Soil Mechanics lab

Objective

Application of theoretical and experimental procedure of soil mechanics is the primary objectives of this lab. This include: identifying site condition, evaluation of loose rocks as construction material, and describing and determining the mechanic features of the soils.

Other lab objectives are: description and calculation of stress (tension), deformation and fracture conditions with regards to the structural features of soils, and stability analysis of foundation and retaining structures.

Main Experiments

·         Water Content Determination

·         Density (Unit Weight) Determination

·         Specific Gravity (Particle Density) Determination

·         Grain Size Analysis (Sieve and Hydrometer Analysis)

·         Atterberg Limit Tests (LL, PL & SL)

·         Moisture-Density Relation (Compaction) Test

·         Two types of compaction tests:

(1)    The Standard Proctor Test,

(2)    The Modified Proctor Test.

Equipments

1-     General  equipments

·      Electrical digital oven with 500 liter capacity (1)

·      Electronic laboratory balance (capacity 45000×0.01 gram) (1)

·      Electronic top loading balance 20000 × 0.1 g (1)

·      Specimen Cutting Machine

·      Glass & plastic ware

·      Containers for moisture (cans) with 50×50mm dia, height (100)

·      Thermometers (3)

·      Watches & Clocks (3)

·      Sample trays

·      Aspirators   

·      Spatulas with wooden handle

·      Additional Equipments (Buckets, Dishes, rubber hammers, gloves, bags, beakless, funnel...)

·      Desiccator with 300 mm (2)

2-     Equipments for physical properties determination

3-     Equipments for physical classification properties

 (ASTM D4318 - AASHTO T89 - BS 1377)

4-     Equipments for mechanical properties determination

(ASTM 2435 – AASHTO T216 - BS 1377:5)     

(ASTM D3080 - AASHTO T236 -BS 1377:7)

 

5-     Software for all experiments