BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ARTS

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND SANITARY ENGINEERING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1:
SOIL MECHANICS

LABORATORY REPORT NO. 3

HYDROMETER ANALYSIS

GROUP NO. 1
CE 4102

GROUP MEMBERS:

BALANI, ERIKA S.
CABUNGCAL, JOHN LESTER B.
CONTI, JENEVA B.
MEDRANO, JOHN NICHOLE L.
PEREZ, ANN JEANNETTE C.
TOREJA, ROMARK P.

ENGR. CRISTINA AMOR M. ROSALES

INSTRUCTOR

September 16, 2016

 BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ARTS
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND SANITARY ENGINEERING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1:
SOIL MECHANICS

LABORATORY REPORT NO. 1

DISTURBED AND UNDISTURBED SOIL SAMPLING

GROUP NO. 1
CE 4102

GROUP MEMBERS:

BALANI, ERIKA S.
CABUNGCAL, JOHN LESTER B.
CONTI, JENEVA B.
MEDRANO, JOHN NICHOLE L.
PEREZ, ANN JEANNETTE C.
TOREJA, ROMARK P.

ENGR. CRISTINA AMOR M. ROSALES

INSTRUCTOR

September 16, 2016

 BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ARTS
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND SANITARY ENGINEERING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1:
SOIL MECHANICS

LABORATORY REPORT NO. 2

SIEVE ANALYSIS

GROUP NO. 1
CE 4102

GROUP MEMBERS:

BALANI, ERIKA S.
CABUNGCAL, JOHN LESTER B.
CONTI, JENEVA B.
MEDRANO, JOHN NICHOLE L.
PEREZ, ANN JEANNETTE C.
TOREJA, ROMARK P.

ENGR. CRISTINA AMOR M. ROSALES

INSTRUCTOR

September 16, 2016

INTRODUCTION

Hydrometer analysis is a widely used method of obtaining the distribution of soil

particle sizes from the No. 200 sieve. The data are presented on a semi-logarithmic plot of
percent finer vs. particle diameters.

The hydrometer analysis is based on Stokes Law; this law assumes that the
dispersed soil particles of different sizes settle in water due to its own weight as non-
interacting spheres. It follows the principle that as the grain-size is bigger, meaning, the
greater weight it has, the faster it will settle to the bottom of the container as it is imposed in
a viscous fluid. The grain diameter can also be calculated through the knowledge of the
distance and time of fall principle.

REFERENCE TO THE PROCEDURE

ASTM 152H Soil Hydrometer

PROCEDURE

1. Take a 50 g of air dry soil in a beaker. (Sample soil passed through Sieve No. 200)
2. Add 125 cc of distilled water and stir the soil suspension. This should be allowed to
soak for about 8-12 hours.
3. Transfer the suspension to a 1000 cc graduated cylinder and add 875cc of distilled
water.
4. Mix the soil suspension by placing the palm of the right hand over the open end and
holding the bottom of the cylinder with the left hand turning the cylinder upside down
and back. Make sure there is no soil tuck to the base of the graduated cylinder.
5. After shaking, immediately place the hydrometer on the cylinder and start the timer.
6. Take the subsequent hydrometer readings at elapsed timings of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8,
15, 30, 60 minutes and every one hour thereafter.
7. Each time a reading is taken, remove the hydrometer from the suspension and place
it to another graduated cylinder with distilled water.
8. Continue recording operation of the hydrometer reading until the hydrometer reads
zero.

DISCUSSION

The hydrometer analysis is a process of grain-size determination that usually takes

long hours. A hydrometer is an instrument which is used to measure the relative density of a
liquid. Hydrometer is made of glass and mainly consists of two parts: a bulb at bottom with
mercury and a cylindrical stem with graduation marks. The lower the density of the liquid the
more the hydrometer will sink.
FIGURES AND TABLE

The following are the results of the Hydrometer Analysis.

HYDROMETER
TIME L D Percent Finer
READING
(min) (cm) (mm)
(mm)
0.25 40 9.7 0.07599 11.8
0.50 36 10.4 0.05564 12.7
1 33 10.9 0.04028 13.3
2 29 11.5 0.02925 14
4 24 12.4 0.02148 15.1
8 16 13.7 0.01597 16.7
15 12 14.3 0.01191
30 9 14.8 0.00857
60 5 15.5 0.00620
120 3 15.8 0.00443
180 2 16 0.00364
240 1 16.1 0.00316
300 0.5 16.2 0.00284
330 0 16.3 0.00271

T = 30
Gs = 2.65
K = 0.0122

CALCULATIONS

Formula to get the particle diameter:

D=K
L (cm)
t (min)

When t = 0.25 min. When t = 0.50 min. When t = 1 min.

D = 0.07599 mm. D = 0.05564 mm. D = 0.04028 mm.

When t = 2 mins. When t = 4 mins. When t = 8 mins.

D = 0.02925 mm. D = 0.02148 mm. D = 0.01597 mm.

 When t = 15 mins. When t = 30 mins. When t = 60 mins.

D = 0.01191 mm. D = 0.00857 mm. D = 0.00620 mm.

When t = 120 mins. When t = 180 mins. When t = 240 mins.

D = 0.00443 mm. D = 0.00364 mm. D = 0.00316 mm.

When t = 300 mins. When t = 330 mins.

D = 0.00284 mm. D = 0.00271 mm.

Percent Finer, PF
PFtime= L x K x 100%
PF0.25=9.7 x 0.0122 x 100% = 11.8%
PF0.50=10.4 x 0.0122 x 100% = 12.7%
PF1=10.9 x 0.0122 x 100% = 13.3%
PF2=11.5 x 0.0122 x 100% = 14%
PF4=12.4 x 0.0122 x 100% = 15.1%
PF8=13.7 x 0.0122 x 100% = 16.7%
PF15=14.3 x 0.0122 x 100% = 17.4%
PF30=14.8 x 0.0122 x 100% = 18.1%
PF60=15.5 x 0.0122 x 100% = 18.9%
PF0.25=9.7 x 0.0122 x 100% = 11.83%

HYDROMETER
TIME L D
READING
(min) (cm) (mm)
(mm)
0.25 40 9.7 0.07599
0.50 36 10.4 0.05564
1 33 10.9 0.04028
2 29 11.5 0.02925
4 24 12.4 0.02148
8 16 13.7 0.01597
15 12 14.3 0.01191
30 9 14.8 0.00857
 60 5 15.5 0.00620
120 3 15.8 0.00443
180 2 16 0.00364
240 1 16.1 0.00316
300 0.5 16.2 0.00284
330 0 16.3 0.00271

CONCLUSION

Based on the results, it was clearly represented that the Hydrometer Analysis is a
useful method in determining the grain size of finer soil particles which were not able to be
determined by sieve analysis. By considering time intervals and readings in the hydrometer,
we can say that the longer the time is, the lower the reading in the hydrometer becomes.
This shows that the particles begin to settle down. It is important to employ patience
performing this experiment. We had observed that the weight factor of the particle is really
the principal consideration in this experiment since we have to wait until the soil particles
settle down. It was also very necessary to assign persons to look after the hydrometer to
make sure consistency in accurate reading.

REFERENCE

Hydrometer Analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved September 15, 2016, from UTA:

http://www.uta.edu/ce/geotech/lab/Main/Hydrometer/index.htm

Suryakanta. (n.d.). HYDROMETER ANALYSIS OF SOIL - WHAT, WHY & HOW? Retrieved
September 15, 2016, from http://civilblog.org/2015/11/18/hydrometer-analysis-o-soil-
what-why-how/#
APPENDIX

DOCUMENTATION

Materials: 1000cc graduated Transferring the suspension

cylinder, distilled water, hydrometer to a 1000cc graduated
and soil sample cylinder
 Adding 875cc of distilled Shaking the graduated
water cylinder upside down and
back

Placing hydrometer in the Reading the hydrometer

graduated cylinder immediately
after shaking

After each reading, the hydrometer Hydrometer

is placed in another graduated reading at t =
cylinder with distilled water. 330mins.