EXPERIMENT NO.

3
SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SOIL
Scope
Specific gravity of a soil is an important soil parameter that is used together with
other soil parameter (such as void ratio, degree of saturation etc) to compute other
useful soil parameters.
Standard Designation:
ASTM D854-58
AASHTO T100-70
Definition :It is the ratio of the weight of a given volume of material to the weight of an equal
volume of water .
Apparatus:Volumetric flask 250 ml, Balance, thermometer, soil pulverizer
Procedure
The procedure for the test is as following:a.

Wash the volumetric flask (Pycnometer) and dry it. Weigh the volumetric flask to the
nearest 0.01 gm and record the Mass as W1.

b.

Take about 50 to 100 gm oven dried pulverize soil sample and put it in to the
volumetric flask. Record the Mass of flask and dry soil as W 2.

c.

Add fresh distilled water till a mark specified on the neck of the flask. Heat it gently
so as to remove all air voids, cool and Mass. Record the Mass as W 3.

d.

Empty the flask, fill it with distilled water and record the Mass as W 4.

e.

Record the temperature of soil mixture.

Observations and Data Collection

The observations to be taken during the test are shown on the Data Sheet.
Computations and Interpretation
The Specific gravity of the soil can be computed using the equation: -

Gs =( (W2 -W1) / (W4 -W1) - (W3 -W2)) x K

DATA SHEET
Temperature= 27C
Mass of flask (gm)

W1

92

90

Mass of flask + dry soil (gm)

Mass of flask + soil + Water (gm)
Mass of flask + Water (gm)
Specific gravity =

W2
W3
W4

145
277
243
2.756

142
270
238
2.57

(W2 -W1) / (W4 -W1) - (W3 -W2) x K

Gs

Result:
Average Specific Gravity of soil sample= 2.66
Table for Value of Correction factor (K)
Temp (C)
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Relative Density of water

0.9986
0.9984
0.9982
0.9980
0.9978
0.9975
0.9973
0.9970
0.9968
0.9965
0.9962
0.9959
0.9956

Correction factor (K)

1.0004
1.0002
1.0000
0.9998
0.9996
0.9993
0.9991
0.9989
0.9986
0.9983
0.9980
0.9977
0.9974

Specific Gravity of soil (foundation analysis and design by Joseph E. Bowles)

Comments:

Specific Gravity of soils

o Gravel ______ 2.65 2.68
o Sand _______ 2.63 2.67
o Silt _________2.65 2.68

o Clay ________ 2.67 2.9

o Organic Soil

less than 2

The Specific Gravity is between 2.63 2.67 so given soil sample is Sand.