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Field Density Test

1. The sand replacement method is used to determine the density of cohesionless soils, since a core sample cannot be taken. It involves excavating a small pit and measuring the weight of soil removed. Sand of a known density is used to fill the pit, allowing the pit volume to be calculated. 2. The mass of excavated soil is measured. The pit is filled with calibrated sand and its mass is measured to determine the pit volume. The dry density of the excavated soil is then calculated based on its mass, the pit volume, and the soil's moisture content. 3. Care must be taken to ensure the excavated pit matches the calibrating container's volume. The sand must also be

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Philip Sabadi
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342 views

Field Density Test

1. The sand replacement method is used to determine the density of cohesionless soils, since a core sample cannot be taken. It involves excavating a small pit and measuring the weight of soil removed. Sand of a known density is used to fill the pit, allowing the pit volume to be calculated. 2. The mass of excavated soil is measured. The pit is filled with calibrated sand and its mass is measured to determine the pit volume. The dry density of the excavated soil is then calculated based on its mass, the pit volume, and the soil's moisture content. 3. Care must be taken to ensure the excavated pit matches the calibrating container's volume. The sand must also be

Uploaded by

Philip Sabadi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction

The dry density of the compacted soil or pavement material is a common measure of the amount
of the compaction achieved during the construction. Knowing the field density and field moisture
content, the dry density is calculated. Therefore field density test is importance as a field control
test for the compaction of soil or any other pavement layer.
Determination of field density of cohesion less soil is not possible by core cutter method because
it is not possible to obtain a core sample. In such situation, the sand replacement method is
employed to determine the unit weight. In sand replacement method, a small cylindrical pit is
excavated and the weight of the soil excavated from the pit is measured. Sand whose density is
known is filled into the pit. By measuring the weight of sand required to fill the pit and knowing
its density the volume of pit is calculated. Knowing the weight of soil excavated from the pit and
the volume of pit, the density of soil is calculated. Therefore, in this experiment there are two
stages:
1. Calibration of sand density
2. Measurement of soil density
Theoretical Background
A hole of specified dimensions is excavated in the ground. The mass of the excavated soil is
determined.
The volume of the hole is determined by filling it with clean, uniform sand whose dry density ( ρd
) is determined separately by calibration. The volume of the hole is equal to the ass of the sand
filled in the hole divided by its dry density.
The dry density of the excavated soil is determined as:
ρ ρ
d =¿ ¿
1+ w

Where, ρ = Density of the excavated soil


W = Water content
Discussions
The objective of sand replacement test is to determine the field density of natural using sand
pouring cylinders. The relationship between the dry density with known moisture content is
ρ ρ
d =¿ ¿
1+ w

ρd =¿¿Dry density

ρ = Density of the excavated soil


W = Moisture content
Dry density, ρd is a dry density of the soil, density of the excavated soil, ρ is a bulk density of the
soil that we get from measurement of soil density and moisture content, W is a percent of the
water content from sample that we heated for 24 hours in the oven. If the amount of moisture
content is lowest, the amount of dry density is highest.
There are several error in this experiment that we must to correct. In stage 2, which is
measurement of soil density, make sure the excavated hole must be equal to the volume of the
calibrating container. While calibrating the bulk density of sand, make sure great care has to be
taken.
The apparatus that we need in this test are sand pouring cylinder, tools for excavating holes,
cylindrical calibrating container, metal tray and weighing balance. The different method for the
determination of field density of soils instead of sand replacement method such as core cutter
method which is suitable for cohesive soil, rubber balloon method which is like as sand
replacement method but it use water in this experiment and nuclear gauge method which is the
easier way to measure both bulk and water content of in situ soil.

Conclusion
What we can conclude from the test is sand replacement is to determine the field density of soils
using sand replacement method. From the experiment, we have found that moisture content is
(MOISTURE CONTENT VALUE) and our dry density of soil is (DRY DENSITY VALUE)

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