Moisture Content and Grading for
Aggregates
1. Weigh wet material with container and record mass.
Take note of the mass of the container.
2. Oven-dry the sample.
3. Weigh oven-dried sample and record mass.
4. Wash sample on 75 micron sieve.
5. Oven-dry the washed sample.
6. Weigh the dried washed sample and record.
7. Grade the sample on set of sieves. Record the mass
retained on each sieve.
Moisture Content and Grading for Soils
1. Weigh wet material with container and record mass.
Take note of the mass of the container.
2. Oven-dry the sample.
3. Grade soil on sieves starting 125 mm to 19 mm.
Record the mass retained on each sieves.
4. Riffle the soil that passed the 19 mm sieve. Choose
6y one from the riffled then weigh and record
mass.
5. Wash the riffled sample on a 75 micron sieve and
oven-dry.
6. Weight the dried sample and record mass on riffled
and washed.
7. Grade the sample on sieves 12.5 mm to 4.75 mm and
record the mass retained.
8. If the mass of the sample passing 4.75 is too large,
riffle, weigh then grade on sieves 2.36 mm to 75
microns.
If not, continue sieving til 75 microns without riffling.
Record the mass retained on each sieve.
Liquid Limit: Cone Penetrometer Method position, moving the cup slightly will mark the soil
surface.
1. Take a sample about 600 g, place it in a container.
10. Record the initial reading. Release the cone for 5
Add water and let it soak.
sec.
2. Wet sieve the sample using 425 micron. Disregard
11. Move the dial gauge to contact with cone shaft
the soil retained.
and record the final reading. Record the
3. Place the soil passing 425 micron back in the
difference between the initial and final.
container with water and let the soil settle at the
12. Lift out the cone and clean it carefully to avoid
bottom.
scratching.
4. Siphon the water from the soil sample to
13. Add a little more water to the soil sample and
separate.
repeat steps 7 12.
5. Air-dry the soil sample.
14. Average the two penetration readings if the
6. Take about 300 g of the air dried sample and place
difference is not more than 0.5 mm.
it on a glass plate.
15. Take a sample, about 10 g. , from the area
7. Add water to the sample and mix till it forms a
penetrated by the cone and determine moisture
paste
content.
8. Fill the liquid limit cup with the prepared paste,
16. Repeat steps 7-15 for at least three times,
taking care not to trap air. Strike excess soil with
proceeding from drier to wetter conditions. The
spatula.
penetration values shall be approximately 15 mm
9. Place the liquid limit cup with soil in the cone
to 25 mm.
penetrometer. Make sure the cone is in correct