Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory Manual pdf

Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory Manual pdf:  Geo technical is a branch of engineering concerned with engineering behavior of earth material. In  geotechnical engineering, soils are consider a three-phase material composed of rock or mineral particles, water and air. The voids of soil, the space in between mineral particles, contain water and air.

Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory Manual pdf

The engineering properties of soils are affected by four main  factors: The predominate size of  mineral particles, The type of mineral particle, the grain size distribution, the relative quantities of mineral, water and air present in soil matrix. Fine particles(fines) are defined as particles less than 0.075 mm diameter.

Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory 

Some of the soil properties are should analyze by the geotechnical engineers for designing earthworks, retaining structures, and foundation are: Unit Weight, Porosity, Void ratio, Permeability, Compressibilty, Shear strength, Atterberg limits.

Some of the Geo Technical laboratory experiments are

1. Determination of moisture content.
2. Determination of specific gravity.
3. Field density test.
4. Grain size analysis.
5. Determination of consistency limit.
6. Density index/Relative index.
7. Permeability test
8. Proctor test. 
9. Vane shear test.  
10. Direct shear test.
11. Unconfined Compression test.
12. Undrained Trixial test.
13. Consolidation test.
14. California bearing radio test.

                     DETERMINATION OF MOISTURE CONTENT

OBJECTIVE:

Determine the natural content of the given soil sample.

SCOPE OF THE EXPERIMENT:

We should know the natural moisture content in soil to learn about the all soil mechanics. The natural moisture in soil gives the state of soil in that field.

DEFINITION

The natural water content also called the natural moisture content is the ratio of weight of water to weight to the weight of solid in a given mass of soil. The ratio is expressed in percentage.

APPARATUS REQUIRED:

1. Non-corrodible air-tight container.
2. Electric oven, maintain temperature between 1050C to 1100c
3. Desiccator.
4. Balance of sufficient sensitivity.

PROCEDURE:

1. Clean the with lid dry it with and weigh it (W1).
2. Take specimen of sample in the container and weigh with lid (W2).
3. Keep the container in the oven with lid removed. Dry specimen to constant weight maintaining the temperature between 1050c to 1100c for a peroid varying with the type of soilbut usually 16 to 24 hours.
4. Record the final constant weigh (W3) of the container with dried soil sample. peat and other organic soils are to be dried at lower temp says 600c possibly for longer peroid.

Certain soil contain gypsum which on heating loses its water if crystallization. If suspected that gypsum is present in soil sample used for moisture content determination shall be dried at not more than 800C and possibly for longer time.

Record the observation.

RESULT: The natural moisture content of the soil sample is -----

GENERAL REMARKS:

A container without lead can be used. When moist sample is weighed immediately after placing the container and oven dried sample is weighed immediately after cooling a desiccator.