COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Engineering Department
Laboratory Experiment No. 1
CONSOLIDATION
COURSE OUTCOMES
CO1 Understand and explain the compressibility behavior of clayey soils.
COURSE INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME
CILO 1 Determine the pre-consolidation pressure of soil (σc’).
CILO 2 Determine the compression index (cc), swell index (cs) and coefficient of consolidation (cv)
I. ASTM DESIGNATION
ASTM D2435– Standard Test Methods for One-Dimensional Consolidation Properties of
Soils Using Incremental Loading
II. OBJECTIVE
1. To determine the consolidation parameters in order to estimate the magnitude and rate
settlement of a structure or earth fill.
III. APPARATUS
• Consolidation Device (including ring, porous stones, water reservoir, and load plate)
• Sample trimming device
• glass plate
• Metal straight edge
• Moisture can
• Filter paper
• Vernier caliper
IV. TEST PROCEDURE
1. Weigh the consolidation ring.
2. Measure the height (h) of the ring and the inside diameter (d).
3. Extrude the soil sample from the sampler, generally thin-walled Shelby tube. Determine
the initial moisture content and the specific gravity of the soil as per previous experiments
(use similar data sheets from these experiments).
4. Place the sample on the consolidation ring by pressing gently into the ring. Using metal
straight edge, trim and cut the soil protruding on the surface of the ring.
5. Weight the specimen plus ring.
6. Assemble the specimen in the consolidation cell. Place filter papers between porous
stones and soil specimen.
7. Fill the consolidation cell with water until the specimen is completely covered and
saturated.
8. Assemble the cell in the loading device.
9. Place the load plate at the center of upper porous stone and adjust loading device.
10. Adjust dial gauge to zero reading.
11. Apply increments of pressure to soil specimen. The duration of each increment should be
sufficient to define the characteristic curve obtained by a graph of deformation versus
either the square root of time or the log of time.
12. Set initial pressure (50kPa) by loading 10 kg in the lever arm (10:1)
13. Record consolidation readings at elapsed times 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 min, up to 24 hours.
14. Succeeding pressures are 100, 200, 400, and 800 kPa.
Prepared by: Maria Cecilia M. Marcos, PhD. CE
Full Professor 1, Civil Engineering Department
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Engineering Department
15. It is desirable that the final pressure be of the order of at least four times the pre-
consolidation pressure, and be greater than the maximum effective vertical pressure
which will occur in situ due to the overburden and the proposed construction.
16. On completion of the final loading stage, the specimen shall be unloaded by pressure
decrements.
17. Weigh the specimen and ring.
18. Determine the moisture content.
V. CALCULATION
1. Calculate the initial and final water content of the soil.
2. Calculate the specific gravity of the soil.
3. Determine coefficient of consolidation (cv)
4. Calculate the void ratio at the end of primary consolidation for each pressure increment.
Plot log pressure versus void ratio. Based on this plot, calculate compression index (c c),
recompression index (cv) and pre-consolidation pressure (σc’)
VI. DATA, RESULTS, AND COMPUTATION
Table 1 Test Details
Tested By
Date Tested
Project Location
Sample Number
Soil Description/Visual
Classification
Table 2 Natural Moisture Content (Before Test)
Sample No. 1 Sample No. 2 Sample No. 2
Mass of container, (Mc)
Mass of container + moist soil, (M1)
Mass of container + dry soil, (M2)
Mass of moisture, (Mw)
Mas of dry soil, (Ms)
Moisture content, (w)
Table 3 Natural Moisture Content (After Test)
Sample No. 1 Sample No. 2 Sample No. 2
Mass of container, (Mc)
Mass of container + moist soil, (M1)
Mass of container + dry soil, (M2)
Mass of moisture, (Mw)
Mas of dry soil, (Ms)
Moisture content, (w)
Prepared by: Maria Cecilia M. Marcos, PhD. CE
Full Professor 1, Civil Engineering Department
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Engineering Department
Table 4 Specific Gravity
Sample No. 1
Weight of oven-dried soil sample (Wo), g
Pycnometer No.
Weight of pycnometer filled with water (Wa), g
Weight of pycnometer filled with water and soil (Wb), g
Temperature, ⁰C
Correction Factor (K)**
Specific Gravity
Table 6 Pressure Increment Time and Deformation Data
Pressure on Sample = 50 kPa Pressure on Sample = 100 kPa
Elapsed Time Elapsed Time Total Deformation
Total Deformation (mm)
(minutes) (minutes) (mm)
Plot the data:
a. as d - t plot. Find t90 on your plot and using Taylor’s method find cv.
b. as d - log t plot. Find t50 on your plot. Using Casagrande’s method find cv.
Table 7 Pressure Increment Time, Deformation Data and Void Ratio
Consolidation Equivalent height of voids,
Height at the end of Void ratio, (e
pressure (Hv = H – Hs*)
consolidation (cm) = Hv / Hs)
(kPa) (cm)
0 0
*Hs = ms / A Gs ρw
Plot the data:
a. as e - log σ plot. Find the pre-consolidation pressure (σ c’).
VII. ILLUSTRATION
Prepared by: Maria Cecilia M. Marcos, PhD. CE
Full Professor 1, Civil Engineering Department
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Engineering Department
VIII. CONCLUSION
IX. RECOMMENDATION
Prepared by: Maria Cecilia M. Marcos, PhD. CE
Full Professor 1, Civil Engineering Department
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Engineering Department
X. RUBRICS
Exemplary Capable Developing Beginning
Criteria Rating
(4) (3) (2) (1)
Observes good
Observes best Practices unsafe,
laboratory Unsafe lab procedures
Lab Safety laboratory safety risky behaviors
safety observed infrequently.
procedures. in lab.
procedures.
Experimental
procedures most often
Develops and followed, but
Experimental Implements
implements occasional Does not follow
Procedures logical
logical oversight leads to experimental
experimental
experimental loss of experimental procedure.
procedures
procedures efficiency and/or loss
of data
Does not
operate
Is able to select Is able to instrumentation
Is tentative in
Tool and operate operate and process
operation of
Operation appropriate instrumentati equipment, does
instruments and
instrumentatio o n and so incorrectly or
process
n and process process requires
equipment.
equipment. equipment. frequent
supervision.
Analyzes and Analyzes data
interprets data carefully using Applies appropriate
carefully using appropriate theory to data when
Analysis and appropriate theory; if prompted to do so,
Makes no
Theory theory; if required, but misinterprets
attempt to
Application required, translates physical significance
relate data to
translates theory theory into of theory or variable
theory
into practice or practice or involved; makes
applies to applies to errors in unit
process model(s). process conversions.
model(s).
Provides
recommendation Is aware of Is aware of
Measurement on measurement measurement error but
Is unaware of
Error measurement of error and is does not account for it
measurement
error and is able able to statistically or does so
error
to account account for it at
for it statistically. statistically. a minimal level
Prepared by: Maria Cecilia M. Marcos, PhD. CE
Full Professor 1, Civil Engineering Department
