REG363 SITE INVESTIGATION

SEMESTER I 2014/2015
NAME : LEONG KOK TONG
(114649)
ANG QIU MEI
(114594)
TING SIEW JING
(114813)
SITI SABREENA HAJI SHUKRI
(114787)

LECTURER : DR. NOOR FAISAL ABAS

Submission Date : 16th December 2014

EXPERIMENT 1

Experiment No.1 : Determination of the

moisture content (Oven Drying Method)
Nature of Test : Moisture Content Test
Objective : To determine the moisture content
of a given soil sample by using the oven-drying
method.
Definition of Moisture Content
The mass of water which can be removed from
the soil, usually by heating at 105C, expressed as
a percentage of the dry mass.

Calculation

The moisture content is then calculated

using the definition of moisture content.

Results
The moisture content of the soil, w, for values > 10% shall be
reported to two significant figure. For moisture content > 10% the
result shall be reported to the nearest whole number.

Conclusion

The moisture content of the soil sample

= 20.69%

By converting to nearest whole number

is equal to 21%. It means in every 1m3 of
soil, there is 0.21m3 of water.

EXPERIMENT 2

Experiment No.2 : Determination of

the liquid limit (Cone Penetrometer
Method)
Nature of Test : Liquid Limit Test
Objective : To determine the liquid
limit (LL) of the air dried soil by using the
penetrometer method.
Definition of Liquid Limit (LL)
The moisture content at which a soil
passes from the plastic to the liquid
state, as determined by the liquid limit

Procedure

Calculation

The relationship between the moisture

content and the cone penetration shall
be plotted with the percentage moisture
contents as abscissae and the cone
penetration as ordinates, both on linear
scales. The best straight line fitting the
plotted points shall be drawn through
them.

Calculation

Calculation
below will take test number 1 as an

example.
= 14.8g 12.4g
= 2.4g
= 12.4g 7.9g
= 4.5g
=
= 53.3%
= 53%

Results

The moisture content corresponding to a cone

penetration of 20mm shall be taken as the liquid
limit of the soil and shall be expressed to the
whole number.

Graph Result

From the graph, the moisture content corresponding to a

cone penetration of 20mm is 57.65%. The liquid limit is

EXPERIMENT 3
Experiment No. 3 : Determination of the plastic limit
and plasticity index
Nature of Test : Plastic Limit (PL) and Plasticity
Index (PI) Test
Objective : To determine the plastic limit and the
plasticity index of a given soil sample.
Definition of Plastic Limit
The moisture content of which a soil becomes too dry to
be in a plastic condition, as determine by the plastic limit
test.
Definition of Plasticity Index
The numerical difference between the liquid limit and the
plastic limit of a soil.

Results

The average of the moisture content determined shall be

taken as the plastic limit (PL) of the soil and expressed to
the nearest whole number. If the two results differ by
>0.5% moisture content the test shall be repeated.

Calculations

Calculation
Liquid Limit (LL) (Results from Experiment
No.2) = 58%
Plastic Limit (PL) =29.5% = 30%
Plasticity Index (LL-PL) = 58% - 30 % = 38%
Conclusion
The Plasticity index is 38 % while the plastic
limit is 30 %.

EXPERIMENT 5

Experiment No. 5 : Determination of

the specific gravity of soil particles.
Nature of Test : Specific Gravity Test
Objective : To determine the specific
gravity of a given soil sample

Results

The specific gravity of the soil particles shall be

reported to the nearest 0.01. If the two results
differ >0.03 the tests shall be repeated.

Calculations

The
specific gravity, Gs, of the soil particles shall
be calculated from the equation.

Where m1 is the mass of conical flask and glass

plate (g)
m2 is the mass of conical flask, plate and soil (g)

m3 is the mass of conical flask, plate ,soil and

water (g)
m4 is the mass of conical flask, plate and water (g)
Conclusion : The specific gravity of the soil
particles is 2.57g.

EXPERIMENT 6

Experiment 6: Determination of the

particle size distribution
Nature of Test:
Particle size
distribution test
Object: To determine the particle size
distribution of a givens oil sample by
using the standard method by wet
sieving.

Method

(1) After an hour of sedimentation,

sample is washed thoroughly by hand.
(2) The sample is placing into the
sieve and then weighed.

Calculation

The results obtained was then be reported

on a semi-logarithmic chart.
Alternatively, the results was reported in
the form of a table showing to nearest 1%,
the percentage by mass passing each of
the sieves used.

Percentage retained on any sieve= x 100

The cumulative percentages on any mass

of the sample passing each of the sieves
was then calculated.

Results

(i) The results of the data has been tabulated.

Graph result

(ii) The results of the graph has been plotted.

EXPERIMENT 7

Experiment 7: Determination of the

Organic Matter Content
Nature of Test:
Organic Matter
Content Test
Objective: To determine the organic
matter content of a given soil sample
using the loss on ignition method

Method

The clean and dry crucible are weighed and placed in the
muffle furnace with dried soil

Results

The organic matter content by loss on

ignition will be reported as a percentage
to the nearest 0.1%.

Calculations

Calculation: The organic matter content

shall be calculated from the equation.

=11.3%
Conclusion: The organic matter content
by loss on ignition is 11.3%

EXPERIMENT 8

Experiment 8: Determination of the

pH value
Nature of Test: pH value test
Object: To determine the pH value of a
given soil suspension using the
electronic method.

Results

Reporting of results: The pH value of

the soil suspension will be reported to
the nearest 0.1 unit.

(i) The results of the data has been tabulated.

Conclusion: The pH value of the soil

suspension is 5.1

EXPERIMENT 9

Experiment 9: Determination of the dry

density/moisture content relationship
(4.5kg Rammer Method)
Nature of Test:
Soil Compaction Test
Object: To determine the dry density/moisture
content relationship (4.5kg Rammer Method) of a
given soil
Definition of dry density/moisture content
relationship: The relationship between dry
density and moisture content of a soil when a
given compactive effort is employed.

Calculations
The bulk density, in Mg/m3 of each compacted specimen

=
where m1 is the mass of mould and base (g)

m2 is the mass of mould, base and soil (g)

The dry density, d in Mg/m3, shall be calculated

d=

where w is the moisture content of soil (%)

The dry density, d obtained in a series of determination
shall be plotted against the corresponding moisture
contents, w. A smooth curve shall be drawn through the
resulting points and the position of the maximum on this
curve shall be determined; the 0%, 5% and 10% voids lines
shall be plotted for comparisons.

Results

Reporting of results: The experimental points

and the smooth curve drawn through them
showing the relationship between moisture
content and dry density was reported. The dry
density in Mg/m3corresponding to the maximum
point on the moisture content/dry density curve
was reported as the maximum dry density, to the
nearest 0.01.
The percentage moisture content corresponding to
the maximum dry density on the moisture
content/dry density curve was reported as the
optimum moisture content.

Data

(i) The results of the details and results has been tabulated.

Graph data

Conclusion
For test 1
The bulk density
=
=
=1.880 Mg/m3

The dry density

Conclusion: From the graph of dry density of soil

d =
(Mg/m3)
to moisture content (%), the maximum
=
dry
density
=1.79
Mg/m3 is 1.84 Mg/m3 correspond to the
optimum moisture content which is 14 %

EXPERIMENT 10

Experiment 10 : Determination of dry

density of soil on the site (Sand
Replacement Method)
Nature of Test : In Situ Dry Density Test
Objective : To determine the dry density
of soil on the site using the sand
replacement method (Small Pouring
Cylinder Method)

Results

n Situ Dry Density Test Data (Small Pouring Cylinder Method)

Calculations
The dry density, d in Mg/ m3, shall be
calculated
d = 100 100+w
where w is the moisture content of soil (%)

Conclusions : The dry density of the soil

sample is 1.51 Mg/m3 with water content of
13%. The dry density is determined using
Small Pouring Cylinder
method.

EXPERIMENT 11

Experiment 11 : Mackintosh Probing

using the Mackintosh Prospecting Tool
Nature of Test : Mackintosh Probing
using the Mackintosh Prospecting Tool
Objective : To determine the
consistency of the soil and establish the
soil profile during site investigation

Results
Mackintosh Probe Test Data

Calculations

Conclusion

CONCLUSION

EXPERIMENT 12

Experiment 12 : Determination of
shear strength in the field by the vane
test
Nature of Test : In-situ vane shear test
on weak intact cohesive soils
Objective : To determine the in-situ
vane shear strength of weak intact
cohesive soils at the bottom of boreholes

Results
In-situ Vane Shear Test Data

Calculations
The in-situ vane shear strength of the soil in kN/m2 shall be
calculated by:
i) Multiply readings by a factor of 2 for 16 x 32mm vanes
ii) Direct readings for 20 x 40mm vanes
iii) Multiply readings by a factor of 0.5 for 1 inch x 2 inch
vanes

In the case which 1 inch x 2 inch vanes are used, in-situ

vane shear strength = Graduated scale reading at
maximum torque x 0.5
= 3 x 0.5
= 1.5kN/m2

Conclusion

The in-situ vane shear strength of the

soil is 1.5kN/m2.

EXPERIMENT 14

Experiment 14 : Determination of the

unconfined compressive strength
(Portable Autographic Method)
Nature of Test : Unconfined
Compressive Strength Test of Cohesive
Soil
Objective : To determine the
unconfined compressive strength of
cohesive soil by means of a portable
autographic method

Soil sample site view (HBP)

Sample is taken from site.

Method

The soil is placed at the apparatus vertical platform. The apparatus is

then revolved until the sample eventually fails.

Results
Autographic Unconfined Compression Test Data

Calculations

Calculations

Conclusion : The unconfined compressive

strength is
68kN/m2. The strain at
failure is 4.90%, as
calculated by the ratio
of the difference in
length to the