Department of

Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering

ENSC3009-GEOMECHANICS

Laboratory #1 Report Classification

and Index Tests

Sub Group No.1 Student Name and ID Facilitator:

Ethan Clark (23779244)

Jemma Darvall (23247916)

Meili Zhang
Bonnie Butler (23701807)

Pengfei Ma (24239532)

Test Date March 20th, 2024

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 Contents
I. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................3
II. Experimental procedure......................................................................................................4
1. Test Item No. 1 Sieving Test.......................................................................................4
2. Test Item No. 2 Falling-cone Test...............................................................................4
3. Test Item No. 3 Casagrande Test................................................................................4
4. Test Item No. 4 Plastic Limit Test...............................................................................4
III. RESULTS...........................................................................................................................5
1. Test Item No. 1 Sieving Test Results..........................................................................5
2. Test Item No. 2 Falling-cone Test Results..................................................................7
3. Test Item No. 3 Casagrande Test Results....................................................................8
4. Test Item No. 4 Plastic Limit Test Results..................................................................8
IV. VII. APPENDIX..............................................................................................................9

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I. INTRODUCTION

Soil particle sizes distribution and soil plasticity are essential characteristics of the soil which
would influence soil strength and soil volume based on water content change. Since direct
determination of mineralogy would be time consuming and expensive. Therefore the
Atterberg Limits, have been devised which show how the soil reacts with water directly. In
order to test these characteristics of the given soil samples, classify soil samples according to
USCS and acquire water limits and plastic limits index (Atterberg Limits) of given soil
samples, based on A.S. 1289 - Methods of Testing Soils for Engineering Purposes, Sieving
Tests were conducted to determine the sample particle size distribution. The Falling-cone Test
and Casagrande Test were conducted to obtain water limits index. The Plastic Lmit tests were
conducted to obtain plastic index.

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II. Experimental procedure

1. Test Item No. 1 Sieving Test

Using different sieves(from above to below) to separate soil sample particles. Pour soil
sample on top sieve stacks. Weigh soil sample retained on each sieve and pour all passing soil
samples left on the pan into the top sieve on sieve stacks, repeat this process until all sieves
used and all retained soil sample in each sieve weighed. Finally weigh the sample in the
bottom pan. 2 different soil would be tested.

2. Test Item No. 2 Falling-cone Test

Test needs a falling-cone test apparatus. Mix soil sample with some water and fill in the
falling cup with sample ensure no air inside cup. Reset gauge to zero, clean the cone before
each fall. Allow a 5-second cone fall time, record gauge reading after cone fall into cup.
Move cup carefully, clean cone, collect little sample in a known-weight tin and clean the cup,
weigh the tin with sample immediately, then prepare the tin for drying. Return remaining
sample to glass plate, mix sample for 30 seconds. Repeat process 3 times with different
moisture contant, dry 4 tins with samples in the oven for 24 hours.

3. Test Item No. 3 Casagrande Test

Test needs a Casagrange Apparatus with grooving tool. Fill bowl with sample from Test Item
No.2, level off parallel to base. Divide soil along centerline with grooving tool, ensuring
underside of bowl and top of rubble block are clean. Turn crank at 2 revolutions per second,
count drops until groove closes to about 10 mm length. Measure length of closed groove after
25 drops. Obtain moisture content of sample, place some in tin and weigh it. Dry the tin with
sample in the oven for 24 hours.

4. Test Item No. 4 Plastic Limit Test

Select samples from Test Item No.2, add limited water, roll until sample dry enough. Place on
glass plate, apply pressure to taper to 3 mm diameter (compare to a 3 mm dia rod). If
crumbles before 3 mm, add some water in sample and roll again. If too wet, dry by rolling.
Continue rolling until small fissures appear on sample. Collect 5-20 g in a tin, weigh it and
record weight, then oven-dry for 24 hours.

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III. RESULTS

1. Test Item No. 1 Sieving Test Results

Based on the results of the sieving test for 1640 Sand and Calcareous soil, the particle size
distribution curve of the soil samples can be determined as shown in Table 1 and 2 and Graph
1and 2.

1640 Sand sample passing rate for each sieve size

Sieve No. Sieve Aperture size mm Retained g Retained % Passing %
No.4 4.75 0 0 100
No.8 2.36 0 0 100
No.16 1.18 0.58 0.369 99.631
No.30 0.6 95.67 60.913 38.718
No.40 0.425 51.63 32.873 5.845
No.50 0.3 5.44 3.464 2.381
No.70 0.212 2.63 1.675 0.707
No.100 0.15 0.85 0.541 0.166
No.140 0.106 0.17 0.108 0.057
No.200 0.075 0.07 0.045 0.013
Pan 0.02 0.013 0
Total 157.06
Table 1: Sieving Test Results for 1640 Sand Sample.

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Graph 1: Particle Size Distribution (PSD) Curve for 1640 Sand Sample.

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 Calcareous soil sample passing rate for each sieve size
Sieve No. Sieve Aperture size mm Retained g Retained % Passing %
No.4 4.75 0 0.000 100.000
No.8 2.36 0 0.000 100.000
No.16 1.18 60.9 35.131 64.869
No.30 0.6 73.74 42.538 22.331
No.40 0.425 20.21 11.658 10.672
No.50 0.3 8.53 4.921 5.751
No.70 0.212 3.81 2.198 3.554
No.100 0.15 2.68 1.546 2.007
No.140 0.106 1.62 0.935 1.073
No.200 0.075 1.04 0.600 0.473
Pan 0.82 0.473 0.000
Total 173.35
Table 2: Sieving Test Results for Calcareous Sample.

Graph 2: Particle Size Distribution (PSD) Curve for Calcareous Sample.

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 2. Test Item No. 2 Falling-cone Test Results

Kaolinite soil sample falling-cone test result

Avg Cone Drop Calculated Water
Cone No. Cone Drop (mm) Pre dry Weight (g) Post dry Weight (g) Diff (g) Pan Weight (g)
Dist.(mm) Content %
15.68 65.443
Cone 1 15.610 15.32 9.26 6.06 39.78
15.54
18.37 71.395
Cone 2 17.975 14.38 8.39 5.99 42.23
17.58
21.1 85.509
Cone 3 20.830 12.93 6.97 5.96 40.5
20.56
24.94 90.678
Cone 4 24.495 15.75 8.26 7.49 42.16
24.05
Table 3: Cone Drop Test Results for Kaolinite sample.
Drop Distance (mm)

Kaolinite Cone Drop

10
60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95
Water Content %

Graph 3: Kaolinite Sample Cone Drop Distant - Water Content Graph

Kaolinite Mix soil sample falling-cone test result

Avg Cone Drop Calculated Water
Cone No. Cone Drop (mm) Pre dry Weight (g) Post dry Weight (g) Diff (g) Pan Weight (g)
Dist.(mm) Content %
15.56 40.292
Cone 1 15.330 44.06 38.81 5.25 25.78
15.1
18.47 45.232
Cone 2 18.575 62.24 53.18 9.06 33.15
18.68
21.35 54.156
Cone 3 21.605 76.96 64.06 12.9 40.24
21.86
23.92 61.298
Cone 4 24.060 59.43 52.16 7.27 40.3
24.2
Table 4: Cone Drop Test Results for Kaolinite Mix sample.

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 Kaolinite Mix Cone Drop
Drop Distance (mm) 30
15
0
8 8 1 5 4 8 3 2
17 34 63 42
6 89 7 72 2 84 2 93
34 51 71 82
9 16 3 21 5 61 9 84
.2 .2 .1 .2
40 45 Water Content
54 % 61

Graph 4: Kaolinite Mix Sample Cone Drop Distant - Water Content Graph

3. Test Item No. 3 Casagrande Test Results

Kaolinite Sample Casagrande Test Results

Drops Predry Weight (g) Postdry Weight (g) Pan Weight (g) Diff (g) Water content
5 13.8 7.2 41.18 6.6 91.667

Kaolinite Mix Casagrande Test Results

Drops Predry Weight (g) Postdry Weight (g) Pan Weight (g) Diff (g) Water content
5 63.27 54.61 41.44 8.66 65.756

4. Test Item No. 4 Plastic Limit Test Results

Kaolinite Sample Plastic Limit Test Results

Pan Weight (g) Predry Weight (g) Post Dry Weight (g) Diff Weight (g) Water Content
41.05 46.83 45.33 1.5 35.047
41.82 47.73 46.12 1.61 37.442

Kaolinite Mix Plastic Limit Test Results

Pan Weight (g) Predry Weight (g) Post Dry Weight (g) Diff Weight (g) Water Content
41.44 48.11 46.18 1.93 40.717
43.06 47.42 47 0.42 10.660

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 IV. VII. APPENDIX

Test Item No. Name of Test Item Test Group No. Test Sample soil name Testor Purpose
ST 1 (Sieving Test 1) 1640 Sand Sub group 1 Plot PSD curve,soil
1 Sieving Test
ST 2 Calcareous soil Sub group 2 particles distribution
FT 1 (Falling-cone Test) Kaolinite Sub group 1 Obtain water limit index
FT 2 Kaolinite Sub group 1 of different samples
FT 3 Kaolinite Sub group 1 (Atterburg Limit
FT 4 Kaolinite Sub group 1 Method)
2 Falling-cone Test
FT 5 Kaolinite Mix Sub group 2
FT 6 Kaolinite Mix Sub group 2
FT 7 Kaolinite Mix Sub group 2
FT 8 Kaolinite Mix Sub group 2
CT 1 (Casagrande Test) Kaolinite Sub group 1
3 Casagrande Test
CT 2 Kaolinite Mix Sub group 2
PLT 1 (Plastic Limit Test) Kaolinite Sub group 1 Obtain plastic limit
PLT 2 Kaolinite Mix Sub group 2 index of different
4 Plastic Limit Test
samples (Atterburg
Limit Method)

Table 1 Test items, Test Group, Sample, Testor information

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