VOLUME I - SOIL AND SOIL AGGREGATES

TEST
1

Sampling Aggregates

SIGNIFICANCE

FORMULA

to determine the availability and suitability of the largest

single constituent entering into the construction

NOTES
influences the type of construction from the standpoint of
economics and governs the necessary material control to
ensure durability if the resulting structure, from the aggregate
standpoint

from flowing aggregate stream (bins or belt discharge)

fom converyor belt
from stockpiles or transportation units
from roadway (bases & subbases)
Preparation of Disturbed Soil Samples for
Test
Mechanical & Specific Gravity
9.5mm-0.5kg; 25mm-2kg; 50mm-4kg; 75mm-5kg/for hydrometer & sieve analysis: passing 2mm-110g for sandy; 60g for silty or clayey; for SG 60C
retained at at 2mm sieve-Coarse: 25g volumetric flask; 10g bottle
Physical Test
separate passing 2mm using 0.425mm; passing 0.425mm for limits tests
Moisture Density Relations
separate remaining portion of sample using 4.75mm or 19mm sieve/Compaction Test
Thin-walled Tube Sampling of Soils
for relatively undisturbed soils samples suitable for
not permitted - bottom discharge bits/jetting through an
laboratory tests for structural properties
open-tube sampler to clean out the borehole sampling
elevation
Preparation of Undisturbed Soil Samples using any drilling equipment that provides clean hole
for density, permeability, consolidation & other shear
for Test
before insertion of thin walled tubes/both natural density
test/done in humid room
& moisture content are preserved
Reducing Field Samples of Aggregates to Method A - mechanical splitter; Method B - Quartering;
fine aggregates drier that saturated-surface-dry condition Testing Size
Method C - miniature stockpile
use Method A; free moisture - use Method B or C

Determination of Moisture Content

Particle Size Analysis of Soils

ratio of the weight/mass of water in the soil ti the

MC=[(W1-W2)/(W2weight/mass of the dry soil after it has been dried to
Wc)]x100
constant weight/mass at a temperature of 1105C
determination of particle size distribution in soils by sieve,
hydrometer or a combined analysis

gravel +2mm; sand -2mm +0.075mm; silt - Hygroscopic Moisture

0.075mm +0.002mm; clay -0.02mm

MatE review/SoilAggreTest/Page 1 of 4

HM = (wt. of air-dried - wt.

of oven-dried)/wt. of ovendried

W1-container+wet soil; W2-container+dry soil; Wc-container

9.5mm-0.5kg; 25mm-2g; 50mm-4g; 75mm-5g / portion

passing 2mm or 0.425mm (No.40) - Hydrometer 100g for
sandy soil; 50g for silty or clayey soil; Hygroscopic Moisture
Determination - 10g
Correction on mass of air-dried sample = 100/(100+%HM)

TEST

Amount of Material Finer than 0.075mm

Sieve

Determination of Liquid Limit

SIGNIFICANCE

FORMULA

NOTES

Percentage of Soil in Suspension for Hydrometer A (152H)

P = (Ra/Ws)x100

R - corrected hydrometer reading; Ws - dry weight/mass of

soil dispersed; a - constant that varies w/ Gs

Percentage of Soil in Suspension for Hydrometer B(151H)

P = [1606(R-1)a/Ws]x100

Diameter of Particle in Suspension

D = [30nL/980(Gs-Gm)T]

Gs-a; 2.95-0.94; 2.85-0.96; 2.75-0.98; 2.65-1.00; 2.55-1.02;

2.45-1.05; 2.35-1.08
D-max particle diameter (mm); -coefficient of viscosity; Ldistance of surface of suspension to center of volume of
hydrpometer (cm) ; period of sedimentation (minutes); Gsspecific gravity of soil particles; Gm-specific gravity of
suspending medium
dry at 1105C, weigh nearest 0.1%; add water & agitate;
pour water over the nested sieve (1.18mm over 0.075m) until
clear; dry & weigh

can be separated much more efficiently and completely by %passing 0.075mm by wet
wet sieving prior dry sieving; AASHTO T 27
sieve = (orig dry - dry after
washing)/orig dry

lowest moisture content at which soil will flow upon the

application of very small shearing force; LL - moisture
content corresponding to 25 blows
10 Determination of Plastic Limit and Plasticity Index
Plastic Limit
minimum moisture content at which soil can be readily
molded without breaking or crumbling
Plasticity Index
indicates compressibility; high P.I. = high compressibility /
lower permeability
11 Determination of Shrinkage Limit of Soil between semi-solid & solid stated states; highest moisture
content of which the mass attains its maximum volume but
continues to lose weight/mass

%Moisture =
[(W1-W2)/W2]x100

W1-wet; W2-dry

PL = [(Wa-Wb)/Wb]x100

Wa-crumbled; Wb-dry

12 Determination of Specific Gravity of Soil

Gavg=1/[(R1/100G1)+(P1/1 R1-% etained on 4.75mm sieve; P1-%passing 4.75mm sieve;

00G2)]
G1-specific gravity of retained; G2-specific gravity of passing

ratio of the weight/mass in air of a given volume of a

material to the weight/mass in air of an equal volume of
water at a stated temperature

PI = LL - PL
SL = w-[(V-Vo)/Wo]x100
w=[(wet-dry)/dry]x100

Gs=WsGtx/[Ws+(Wa-Wb)]

13 Compaction Test / Moisture Density Relation Test of Soil

MatE review/SoilAggreTest/Page 2 of 4

w-moisture content; V-volume of wet soil pat; Vo-volume of

oven-dried soil pat; Wo-wt/mass of oven-dried soil pat

Gs-specific gravity of soil; Ws-mass of oven-dried soil, Wamass of pycnometer+water at T1; Wb-mass of
pycnometer+water+soil at T1; Tx-temperature of contents;
Gtx-density of distilled water at Tx

TEST
Compaction

14 Determination of Density of Soil In-place

by the Sand Cone Method
Density
Field Density Test
15 California Bearing Ratio Test

16 Unit Weight/Mass Determination in

Aggregates
17 Determination of Organic Impurities in
Sands of Concrete

18 Effect of Inorganic Impurities in Fine

Aggregates on Strength of Mortar

19 Soundness Test by the use of Sodium or

Magnesium Sulfate

MatE review/SoilAggreTest/Page 3 of 4

SIGNIFICANCE

FORMULA

NOTES

application of energy and addition of water as lubricant;

results in reduction of pore spaces and increase of density
by rearrangement of particle grains; mass becomes more
stable and impermeable; attain maximum stability; makes
fill impervious

w=[(A-B)/(B-C)]x100;
W=[W1/(w+100)]x100;
optimum moisture contentvertex of the curve; max dry
density-corresponding
density of optimum
moisture content

w-% of moisture on oven-dry mass; A-container+wet soil; Bcontainer+dry soil; C-container; W-dry mass of compacted
soil; W1-wet mass of compacted soil; using 2.5kg rammer &
305mm drop (5.5lb/12");

weight/mass per unit volume

control test in embankment construction to ensure
highway specs - not less
adequate compaction
than 95%
determination of the bearing ratio of soil when compacted
and tested in laboratory condition by comparing the
penetration load of the soil to that of a standard material;
measuring resistance of soil to penetration
used in volumetric-gravimetric calculations
determines the presence of injurious organic compounds
natural sands which are to be used in cement mortar or
concrete; furnish warning that further tests are necessary
before approval
significant in making a final determination of the
acceptability of fine aggregates for Portland Cement
Concrete (AASHTO M6); applicable only to samples which
produce darker color when tested for Organic Impurities

determines the resistance of aggregates to disintegration

by saturated solutions of sodium sulfate or magnesium
sulfate; to eveluate soundness of aggregates subject to
weathering action

if darker, perform effect of

organic impurities on the
strength of mortar

450g sample; 3%NaOH solution; reference color/ fill 130ml

sample, add 3%NaOH solution up to 200mL; stopper, shake &
allow to settle for 24hrs

compressive strength = max

load/cross-sectional area;
strength ratio =
unwashed/washed

use sample from (17); wash until NaOH has been removed;
test using phenolphthalein or litmus; stength comparison at 7
days (3 batches unwashed & 3 batches washed - mold 3 2"
cube per batch); consistency = 1005; 231.7C; 600g
cement/360mL water
sodium sulfate soln - 350g anhydrous salt/L water or 750g
decahydrate salt/L water; SG=1.54-1.174 magnesium sulfate
soln - 1400g heptahydrate/L water; SG=1.295-1.174; 5
cycles of immersion & drying; 12.7mm depth @ 211C

TEST
20 Mortar Strength Test

SIGNIFICANCE

FORMULA

to determine compressive strength of hydraulic cement

and mortars; used to predict the strength of concrete

flow - resulting increase in

average base diameter of
the mortar mass (%)

6 speciments: 500g cement; 1,375g sand; 242mL water

(230 mL for air-entraining)

compressive strength = max

load/cross-sectional area;

NOTES
1part cement:2.75part sand water-cement ratio = 0.485 for
portland cement; 0.460 for air-entraining portland cement
flow = 1105

21 Determination of Specific Gravity and Absorption of Fine and Coarse Aggregate

Bulk Specific Gravity
generally used for calculation of the volume occupied by aggregate in various mixtures (portland cement concrete, bituminous concrete) that are
proportioned & analyzed on an absolute volume basis
Absorption
change in the weight of aggregate due to water absorbed in the pore spaces within the constituent particles
Fine Aggregates
1kg; 1105C; immersion; 15-19hrs; slump @ surface-dry BSG=A/(B+S-C)
Abs=[(S- A-dry sample in air; B-pyc+water; C-pyc+sample+water; Scondition/ 500g to pycnometer+water; 231.7C, weigh/ A)/A]x100
saturated surface-dry
1105C for 11/2hr, weigh
Coarse Aggregates
BSG = A/(B-C)
Abs=[(B- A-dry sample in air; B-saturated surface-dry in air; C-saturated
A)/A]x100
in water
22 Abrasion Test
evaluates the structural strength of coarse aggregate;
Abrassion loss,
abrasive charge - consist of cast-iron spheres or steel spheres
indicates quality as determined by resistance to impact & %wear=(original volumeapprox. 46.8" & each weighing 390 & ___g/ 30-33 rpm; 500
wear
retained in sieve No.
rev/ separate by 1.70mm (No. 12) coarser that 1.70mm dry at
12)/original volume
105-110C

MatE review/SoilAggreTest/Page 4 of 4