CHAPTER 3

TEST PROGRAMME AND PROCEDURE

3.1 General

The present study was mainly concerned with the relation of linear shrinkage to liquid
and plastic limit. Samples were taken from specific areas of Bangladesh, and at the outset,
they were subjected to physical and classification testing. Then following the preparation
of test samples and construction of two additional moulds (100 mm and 175 mm) along
with standard 140 mm mould, linear shrinkage test was conducted on the test samples. In
the following Sections test programmes and procedures are briefly described.

3.2 Test Programme

Eight soil samples were taken from five distinct locations of Bangladesh namely Dhaka-
Mawa expressway, Solepur, Gazipur, Madani Avenue and Mirpur cantonment. Three of
these soil samples were gathered along Madani Avenue from three designated locations.
Two samples were gathered from the Nimtoli bazar point and Kayain on the Dhaka-
Mawa expressway and one from Sreepur located in Gazipur. In order to meet the
objectives of present study, the samples were prepared for linear shrinkage and other
associated tests using specific ASTM and BS standards. The soil specimens are sorted in
ascending order based on their liquid limit value in Table 3.1. The study scheme is
outlined in Fig 3.1.

Table 3.1: Samples sorted based on liquid limit value

Sample Location Liquid limit
No. (%)

1 Nimtoli bazar point, Dhaka-Mawa expressway 37

2 Kayain, Dhaka-Mawa expressway 39

3 Solepur 39

4 Madani Avenue-1 50

5 Madani Avenue-2 52

6 Mirpur Cantonment 62
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 Sample Location Liquid limit
No. (%)

7 Madani Avenue-3 66

8 Sreepur, Gazipur 70

Collection of soil Air drying for minimum

Specific gravity test
sample 3 days

Wash sieve test Grain size analysis atterberg limit Test

Analysis, interpolation
linear shrinkage Test Findings of the study
and presentation of data

Fig. 3.1: Flow chart for research scheme

3.3 Collection of soil and preparation of test sample

As mentioned earlier, total eight soil samples were collected from different locations of
Dhaka city namely Dhaka-Mawa expressway, Solepur, Gazipur, Madani Avenue and
Mirpur cantonment. The soil samples according to their number. are shown in photograph
in Fig. 3.2.

After collection of test samples, they were air dried for at least 3 days and large particles
were broken using a rubber mallet. The soil structure would have been affected by the use

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of an iron hammer, so it was avoided. The samples were then placed in trays and kept in
an enclosed space to prevent moisture intrusion.

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 Fig. 3.2: Collected soil samples

Fig. 3.2 (Contd.): Collected soil samples

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According to BS 1377:1990 standard, alternative design for linear shrinkage may be used
provided that the essential requirements are fulfilled. The standard linear shrinkage mould is
140 mm (40x140x12.5 mm). It was already available in the laboratory for testing. To
improve the accuracy of our relationship two additional moulds were prepared namely
100mm and 175 mm. In these two moulds only the lengths were altered, other properties
such as material, depth, width etc. were kept exactly the same. The three moulds are shown
from fig. 3.10 to 3.12.

(a) 100 mm mold

(b) 140 mm mold

(c) 175 mm mold

Fig 3.3: Different length of mold used in the investigation (Dia. = 25 mm).

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3.4 Test Procedure

Specific gravity, grain size analysis, liquid and plastic limit and liner shrinkage test were
carried out for the purpose of the current study. In the following sections they are briefly
described.

3.4.1 Specific Gravity

Specific gravity of soil particles (G s) is a crucial weight-volume property that aids in the
classification of soils and the discovery of further weight-volume characteristics like void
ratio, porosity, and unit weight. The mass of a unit volume of soil at a given temperature
divided by the mass of a unit volume of gas-free distilled water at that same temperature
is known as specific gravity. Specific gravity of all the soil samples were measured using
the accepted test procedure ASTM D 854. This test method entails using a water
pycnometer to determine the specific gravity of soil solids that pass through a 4.75-mm
sieve. The test setup is shown in Fig. 3.5.

Fig 3.5: Specific gravity test setup

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To determine the specific gravity, weight of three empty, clean, dry pycnometer were
recorded and 50 gram of oven dried sample were placed in the pycnometers with the help
of a glass funnel. Weight of pycnometers containing dry soil were also determined and
recorded. Distilled water was then added on the pycnometers to fill about half to three
fourth and then they were boiled for two hours. The pycnometers were shaked, at fifteen
minutes interval to remove the entrapped air.

The pycnometers were then filled with distilled water up to little above the mark and kept
it in a place to cool down to room temperature for 24 hours, closing the head with stop
cock so that no air can enter the pycnometer. Next day, the exterior surface of the
pycnometers was cleaned and the weight of the pycnometers with the contents was
determined. The weight of pycnometers filled with distilled water and room temperature
were also recorded. Finally, specific gravity was calculated using provided equation.

3.4.2 Wash Sieve Analysis

Before grain size analysis, the soil samples were washed through No. 200 sieve to
determine if they meet the minimum mass requirement for sieve analysis or not using
ASTM D 1140. The sieve with soil sample is shown in Fig. 3.6.

Fig 3.6: Washing of soil.

The samples were manually agitated at 30-minute interval to facilitate complete

separation of particles. After two hours, the container specimen was transferred and

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washed through No. 200 sieve using tap water. The material was lightly manipulated by
hand to facilitate the washing process, taking care not to lose any of the retained material.
After the coarse fraction of material had been thoroughly washed, they were transferred to
specimen container and oven dried for 24 hours. Then container with the contents were
measured using a balance and percentage of material retained on No. 200 sieve was
determined.

3.4.3 Grain Size Analysis

Grain size analysis covers both sieve analysis for coarse grained (retained US sieve No.
200) soil and hydrometer analysis for fine grained soil (passing US sieve No. 200). To
perform sieve analysis on a soil sample, the first step is to identify whether it satisfies
minimum mass requirement or not. As per the wash sieve test results, presented in Table,
it was seen that none of the eight samples satisfy the criteria. Very negligible amount of
soil retained on No. 200 sieve. Due to this reason, the samples were subjected to only
Hydrometer analysis. Hydrometer analysis was done following test procedures of ASTM
D 7928. Two Graduated cylinders were used for this test, Fig. 3.7.

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 Fig. 3.10: Hydrometer cylinders

Test cylinder and control cylinder. Fifty (50) grams of soil sample passing No.200 sieve
was poured in test cylinder. 125 ml of deflocculating agent (Sodium Hexametaphosphate)
solution was added to this. Then the cylinder was filled up to one liter mark. The
suspension of the mixture was thoroughly shaken and the cylinder was kept upright on
plane horizontal table. The control cylinder contained 125ml deflocculating agent
solution mixed with distilled water.

A hydrometer was inserted in the test cylinder and respective readings at specified
intervals were collected. Every time when the hydrometer was taken out of the suspension
it was kept in the control cylinder to remove the adhering particles. Finally grain size
distribution curve was plotted only using hydrometer test data.

3.4.4 Liquid and plastic limit test

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The liquid limit describes the critical moisture content of soil that must exist for it to
transition from a liquid to a plastic state, while the plastic limit describes the critical
moisture content of soil that must exist for it to transform from a plastic state to a solid
state.

Both liquid limit of the soil samples using cone penetration method and plastic limit tests
were performed as per the standard procedures of BS 1377:1990. About 300g soil paste
was prepared and placed on the glass plate. After mixing for at least 10 minutes using two
palette knives, A portion of the mixed soil was pushed into the cup with the knives. The
cup was jarred a few times to remove the entrapped air and then excess soil was struck off
with the straightedge to give a smooth level surface.

Then keeping Cone head in just touching position with the soil surface and placing the
stem of dial gauge zero reading, the cone was released for a period of 5 ± 1s. Finally, the
reading of the dial gauge was taken to the nearest 0.1mm. The readings were taken in a
range of penetration values of approximately 10mm to 30mm through five test runs. The
test process is shown in Fig 3.11.

After each test some samples from the cup was collected and dried in the oven to
determine the moisture content corresponding to each penetration value. Then a Moisture
Content vs Penetration values were plotted in a normal graph and moisture content
corresponding to 20 mm penetration was take as liquid limit.

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 Fig. 3.11: Cone penetration testing.

For plastic limit test, after preparing about 20g soil paste on the glass plate and
thoroughly mixing with water until the soil becomes plastic enough to be shaped into a
ball, approximately 8g-12g of the moistened soil was taken and formed into a uniform
mass roughly elliptical in shape. Then the ball of soil was rolled by tips of the fingers on
the glass plate with just enough pressure to form an elongated thread as rolling proceeds.
This rolling was repeated until the soil crumbled under slight pressure required for rolling
and the thread was nearly 3mm before it crumbled. The crumbled soil samples are shown
in Fig. 3.12. Then portions of the crumbled soil was gathered and oven dried to determine
plastic limit.

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 Fig. 3.12: Soil thread breaks at 3.2 mm diameter.

3.4.5 Linear shrinkage test

The linear shrinkage test of soil samples was performed as per the standard procedures of
BS-1377: 1990. In the beginning, about 200g soil samples that was passed through No. 40
sieve was placed in a glass plate and mixed with distilled water to make a readily
workable paste. It was made sure that the mass becomes a homogenous paste of with a
moisture content at about liquid limit of the soil that was determined through cone
penetration test.

After placing the mixture on the mould and jarring to remove any pockets in the mixture,
soil along the top of the mould was levelled using a palette knife. The mould placing
process is shown in Fig. 3.15(a) and 3.15(b) respectively.

Fig. 3.15 (a): Placing soil in the mould using spatula.

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 Fig. 3.15(b): Mould filled with soil sample.

Then the mould with soil was air dried for 24 hours to let the soil shrunk away from the
walls of the mould. After 24 hours the mould was first dried in 65°C until shrinkage had
largely ceased and finally at 105-110°C to complete the drying. Some the samples
remained straight while others curved. Both type of characteristics is shown in Fig 3.15(c)
and Fig. 3.15(d). After drying had been complete mean length of soil bar was determined.
For the curved soil bars, length of top and bottom surfaces was determined and average
was taken.

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Fig. 3.15 (c): Straight soil bars during drying.

Fig. 3.1d (d): Curved soil bars during drying.

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