TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
2. Measurement of Moisture Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3. Measurement of Specific Gravity of Soil Solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4. Measurement of Liquid Limit and Plastic Limit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5. Analysis of Grain Size Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6. Laboratory Classification of Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
7. Field Classification of Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
8. Laboratory Soil Compaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
9. Field Measurement of Dry Unit Weight and Moisture Content . . . . . . . . . 89
10. Measurement of Hydraulic Conductivity of Granular Soil
Using a Fixed-Wall Permeameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
11. One-Dimensional Consolidation Test of Cohesive Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
12. Direct Shear Strength Test of Granular Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
13. Unconfined Compressive Strength Test of Cohesive Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
14. Unconsolidated-Undrained Triaxial Shear Strength
PREFACE
This manual is written for the laboratory component of a typical one-semester
undergraduate soil mechanics course as part of a typical civil engineering undergraduate
curriculum. The manual is written as a stand-alone document, but supporting media have
also been prepared to enhance the learning process. These resources are available online
at www.wiley.com/college/kalinski, and include the following:
Video Demonstrations. Brief (10-20 minutes) video demonstrations have been
produced for each laboratory test. Each video describes the basic purpose of the
test, lists the required materials, demonstrates the step-by-step procedure, and
details methods for reducing the data. Viewing these videos prior to the lab will
help prepare the students for the lab exercise, and ultimately enhance the students’
learning experiences.
Laboratory Data Sheets. Generic laboratory data sheets have been prepared for
each exercise, and are included at the end of each chapter. These data sheets are
intended for use by students, researchers, or practicing engineers. These forms
can also be downloaded off of the website listed above.
