Revised 2009

Datasheet No. 5 MOHAWK COLLEGE OF APPLIED ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SCIENCES DEPARTMENT

Specific Gravity of Soil

INTRODUCTION This test is used to determine the specific gravity of soil particles which in turn is used in the procedures for other tests. APPARATUS: 1. Pycnometer (capacity of 500 mL) 2. Thermometer 3. Soil dispersion cup and mechanical stirrer 4. Balance or scales sensitive to 0.1 g 5. Aspirator 6. Loaf tin and paper clip PROCEDURE: A. Calibration of Pycnometer It is desirable to calibrate the pycnometer for various temperatures at which it is likely to be used. The procedures for this are as follows:

1. Theoretical Method:
a) Clean, dry and record the number of the pycnometer on DS 5. Determine its mass, Mf to 0.1 g and record on DS 5. b) Fill the pycnometer to the 500 mL mark with distilled water at room temperature, dry all exterior water with a paper towel, determine its mass, Ma and record on DS 5. Determine the temperature of the water to the nearest 0.1 C. This will be the calibration temperature, Ti.

2. Trial and Error Method:

Empty the distilled water from the pycnometer, run the tap water to a temperature of 22 0.5 C, fill the pycnometer to the calibration mark (bottom of meniscus), weigh to the nearest 0.1 gram, determine the temperature to the nearest 0.1 C and record on DS 5 under "Measured Masses". Repeat the above three more times using tap water (gradually opening the hot valve) to obtain the mass at 24, 26 and 28 0.5 C. B. Specific Gravity Determination 1. Take approximately 100 g of soil and mix with distilled water in a 250 mL beaker. 2. Transfer the mixture to the dispersion cup and add sufficient distilled water so that it is approximately 40% full. 3. Mix the soil on the mechanical mixer for one minute. 4. Transfer the mixture to the pycnometer rinsing particles in neck with distilled water. The water level should be 30 mm or more below the bottom of the neck. Connect to the aspirator and apply a vacuum for 10 minutes. Shake the bulb of the pycnometer occasionally to release entrapped air. 5. Fill the pycnometer to the 500 mL mark with distilled water at room temperature, dry all exterior water with a paper towel, determine its mass, Mb and record on DS 5. Determine the temperature of the water to the nearest 0.1 C. This will be the test temperature, Tx. 6. Carefully empty the contents of the pycnometer into a tared (loaf tin) container. It will probably be necessary to wash the residue out of the pycnometer into the container. Fill out a moisture slip with the mass of tin recorded and attach to the outside of the tin with a paper clip.

7. Place the sample in the oven to dry for about 24 hours and then determine dry mass of sample, Mo. CALCULATIONS: A. Calibration of Pycnometer 1. Calculate the mass (to 2 decimal places) of the pycnometer filled to the calibration mark with water for 2 C intervals of temperature from 20 C to 30 C as follows:

Ma(at Ty) = RDW x [Ma(at Ti) - Mf] + Mf

RDW w(Ty ) w(Ti )

where

Ma = mass of pycnometer and water in grams, Mf = mass of pycnometer in grams, w = density of water Ti = observed temperature of water in C, Ty = desired temperature of water in C.
B. Specific Gravity 1. Calculate the specific gravity (to 3 decimal places) based on the water temperature TX, as follows:

Gs(Tx|Tx ) where Gs(Tx

|Tx)

Mo = mass of oven dried soil in grams, Ma = mass of pycnometer filled with water at TX C, taken from the

relative to density of water at TX C,

= specific gravity of soil where test conducted with water at TX C

Mo Mo Ma Mb

calibration curve (graph), Mb = mass of pycnometer filled with water and soil at TX C, determined.

TX = temperature of contents of pycnometer ( C) when Mb was

2. Calculate the specific gravity (to 3 decimal places) based on water at the standard test temperature of 20 C as follows:

Gs(Tx |20C) = K x Gs(Tx |TxC)

where K = the temperature correction factor found by dividing the density of test temperature of 20 C. Table 1 Variation of Density of Water with Temperature
Temperature ( C) Density of Water,

water at temperature Tx C by the density of water at the standard

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

0.9986244 0.9984347 0.9982343 0.9980233 0.9978019 0.9975702 0.9973286 0.9970770 0.9968156 0.9965451 0.9962652 0.9959761 0.9956780

REPORT

Your report should include the following: a) Plot both the theoretical and measured masses of the pycnometer and water against temperature, temperature on the Y-axis and mass on the X-axis. Use different symbols (series) for the theoretical and "measured" points. Be sure to show the pycnometer number. Draw a calibration curve through the theoretical points. This should be close to a straight line but still have curvature. If using Excel DO NOT fit a trend line through either series! The calculated and measured values will probably not correlate to each other very well. The theoretical (calculated) curve should be used to estimate the mass of pycnometer and water, Ma at the test temperature, TX. This estimation must be shown on the graph. b) The standard specific gravity of the soil (with respect to the density of water at 20 C), showing the temperature of the soil when the determination was made. Example: If the specific gravity was determined at 25 C and was found to be 2.945, then Specific Gravity(25C|25C) = 2.945 (TX = 25C), Specific Gravity(25C|20C) = 2.945 x From Table 1, for

K for TX = 25C,
0.9970770 0.9988407 , 0.9982343

TX = 25C, K

Therefore, Specific Gravity(25C|20C) = 2.945 x 0.9988407 = 2.9415859 2.942 c) If the trial and error and theoretical plots did not agree, to what do you attribute the difference?