Soils report Lab Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Soils - Lab Report Example The moisture content at the boundary is normally defined as the water content at which the two halves of the soil cake will flow together for a distance of about half inch. The plasticity index on the other hand is the numerical difference between the liquid limit and the plastic limit and this number is normally dimensionless (Day, 2005). Both the liquid and the plastic limits are used to express the moisture content in the soil. The plasticity index is the difference between the liquid limit and the plastic limit. For the consolidation test, the pressure void relationship in the soil can be determined. This data is very important in the determination of the compression index of the soil and the pre-consolidation pressure (Day, 2005). Additionally, this data can be used o determine the coefficient of consolidation of the soil. The sieve test is carried out to determine the percentage of the different grains that are contained in the soil. The mechanical sieve analysis is carried out to determine the distribution of the coarse and the medium grained grains. It must be conducted within the ASTM D 422 - Standard Test Method for Particle-Size Analysis of Soils. The soil sample is weighed and recorded. The sizes of the particles are determined on a size with different sizes of the sieve holes. The soil is dried on an oven at a temperature of about 1050C -1100C. The weight of the dry soil is measured and recorded. The same procedure is repeated for the medium grained soil particles and the coarse grained particles for comparison. A sample of soil is taken and transferred to a glass plate. Water is added to the soil sample and mixed to for a paste. The soil paste is then placed in an airtight container. Using the penetration cone, the top surface of the soil is touched to and used as the starting point for the measurements. The dial gauge is then lowered to connect the cone shaft and the reading on the dial gauge is