April 9, 2014

Project No.: 2014-JCE4200-7

WUG Laboratories

Urbauer Hall

St. Louis, MO 63130

Dear Mr. Berry,

The attached is the lab report of the Sand Cone test. According to the lab results, the soil sample
has an optimum water content of 19.2%, and the corresponding dry density is 102.1 lb/ft3.
Therefore, the dry density meets the 90% requirement but not for the moisture content
requirement (within 2%). I suggest either redo the test at a few more different spots, or to further
investigate if the compaction work was done correctly. If you have any questions, please contact
me.

Sincerely,

Chi Man Hung

Table of contents

Introduction...p.1

Apparatus......p.1

Procedures. p.1-2

Data..p.3

Results..p.4

Discussion.p.5

Sources of errors...p.5

Conclusionp.5

Appendix I....p.6

Appendix II...p.7
Introduction

When the compaction work is progressing in the field, knowing whether the specified unit
weight has been achieved is useful. One of the standard procedures for determining the field unit
weight of compaction is the sand cone method. In the field, a small hole is excavated in the area
where the soil has been compacted. The water content of the field sample will then be
determined and use to find the dry weight. By knowing the amount of sand used to fill the hole,
the volume can be founded. Finally, the dry unit weight of the sample is determined by taking
the dry weight of the soil excavated from the hole divided by volume of the hole.

Apparatus

1. Sand container
2. Metal Funnel (Sand-Cone)
3. Base Plate
4. Balances: one with a 10-kg capacity and accuracy to 1.0 g, and one with a 500-g capacity
and accuracy to 0.1 g
5. Oven or other suitable equipment for drying moisture content samples
6. Chisels, hammers, picks, and spoons
7. Others may need: suitable containers for retaining density samples, moisture samples,
and salvaged density sand

Procedure

1. Fill testing apparatus with sand and record the total mass.
2. Select the area of compacted lift to be tested. Place the base plate over the smoothed area
and fasten down with pins. Plate must stay in this position and be stable throughout the
test.
3. Dig a test hole within base plate opening, with the auger, trowel, or other tools. Soils that
are granular require extreme care and may require the digging of a conical-shaped hole.
4. Place all of the loosened material from the hole into an aggregate balance pan, or a
moisture-tight container if not weighed right away.
5. Place testing apparatus on the base plate and open valve. After the sand has stopped
flowing, close the valve; remove apparatus, and record final mass.
6. Weigh the wet soil or soil aggregates removed from the hole to the nearest 0.01 lb. and
record.
7. Take about 20g of the wet soil and place in a tare, and then put it in the oven to obtain the
dry weight of soil. Record the weight of tare, and tare + wet soil.
Data

Mass of Mass of Mass of Wet Mass of Moist Dry Bulk Unit

apparatus apparatus sand to mass of tare, mass of mass of density weight
+ mass of + mass of fill soil Mcan (g) moisture moisture of sand, of
sand, M1 remaining funnel from sample + sample + 1 sand,
(g), sand, M2 and hole, mass of mass of (g/ml) 1
(before (g), (after base M5 (g) tare, tare, (lb/ft3)
use) use) plate, Mws+can Mds+can
M4 (g) (g)
7859 4892 1667 1620 25.98 40.82 38.42 1.565 97.7
Results

Mass Mass M Ma W Ma Vol Mois Dry Mois Bul Uni Dr Dry Dry
of of ass ss et ss ume t mass ture k t y den unit
appar appar of of m of of mass of conte den wei m sity wei
atus atus + sa san as tar test of mois nt, w sity ght as of ght
+ mass nd d to s e, hole mois ture (%) of of s soil of
mass of us fill of Mc ,V ture sam san san of in soil
of remai ed fun soi an (ml) sam ple + d, d, soi plac in
sand, ning in nel l (g) ple + mass 1 1 l e, pla
M1 sand, tes and fro mass of (g/ (lb/ fro 2 ce,
(g), M2 t, bas m of tare, ml) ft3) m (g/ 2
(befo (g), M3 e ho tare, Mds+ tes ml) (lb/
re (after (g) plat le, Mws+ can t ft3)
use) use) e, M can ho
M4 5 (g) le,
(g) (g) M
6
(g)
7859 4892 29 166 16 25. 830. 40.8 38.4 19.2 1.5 97. 13 1.6 102
67 7 20 98 67 2 2 93 65 7 58 35 .06
Discussion

The mass of sand used in test was 2967g. Take this number and subtract the mass of sand to fill
the funnel and plate, the wet mass of soil to fill the hole (1620g) is obtained. Applying formulas
from chapter 14 in the lab manual, the volume of test hole (V), moisture content (w), dry mass of
soil from test hole (M6), dry density of soil in place (2), and dry unit weight of soil in place (2)
are found to be 830ml, 19.29%, 1358g, 1.635g/ml, and 102.06lb/ft3, respectively.

Sources of error

Several factors are possible sources to contribute error in the test. These include not correctly or
forget to calibrate what is in the cone; dug the test hole too small; starting surface is not even and
not of same density as below (this is because the surface of a compacted area is generally loose
or disturbed due to compaction operations).

Conclusion

The test result shows that the sample obtained a dry density of 92.78%, which meet the density
requirement. However, the moisture content is 33% more than the optimum. As the moisture
content is on the right side of the optimum value, this strength of compacted clayey soils would
be less than the required. Therefore, it is suggested to either resampling the soil and conduct
another test. If the result remains the same, further compaction work is needed.
Appendix I Sample Calculations

Mass of sand used in test, M3 = 1 2 = 7859 4892 = 2967

Mass of sand used in test hole, M5 = 3 4 = 2967 1667 = 1300

5 1300
Volume of test hole, V = = = 830.671
1 1.565

(+ )(+ )
Moisture content in soil from test hole, w = 100% = 19.293%
(+ )

5 1620
Dry mass of soil from test hole, M6 = (0.01)(+100) = (0.01)(19.293+100) = 1358.01

6 1538.01
Dry density of soil in place, 2 = = 830.671 = 1.635

Dry unit weight of soil in place, 2 = 2 = 62.43 1.635 = 102.062 3
Appendix II References

ASTM International. Standard Test Method for Density and Unit Weight of Soil in Place by the
Sand-Cone Method. 04.08.

DAS, BRAJA M. Principles of Geotechnical Engineering. Seventh. United States of America:

Cengage Learning, 2010. 129-141. Print.

Liu, Cheng. SOIL PROPERTIES Testing, Measurement, and Evaluation. Sixth. New Jersey:
Pearson Education, Inc, 2009. 195-212. Print.

Krishna, Reddy. " Sand Cone Test." Engineering Properties of Soils Based on Laboratory
Testing. Chicago: 2004.

Berry, Kenneth. Sand ConeTest lecture notes. 2014.