Property of soil
1) Engineering property:
In this property, the soil of different places is considered as having
different properties. It should be tested separately. Therefore, it is much complex
but used as compulsorily in the huge construction.
Example, Bearing capacity, shear strength of soil
2) Index property:
In this, certain place’s soil is considered as having same properties. Hence, it
is easy but used in only small construction. It may be also said as lum-sum
property of soil.
Index properties of coarse grained soil- particle size, relative density.
Index properties of fine grained soil – Atterberg’s limit
Particle size analysis
It is the method of separation of soil into different
fractions based on their particle size. It determines the
proportion of various sizes of particles present in that
soil mass. Particle size analysis is done by performing
sieve analysis.
Sieve analysis:
In this process the soil sample is sieved through a
set of various sizes of sieves having square opening.
Sieves are available in various sizes ranging from
80mm to 0.075mm (75micron).
As the sieve analysis is done for coarse grained soil,
the coarse grained soil is further divided into two
groups. i.e.
1. Gravel fraction (>4.75 mm)
2. Sand fraction (4.75mm -75 micron)
There are two different set of sieves for gravel fraction and sand fraction. For
gravel fraction set of sieves used are 80, 40, 20, 10, 4.75mm. For sand fraction
set of sieves used are 2mm, 1mm, 600𝜇, 425𝜇, 212𝜇, 150𝜇 & 75𝜇.
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The sieves are arranged by placing the sieves 1 over another by decreasing size
of the sieves from top to bottom and a pan at the bottom. A cover is put at the top
of the largest sieves.
Air dried soil sample is taken and sieved in 4.75 mm sieve to separate the sand
fraction and gravel fraction. Retained portion in 4.75 mm sieve is gravel and
passed portion is sand fraction.
Soil sample is then sieved through the set of both sieves manually or using sieve
shaker. The mass of soil retained on each sieve is taken.
Particle size curve or distribution curve:
Particle size distribution curve represents the distribution of particles of
different size in a soil mass. Distribution of particles of different size in a
soil mass is called grading.
Percentage finer (N) than a given size is plotted in Y-axis and particle size
(mm) is plotted in X- axis (log scale)
Observation
Total mass of soil = 400gm
Gravel fraction (>4.75mm) = 200gm
Sand fraction (<4.75mm) = 200gm
Following data are obtained in sieve analysis.
S.No. IS sieve Mass of soil % retained % finer
(mm) retained
(gm)
1 80 - 0 100
2 40 - 0 100
3 20 30 7.5 92.5
4 10 62 15.5 77
5 4.75 108 27 50
6 2 30.5 7.63 42.37
7 1 24 6 36.37
8 600𝜇 17.5 4.37 32
9 425μ 16 4 28
10 212μ 32 8 20
11 150μ 22 5.5 14.5
12 75μ 36 9 15.5
13 pan 22 5.5 0
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Curve A :Gap graded ( skip graded ) soil
A curve with a hump such as curve A represents the soil in which some of the
intermediate size particles
are missing such as a soil is
called gap graded or skid
graded soil.
Curve B : well graded (
uniformly graded) soil
A flat S curve such as curve
B represents a soil which
contain particles of different
size in good proportion such
a soil is called well graded
or uniformly graded soil.
Curve C : uniform soil
A steep curve indicates a soil containing the particles of almost same size,
such soil is called uniform soil.
Curve D: coarse grained soil
Curve E: fine grained soil
𝑫𝟔𝟎
Uniformity coefficient (𝑪𝒖 ) =
𝑫𝟏𝟎
Where, 𝐷 is the particle size such that 60% of the soil is finer than this
size
𝐷 is the particle size such that 10% of the soil is finer than
this size
The larger the value of 𝐶 , the more is the range of particles. When 𝐶 is
less than 2 than the soils are uniform soil.
Sand having 𝐶 more than 6 is well graded and gravel having 𝐶 more
than 4 is well graded.
(𝑫𝟑𝟎 )𝟐
Coefficient of curvature (𝑪𝒄 ) =
𝑫𝟔𝟎 ×𝑫𝟏𝟎
The value of 𝑪𝒄 between 1 and 3 for well graded soil
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