De La Salle University

Civil Engineering Department

Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory 1

Lab Report
Experiment no. 2
Determining the Specific Gravity of Soil

Submitted by:
Abigail Marie R. Lorico
11144742
Section EJ1

I.

Objectives

a. To know the procedure of determining the specific gravity of each specimen.

b. To evaluate which sample of specimen is lighter or heavier than the other.
II.

Data
Description of Sample: Silty Sand

Before

After

1092.1g

1092.0 g

Mass of pycnometer + soil + water (Mpws)

Temperature (TX)
Mass of pycnometer + water at TX (Mpw)
Pan number
Mass of Pan (Md)
Mass of Pan + oven-dried soil (Mds)
Mass of Soils (MS)
Conversion Factor (K)
Specific Gravity of Soil

26.7 degree Celsius

1004.3 g
1 (Big)
340.1 g
490g
150g
0.99836
2.40 g

Description of Sample: Ottawa Sand

Before

After

1079.6 g

1079.5 g

Mass of pycnometer + soil + water (Mpws)

Temperature (TX)
Mass of pycnometer + water at TX (Mpw)
Pan number
Mass of Pan (Md)
Mass of Pan + oven-dried soil (Mds)
Mass of Soils (MS)
Conversion Factor (K)
Specific Gravity of Soil
III.

27.9 degree Celsius

986.5 g
2 (small)
215.5 g
365.5g
150g
0.99822
3.36 g

Computation and graphs

Silty Sand
Conversion factor:

2726.7
2726.5
=
0.9983K 0.99830.9984
Specific Gravity:

K = 0.99836

G=

K (Ms )
Ms +Mpw ( at Tx )Mpws

G=

0.99836(150)
150+1004.31092

G=

2.40 g

Ottawa Sand
Conversion factor:

27 .527.4
27 .527
=
0.9982K 0.99820.9983

K = 0.99822

Specific Gravity:

G=

K (Ms )
Ms+ Mpw ( at Tx )Mpws

G=

0.99822(150)
150+ 986.51092

G=
IV.

3.36 g

Discussions (must include observation of specimens and verification of test results)

The procedure is quite long to follow since the experiment requires two kind of soil. First
observation was that the temperature of the water in the volumetric flask is
constant. A 500 ml of water was measure using a thermometer. It was measure at
300 ml, at 400 ml, and 500 ml. Before reducing the amount of water and pouring
the soil into the flask, the flask with 500 ml of water must be weighed first. You
may have to repeat if the flask was not weighed and you proceeded with pouring
soil.
Using a funnel the soil was neatly transferred in the flask. But some soil
substance stacked on the sides of the flask. It was carefully
removed by gently shaking the water inside the flask. Next was
the vacuum. The group noticed that while using the vacuum
pump both the specimens have substances floating on the water
surface. Few of the soil samples in the flask lifted and more
remained at the bottom of the flask.

V.

Conclusion

The group has determined the specific gravity of each specimen through the data generated in the
experiment. A conversion factor was also computed through interpolation method. Silty sand is
lighter than Ottawa Sand.

VI.

VII.

Recommendation
Always read the procedures before every experiment. Note which step goes first and which can be
last. For time efficiency, everyone must do something. Teamwork, one may weigh, the other may
measure, observe, take notes or clean.

Reference
ASTM, 1998 Annual Book of ASTM Standards, West Conshohoocken, PA, 1998. Copyright,
American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Habor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 194282959. Reprinted with permission.
Joseph E. Bowles, Engineering Properties of Soils and Their Measurement, 2d ed., McGraw-Hill
Book Company, New York, 1978.