soils.‌  ‌
 ‌
From‌  ‌the‌  ‌experiment‌  ‌that‌  ‌has‌  ‌been‌‌
  conducted,‌‌
  we‌‌
  will‌‌
  get‌‌
  two‌‌
  results‌‌
  which‌‌
  are‌‌
  the‌‌
  result‌‌
 
from‌  ‌the‌  ‌calibration‌  ‌cylinder‌  ‌and‌  ‌the‌  ‌field‌  ‌result.‌  ‌The‌  ‌results‌  ‌that‌  ‌we‌  ‌get‌  ‌from‌  ‌calibration‌‌
 
cylinder‌  ‌are‌  ‌volume‌  ‌of‌  ‌cylinder‌‌   x ‌‌10−3 m‌³),‌‌
  (1.18‌‌   ‌mass‌‌
  of‌‌
  sand‌‌
  in‌‌
  the‌‌
  cylinder‌‌
  and‌‌
  mass‌‌
  of‌‌
 
the‌  ‌cone‌  ‌sand‌  ‌which‌  ‌is‌  ‌3.90kg‌  ‌and‌  ‌from‌  ‌there,‌  ‌we‌  ‌can‌  ‌get‌  ‌the‌  ‌density‌  ‌of‌  ‌pouring‌  ‌sand‌‌
 
(593.22‌  ‌kg/m‌³)‌.‌  ‌Next,‌  ‌the‌  ‌field‌  ‌results‌  ‌that‌  ‌we‌  ‌get‌  ‌are‌‌
  the‌‌
  initial‌‌
  and‌‌
  final‌‌
  total‌‌
  mass‌‌
  of‌‌
  the‌‌
 
sand-pouring‌  ‌cylinder‌  ‌which‌  ‌is‌  ‌9200g‌‌
  and‌‌
  7450g‌‌
  respectively.‌‌
  Then,‌‌
  we‌‌
  can‌‌
  determine‌‌
  the‌‌
 
mass‌  ‌of‌  ‌cone‌  ‌sand‌  ‌(1.25kg),‌  ‌mass‌  ‌of‌  ‌soil‌  ‌removed‌  ‌from‌  ‌hole‌  ‌(1600g),‌  ‌mass‌  ‌of‌  ‌soil‌  ‌after‌‌
 
oven-dry‌‌(1430g)‌‌and‌‌lastly‌‌the‌‌moisture‌‌content‌‌of‌‌removed‌‌soil‌‌which‌‌is‌‌11.89%.‌‌
   ‌
 ‌
Besides,‌‌
  we‌‌
  can‌‌
  calculate‌‌
  the‌‌
  dry‌‌
  density‌‌
  from‌‌
  the‌‌
  results‌‌
  above.‌‌
  The‌‌
  relationship‌‌
 between‌‌
 
the‌  ‌dry‌  ‌density‌  ‌and‌  ‌known‌  ‌moisture‌  ‌content‌  ‌that‌  ‌can‌  ‌be‌  ‌found‌  ‌is‌  ‌dry‌‌
  density,‌‌
  bulk‌‌
  density‌‌
 
and‌‌
  water‌‌
 content.‌‌
 This‌‌
 relationship‌‌
 we‌‌
 can‌‌
 see‌‌
 from‌‌
 the‌‌
 equation‌‌
 of‌‌
 dry‌‌
 density‌‌
 at‌‌
 the‌‌
 result‌‌
 
section.‌‌
   ‌
 ‌
CONCLUSION‌‌
   ‌
 ‌
In‌‌
  conclusion,‌‌
  we‌‌
  have‌‌
  obtained‌‌
 the‌‌
 bulk‌‌
 density‌‌
 and‌‌
 the‌‌
 dry‌‌
 density‌‌
 of‌‌
 the‌‌
 actual‌‌
 soil.‌‌
 Since‌‌
 
we‌  ‌have‌  ‌calculated‌  ‌the‌‌
  density‌‌
  of‌‌
  sand‌‌
  and‌‌
  the‌‌
  volume‌‌
  of‌‌
  the‌‌
  hole‌‌
  have‌‌
  been‌‌
  determined,‌‌
 
w
hence‌  ‌the‌  ‌bulk‌  ‌density‌‌
  of‌‌
  the‌‌
  situ‌‌
  soil‌‌
  also‌‌
  can‌‌
  be‌‌
  determined‌‌
  using‌‌
  ρb =‌‌
  V soil   ‌formula‌‌
  . ‌‌To‌‌
 
hole

find‌  ‌the‌  ‌dry‌  ‌density‌  ‌of‌  ‌the‌  ‌soil,‌  ‌the‌  ‌soil‌  ‌sample‌‌
  from‌‌
  in‌‌
  situ‌‌
  is‌‌
  placed‌‌
  in‌‌
  the‌‌
  oven‌‌
  to‌‌
  find‌‌
  its‌‌
 
ρ
moisture‌‌
  content‌‌
  and‌‌
  the‌‌
  dry‌‌
  density‌‌
  is‌‌
  determined‌‌
  by‌‌
  using‌‌
  ρd   =‌‌
  1 + w
b
.‌‌
  Therefore,‌‌
 the‌‌
 bulk‌‌
 

density‌‌and‌‌dry‌‌density‌‌of‌‌soil‌‌are‌‌1897.98‌‌kg/m‌³‌‌and‌‌‌1696.29‌‌kg/m‌³.‌‌
   ‌
 ‌
There‌  ‌is‌  ‌a ‌ ‌chance‌  ‌of‌  ‌experimental‌  ‌error‌  ‌during‌  ‌the‌  ‌progress‌  ‌when‌  ‌conducting‌  ‌the‌‌
 
experiment.‌  ‌The‌  ‌possibility‌  ‌errors‌  ‌that‌  ‌could‌  ‌occur‌  ‌are‌‌
  when‌‌
  a ‌‌hole‌‌
  excavated‌‌
  at‌‌
  a ‌‌slightly‌‌
 
different‌  ‌depth‌  ‌from‌  ‌the‌  ‌original‌  ‌data,‌  ‌and‌  ‌soil‌  ‌also‌  ‌includes‌  ‌contaminants‌  ‌that‌‌
  may‌‌
  cause‌‌
 
different‌‌densities‌‌are‌‌among‌‌them.‌‌
   ‌
 ‌
REFERENCES‌  ‌
 ‌
1. Madeh‌‌Izat‌‌Hamakareem.‌‌The‌‌Constructor‌‌Building‌‌Ideas.‌‌Determination‌‌of‌‌in-situ‌‌
 
soil‌‌dry‌‌density‌‌by‌‌sand‌‌replacement‌‌method.‌  ‌
https://theconstructor.org/practical-guide/in-situ-dry-density-sand-replacement-metho‌
d/2687/‌  ‌
 ‌
2. Natalie‌‌Ulza.‌D
‌ ecember‌‌12,‌‌2013.‌‌Sand‌‌replacement.‌ 
https://www.slideshare.net/NurulAdha2/sand-replacement‌  ‌
 ‌
3. Define‌‌Civil.‌‌August‌‌27,‌‌2018.‌‌Field‌‌Density‌‌Test‌‌Calculation‌‌-‌‌A‌‌step‌‌by‌‌step‌‌guide.‌‌
 
Field‌‌Density‌‌Test‌‌Calculation‌‌–‌‌A‌‌step‌‌by‌‌Step‌‌Guide‌‌-‌‌Definecivil‌  ‌
 ‌
APPENDICES‌‌
   ‌
 ‌

‌    ‌ ‌
Figure‌‌1:‌‌Filling‌‌sand‌‌into‌‌the‌‌sand‌‌pouring‌‌cylinder‌‌(left)‌‌and‌‌experiment‌‌apparatus‌‌(right)‌  ‌
 ‌
 ‌

‌    ‌ ‌
Figure‌‌2:‌‌Digging‌‌a‌‌15cm‌‌x‌‌10cm‌‌hole‌‌(left)‌‌&‌‌the‌‌excavated‌‌soil‌‌(right)‌   ‌
 ‌
 ‌  ‌
Figure‌‌3:‌‌Pouring‌‌sand‌‌into‌‌the‌‌hole‌‌(left)‌‌&‌‌the‌‌final‌‌result‌‌of‌‌the‌‌sand-pouring‌‌(right)‌  ‌
 ‌
 ‌

 ‌
Figure‌‌4:‌‌Mass‌‌of‌‌excavated‌‌soil‌‌after‌‌oven-dry‌‌+‌‌tray‌‌
   ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌