BULK DENSITY EXPERIMENT ON A GIVEN SOIL SAMPLE
APPARATUS
Apparatus used in the experiment included:
• Cylindrical
mould of known diameter and length.
• Electronic
balance
•
Container/pan
• Oven
machine
• Tamping
rod
• Measuring
cylinder.
THEORY
Bulk Density:
This is the mass of the unit volume of mass total material. The term volume incorporates the volume of the individual particles and the volume of the voids between the particles. Mass thickness has its application in weigh and volume bunching.
Bulk density is the heaviness of soil for a given volume. It is utilized to quantify compaction. All in all, the more prominent the thickness, the less pore space for water development, root development and infiltration, and seedling germination.
Bulk density depends upon how densely the
aggregate is packed. It also depends upon the size, distribution and shape of
the particles. If the particles are of the same size, then it can be packed to
a limit extent but when the smaller particles are added, the voids get filled
by the fine aggregate and cement. Thus, bulk density also depends upon the
degree of packing.
Mathematically,
bulk density is expressed as:
ϼ = M/ V
where M = total mass of the soil sample
V = total
volume occupied by the soil sample.
PROCEDURES
The following procedure outlined were used during the
course of the experiment:
• The
cylindrical mold was cleaned and ensured dried.
• The
mold was filled with the soil sample whose bulk density is to be determined.
• The
level of the soil on the surface of the mold was ensured smooth, by trimming to
obtain a perfect level surface.
• The
soil sample in the mold was emptied in a container of known mass and weighed to
determine the weight of the soil sample.
•
Beforehand, the volume of the mold has been figured by measuring its diameter
and length. The volume was calculated using appropriate geometric relationship
which facilitated the determination of the bulk density of the soil sample
since its volume and weight are known.
DATA AND CALCULATION
The data/parameters used during the course
of the experiments is given as given below:
Mass of the container = 395 g
Mass of container + soil sample = 496 g Mass of soil sample,
M = 496 – 395 = 101 g Mould properties:
Mass of the mould = 181 g
Diameter of the mould = 80 mm, radius of the mould = 40 mm
Height of the mould = 50 mm
Volume of the mould, V = πr2h
=
3.142 (42) * 5
= 251.33cm3
Therefore, using the relation:
ϼ = M / V
= 101g / 251.33
cm3
= 0.4018 g/cm3
OBSERVATUION
It could be observed that the soil sample was able to retain
the shape of the mould indicating that it contains appreciable amount of
moisture, as perfectly dried soil cannot have such property.
| PRECAUTIONS | |
The following careful measures were taken during the course
of the experiment:
• It
was ensured that the mould was fully filled with the soil sample.
• Compaction
of the soil sample in the mould to any degree was avoided.
• It
was ensured that the surface of the mould was trimmed to obtain a relatively
perfect level surface on the mould.
• All
forms of erratic error was avoided during the experiment.
ERRORS
The following error can undermine the reliability of the
outcome of the experiment
• Incorrect
measurement of the sample
• Erratic
error
• Insensitivity
of the electronic balance
•
Environmental air effect
• Laboratory
experimental condition
• Effect
of atmospheric water on the soil sample…
CONCLUSION
With all the procedures
hitherto outlined, it suffices to say that the bulk density of a certain soil
sample can be obtained as discussed.
With this process, the bulk density of the soil sample used in the experiment
has been reliably obtained.
However, it is pertinent to note that the bulk density as
determined in the laboratory is not directly suitable for the conversion of
mass to volume of the aggregates for the purpose of volume batching as the
degree of compaction in the laboratory and the site may not be the same.
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