Laboratory Tests and Index Properties of Soils

Laboratory testing turns a sample of soil into numbers an engineer can design with. This chapter gives an overview of laboratory testing, lists the soil properties and the tests used to measure them, and covers elastic parameters such as moduli, Poisson's ratio, and the modulus of subgrade reaction.

It then goes through the index tests run on nearly every project: moisture content, unit weight, and specific gravity, the Atterberg limits, grain-size analysis, and relative density. Each test is explained with its apparatus, procedure, computations, and possible errors, so you can run the test or judge a report from someone who did.

In this chapter

• Overview of Laboratory Testingpage 77
• Soil Properties, Laboratory Tests, and Their Presentation in This Bookpage 82
  • Types of Soil Properties and Their Laboratory Tests
  • Laboratory Tests on Rock Cores
  • Testing Procedures
  • Laboratory Facilities
  • Sample Handling and Storage
  • Selection and Preparation of Test Specimens
  • Data Sheets and Report Forms
• Elastic Parameterspage 98
  • General
  • Shear Modulus
  • Lateral modulus of subgrade reaction
• Moisture Content, Unit Weight, and Specific Gravitypage 112
  • Water Content Test - General
  • Unit Weights, Void Ratio, Porosity, and Degree of Saturation
  • Specific Gravity Test
• Atterberg Limits: Liquid and Plastic Limitspage 133
  • Overview
  • Apparatus
  • Calibration of Apparatus
  • Preparation of Material
  • Liquid Limit
  • Plastic Limit
  • Plasticity Index
  • Report
  • Preparing Clay Shale Material for Testing
  • Possible Errors
• Grain-Size Analysispage 152
  • Sieve Analysis
  • Hydrometer Analysis
  • Combined Analysis
  • Procedures for Preparing Clay Shale Material
  • Possible Errors
• Relative Densitypage 175
  • General
  • Apparatus
  • Calibration of Equipment
  • Preparation of Sample
  • Procedure
  • Computations
  • Possible Errors