Dry Density/Moisture Content Relationship

Description:

• Dry Density Moisture Content Relationship using:
  5kg hammer in a 1 litre mould (Proctor) (BS1377: Part 4: Clause 3:3 1990)
  2.5kg hammer in a CBR mould (BS1377: Part 4: Clause 3.4: 1990)
  4.5kg hammer in a 1 litre mould (Proctor) (BS1377: Part 4: Clause 3.5: 1990)
  4.5kg hammer in a CBR mould (BS1377: Part 4 Clause 3.6: 1990)
  Vibrating hammer (BS1377: Part 4: Clause 3.7: 1990)

Results given:

• Optimum moisture content
• Dry density at OMC

You provide:

Specify which method is required

• 5kg compactive effort
• 5kg compactive effort
• Vibrating hammer

Typical use(s):

• Determining what density may be achievable on site using earthworking equipment
• Used in conjunction with other tests to find out what envelope of conditions give suitable end results

Material required:

Particles susceptible to crushing

• Less than 5% of material larger than 20mm: 15kg
• More than 5% of material larger than 20mm: 40kg

Particles not susceptible to crushing

• Less than 5% of material larger than 20mm: 6kg
• More than 5% of material larger than 20mm: 15kg

Description:

• Water content of soil (BS EN ISO 17892-1: 2014)
• Moisture content of soil (BS1377: Part 2: Clause 3:2 : 1990)

Results given:

• Water or moisture content (as % of water to dry mass)

You provide:

• No information required

Typical use(s):

• Basic material property

Material required:

• Fine grained – 50g
• Medium grained – 300g
• Coarse grained – 3kg

(Atterberg Limits)

Description:

• Liquid and plastic limits of soil – 4 point cone penetrometer method

(BS EN ISO 17892-12: Clauses 5:3 and 5:5 : 2018)

• Liquid and plastic limits of soil – 1 point cone penetrometer method

(BS EN ISO 17892-12: Clauses 5:3 and 5:5: 2018)

Results given:

• Liquid limit
• Plastic limit
• Plasticity index
• % retained on 425μm sieve

You provide:

Specify which method is required –

• 1 point
• 4 point

Typical uses(s):

• Basic classification of material according to its behaviour

Material required:

• Enough sample to provide 300g of material passing a 425μm sieve

Description:

• Triaxial Permeability up to 4 days duration (BS 1377: Part 6: Clause 6: 1990)

Results given:

• Coefficient of Permeability

You provide:

• Remoulding conditions, if applicable
• Effective consolidation pressure
• Differential pressure or hydraulic gradient (optional)

Typical use(s):

• Ensuring permeability of landfill clay liner meets required specification

Material required:

• If remoulded, 2kg (for 100mm diameter specimen)
• If undisturbed, 100mm diameter core-cutter or liner sample, at least 100mm intact length

Considerations:

• The duration of this test is material dependent
• To ensure accurate, repeatable results, we follow the British Standard method (BS1377: Part 6: Clause 6: 1990) involving saturation to a B value of 0.95, followed by consolidation to at least 95% pore pressure dissipation.
• Although not a rapid test, typical durations are often less than some people’s preconceptions.
• As a rough guide, we have found the following durations typical:
  Cement bentonite grout mixes – 7 days
  Stiff London Clay – 9 days
  Very soft alluvial very silty clay (material already saturated, but long consolidation stage) – 8 days
  Silty sandy boulder clay – 6 days
  Bentonite enriched sands – 10+ days

Description:

• Bulk and dry density by Linear Measurement Method (BS EN ISO 178-92: 2014 Clause 5:1)
• Bulk and dry density by Immersion in Fluid Method (BS EN ISO 17892-2: 2014 Clause 5:2)
• Bulk and dry density by Fluid Displacement Method (BS EN ISO 17892-2: 2014 Clause 5:3)

Results given:

• Bulk density
• Dry density (if water content known)
• Water content

You provide:

Which method is to be used –

• Linear Measurement Method (by direct measurement – calipers and weighing)
• Immersion in Fluid Method (weighing above and below a specified fluid)
• Fluid Displacement Method (measuring the displacement of a specified fluid by a test specimen)

Typical use(s):

• Basic material properties

Material required:

• A cylindrical sample or a minimum of 1kg of intact lumps of at least 50mm diameter is preferred

(sieve & mechanical analysis)

Description:

• Particle Size Distribution by Wet sieve analysis (BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016, clause 5.2)
• Particle Size Distribution by Dry sieve analysis (BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016, clause 5.2)
• Mechanical analysis by Hydrometer method (BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016, clause 5.3)
• Mechanical analysis by Pipette method (BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016, clause 5.4)

Results given:

• Grading of material (% of each particle size)
• Percentages of clay and silt fractions (if pipette or hydrometer analysis performed)

You provide:

• Specify if pipette analysis is required to individually determine clay and silt content
• If pipette or hydrometer analysis is specified, what quantities of fine material (passing 63μm sieve, clay and silt) needs to be present to require the pipette or hydrometer analysis to be performed (eg. Only if >10% fines present)

Typical use(s):

• Basic classification of material according to its particle size

Material required:

Depends on particle size. For not more than 10% of the following sizes, uses the corresponding sample mass –

Size                                     Sample Mass

63mm                                40kg

50mm                                35kg

37.5mm                            14kg

28mm                                6kg

20mm                                2kg

14mm                                1kg

10mm                                500g

6.3mm                               300g

3.35mm                            200g

<2mm                                100g