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)