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Manual of Soil Laboratory Testing Volume 1 PDF

manual-of-soil-laboratory-testing

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Olesea Cojocaru
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Manual of Soil Laboratory Testing Volume 1 PDF

manual-of-soil-laboratory-testing

Uploaded by

Olesea Cojocaru
Copyright
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Manual of Soil Laboratory Testing Volume 1: Soil Classification and Compaction Tests Third Edition K. H. Head, MA (Cantab), C. Eng, FICE, FGS. Whittles Publishing @) CRC Press Tyler Sra Gowp Published by Whittles Publishing, Dunbeath Mains Cottages, Dunbeath, Caithness KW6 6EY, Scotland, UK. ‘woww.whitlespublishing.com Distributed in North America by ‘CRC Press LLC, ‘Taylor and Francis Group, 6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, ‘Boca Raton, FL 33487, USA, © 2006 K H Head Ist edition 1980 2nd edition 1992 ISBN 1-904445-36-5 USA ISBN 1-4200-4467-2 Allrights reserved. No part ofthis publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, ‘mechanical, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the publishers. Typeset by Sharon MeTeir, Creative Publishing Services @® weru uprary I '285070201060903621 Printed by Athenaeum Press Ltd., Gateshead, UK, Preface to third edition This book, the firstof series of three is intended primarily asa working manual for laboratory technicians and others engaged on the testing of soils ina laboratory for building and civil engineering purposes. This third edition has been revised to bring the procedures into line ‘with the current requirements of BS 1377: 1990, including its subsequent amendments ‘The book is based on my own experience over many years both in managing large soil testing laboratories and in the instruction of technicians and engineers in test procedures in the UK and overseas. I have made a special effort to explain those points of detail that are often the cause of difficulty or misunderstanding. The step-by-step presentation of procedures, the use of flow diagrams, and the setting out of test data and calculations are provided for this purpose, especially for the newcomer to soil testing, It is necessary that those calculations should be properly understood. ‘This Volume presents details ofthe methods and equipment used in soil classification and compaction tests, the former including relevant chemical tests. Most ofthese procedures are covered by British Standards, the most important being BS 1377: 1990, Methods of test for soils for civil engineering purposes, Patts 1, 2,3 and 4. The book is nota substitute forthe ‘Standard, but it augments its requirements by its essentially practical approach, References to certain US (ASTM) Standards are included, and some guidance is given on the quality assurance requirements of UKAS, especially regarding calibration procedures. Forthcoming revised editions of Volumes 2 and 3 will similarly relate to Parts 5, 6, 7 and 8 of BS 1377. Abasic knowledge of mathematics, physics and chemistry is assumed, but some of the fundamental principles that are essential in soil testing are explained where appropriate. hope that the sections giving background information, general applications and basic theory will enable technicians to obtain a better appreciation of the purpose and significance of the tests they perform. The inclusion of a chapter on soil description is intended as an. introduction to that important aspect of soil mechanics, and might perhaps stimulate an interest in the broader topic of geology. ‘Thope that this book will continue to be well used in the laboratory, and I would welcome any comments and criticisms from those who use it. KH. Head Cobham, Surrey Acknowledgements Lam grateful to ELE International for supplying many of the photographs used in this volume, Thanks are also due to: British Standards Institution; Impact-Test Ltd.; Soil Mechanics; Soil Property Testing Ltd; Transport Research Laboratory and Veolia ‘Water Systems for permission to reproduce photographs, data and figures. I would also like to thank Cranfield University and the Macaulay Institute for supplying exclusive photographs for this edition. I would like to extend my gratitude to those who have provided valuable assistance in the preparation of this revision, especially Peter Keeton, John Masters, David Norbury, Philip Sherwood, Simon Townend and Dr Mike Winter, T would also like to express my sincere thanks to Dr Keith Whittles, who came to the rescue with his offer to produce a real book when others offered only an electronic version. Contents Preface . ‘Acknowledgements. a% 1 | Scope and genera requirments 1.1 Introduction a 1.2. Laboratory equipment.. 1.3. Techniques 14. Care of samples . 4.5. Preparation of disturbed samples for testing 4.6. Safety in the laboratory. ..nniuennnns 4.7 Calibration .. 2 Moisture content and index tests 2.4 Introduction 22 Definitions 23 TheO%Y en 24 Applications 25 Moisture content tests 26 Liquid and plastic 2.7 Shrinkage tosts 28. Empiical index tests 29 Soll suction 3 Density and particle density ... 3.4. Introduction : 3.2 Definitions .. 3.3 Theory . 3.4. Applications 3.5. Density tests 3.6. Particle density tests 3.7. Limiting density tests .. BEEBRo ae RBRREBE tests 4 Particle size 4.4. Introduction .. 42 Definitions 43 Theory 4.4 Applications... 45 Practical aspects 46 Sieving procedures 47 Sedimentation theory : 4.8 Sedimentation procedures .. 5 Chemical tests 240 5.1. Introduction 7 vo 240 5.2 Definitons and data . 247 5.3. Theory se 249 5.4 Applications — . 259 5.5. Tests for PH esos sn 281 5.6 Sulphate content tests ns eer 5.7. Organic content tests a 279 5.8 Carbonate content tests... : 285 5.9 Chloride content te8t8 -.esnn 296 5.10 Miscellaneous tests ee 304 6 Compaction tests .. . 309 6.1. Introduction ee 309 62 Definitions, oe oe att 63 Theory . sn att 6.4 Applications 7 a2), 6.5 Compaction test procedures — 323 6.6 Moisture condition tests . 346 6.7 Chalk crushing value sennnnennnn 359 6.8 Compactabiliy test for graded aggregates 361 7 Description of S0lls «1. enn 365 7.4 Introduction a a soe 7.2. Definitions an SS 368 7.3 Identification of soll... oc 369 7.4. Description of coarse (granular) soils penn 378 7.5. Description of fine solls —— 375 7.6 Description of other sol types seonenne BO Appendix: Units, Nomenclature and laboratory equipment 387 AY Metric (SI) units .. . ass ‘AZ Nomenclature seme ore 393 AS Useful data 7 395 ‘Ad Comparison of BS and ASTM sieve aperture sizes... 396 ‘AS Inventory of equipment... 397 Index... sentence 405 Summary of test procedures Test designation ‘Section Abbreviated reference” Chapter 2 Moisture content: ‘Oven drying 252 BS: Part 2:3.2 Sond-bath 253 (BS 1377: 1975**) Saturation moisture content of chalk 254 BS: Part 2:33 Liqui limit: Cone penetrometer 264 BS: Part2: 4.3 One-point penetrometer 265 BS: Part2: 44 Casagrande 266 BS; Part2:4.5 One-point Casagrande 267 BS: Part2: 4.6 Plastic limit 268 BS: Part 2:53 Shrinkage limit: ‘TRL method 272 BS: Part 2:63 ASTM method 213 BS: Part 2: 64 Linear shrinkage 274 BS: Part 2: 6.5 Puddle clay 282 ‘Nixon (1956) Free swell 283 Gibbs & Holtz (1956) Sticky limit 284 “Terzaghi & Peck (1948) Soil suction (filterpaper method) 29 BRE Info. Paper IP4/93 Chapter 3 Density Measurement 352 BS: Part 2: 7.2 Tube 353 Soil Mechanics ‘Water displacement 354 BS: Part 2: 7.4 Immersion in water 355 BS: Part2: 7.3 Particle density ‘Small pyknometer 3.62 BS: Part2: 83 Gas jar 364 BS: Part2: 82 Large pyknometer 365 BS: Part2: 84 ‘Maximum density Sends 312 BS: Part 4: 4.2 Silty soils 313 Soil Mechanics Gravely soils 314 BS: Part 4:43 Minimum density: Sands Gravelly soils Chapter 4 Sieving: Dry: simple Dry: composite Dry: very coarse soils, Wet fine 80 Wet: gravelly soils Wet: cohesive soils ‘Wet: cohesive soils with large particles Sedimentation: Pipette Hydrometer Chapter 5 pi value Indicator papers Electrometric Colorimetric Lovibond Sulphate content ‘otal sulphates—acid extraction ‘Water-soluble sulphates—extracton Groundwater Gravimetric analysis Ton-exchange analysis Organic content Dichromate oxidation Peroxide oxidation Carbonate content: Rapid titration Gravimetric Calcimeter: standard simplified Chloride content Qualitative Water-soluble ‘Mobr's method ‘Acid soluble Total dissolved salts, 375 3.76 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 482 483 S81 332 333 554 562 563 5.6.4 565 5.6.68&567 572 573 582 583 5.84 585 392 593 594 595 5.102 BS: Part 4: 4.4 BS: Part 4: 4.5 Bs: Part 2: 9.3 BS: Part 2:9.3 BS: Part2: 93 BS: Part2: 9.2 BS: Part 2:9.2 BS: Part2:9.2 Soil Mechanics BS: Part 2: 9.4 BS: Part2: 95 Supplier BS: Part 3:9 (BS 1377: 19754) Supplier BS: Part3:5.2 BS: Par3:5.3 BS: Part3:5.4 Bs: Part 3:5.5 BS: Part 3:5.6 Bs: Part 3:3.4 (BS 1377; 1975**) BS: Part3:63 BS: Par3: 64 Collins (1906) Collins (1906) Bs: Pan 3:72.33, BS: Part 3:7.2 Bowley (1995) BS: Part 3:73 BS: Part 3: 8.3 ‘Loss on ignition 5.103 BS: Part 3:43 Indicator papers 5.104 Supplier Chapter 6 Light compaction (litre mould) 653 BS: Pert 4:33 Heavy compaction (1 litre mould) 654 BS: Part 4:3.5 Compaction in CBR mould 655 BS: Part 4:34 & 3.6 ASTM compaction 657 ASTM D 698 &D 1557 ‘Compaction by vibration 659 BS: Part 4:3.7 Harvard miniature compaction 65.10 ASTMSTP 479 ‘Moisture Condition Value: MCV as received 663 BS: Part 4:54 “Moisture Condition Calibrat 664 BS: Part 4: 5.5 Rapid Assessment 665 BS: Part 4: 5.6 Chalk Crushing Value 672 BS: Part 4: 64 Compactability of aggregates 68 Pike (1972); Pike and Acott (1975) BS implies BS 1377: 1990 unless otherwise stated *° Superseded standard ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials BRE : Building Research Establishment Supplier: Supplier’s or manufacturer's instruction leaflets Chapter 1 Scope and general requirements 1.1 Introduction 4.1.4 Solls as engineering materials Soils inthe geotechnical sense, canbe regarded.as engineering materials. The usual definition of soil for engineering purposes is given below (Section 1.1.7). The physical characteristics ‘of soils can be determined by experiment, and the application of methods of analysis enables these properties to be used to predict their likely behaviour under defined working conditions. But unlike other engineering materials such as metals and concrete, over which control can be exercised during manufacture, soils are naturally occurring materials, which more often than not have to be used in their natural condition, Even when some kind of processing is possible, either in sity or by using excavated material, the soil can be modified only to limited extent by relatively simple procedures onsite. Perhaps the most important exception isthe use of certain types of clay for the manufacture of bricks, but this is outside the scope of geotechnology. The variety of sols is very wide indeed, and no two sites have identical soil conditions. Its therefore necessary to evaluate the physical properties and engineering behaviour of the soils present at every site that is developed in any way. Many of the procedures used for determining soil characteristics consist of empirical methods derived from practical experience. 1.1.2 Soil mechanics Soil mechanics is that branch of engineering science that applies the principles of mechanics, hydraulics and geology to the solution of engineering problems in soils, It is one aspect of the earth science known as geotechnics, or geotechnology (derived from the French word géofechnique), which also encompasses rock mechanics, geophysics, hydrology and engineering geology. The study of soil mechanics covers the investigation, description, classification, testing and analysis of soils to determine ther interreaction with structures builtin or upon them ‘oF with them, Soil mechanics isthe youngest discipline of civil engineering, although soi is the oldest construction material used by man, and is also the most plentifl. 1.1.3 Purpose of soil testing The physical properties of sols are usually determined by carrying out tests on samples of soil ina laboratory. These tests can be divided into two main categories: 1 Manual of Soil Laboratory Testing 1, Classification tests, which indicate the general type of soil and the engineering category to which it belongs, 2. Tests for the assessment of engineering properties, such as shear strength, compressibility and permeability ‘The parameters determined from laboratory tests, taken together with descriptive

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