INTRODUCTION

In-situ density of soil is an important parameter for soil engineers.

This is needed for determination of bearing capacity of soils,
stability analysis, and natural slopes and for determining degree
of compaction of fills.
Density is used in calculating the stress in the soil due to its
overburden pressure. It is needed in estimating the bearing
capacity of soil foundation system, settlement of footings, earth
pressures behind the retaining walls, dams, embankments.
Stability of natural slopes, dams, embankments. It is the density
of controls the field of soils. Permeability of soils depends upon
its density. Relative density of cohesion less soils is determined
by knowing the dry density of that soil in natural, loosest and
densest states. Void ratio, porosity and degree of saturation need
the help of density of soils.
OBJECTIVE
To determine in-situ density of fine-Grained natural or compacted
soils free form aggregate using a core cutter.
THEORY
Core cutter method is used for finding field density of cohesive
clay soils placed as fill.It is rapid method conducted on field. It
cannot be applied to coarse grained soil as
the penetration of core cutter becomes difficult due to increased
resistance at the tip of core cutter leading to damage to core
cutter.
A cylindrical core cutter is a seamless steel tube. For
determination of the dry density of the soil, the cutter is pressed
into the soil mass so that it is filled with the soil. The cutter filled
with the soil is lifted up. The mass of the soil in the cutter is
determined. The dry density is obtained as

Where M = mass of the wet soil in the cutter

V = internal volume of the cutter
w= water content.Core cutter method in particular, is suitable for
soft to medium cohesive soils, in which the cutter can be driven.
It is not possible to drive the cutter into hard,as boulder soils .In
such case other methods are adopted.
EQUIPMENTS
1-Cylindrical core cutter seamless steep tube, 12.5cm long,10cm
internal diameter with wall thickness of 3mm.
2- Steel rammer
3-Balance
4- knife
5-Container for determination of water content
6-Drying Oven
PROCEDURE
1-Place the cylinder on the soil to be examined vertically
2-Drill the soil around the cylinder and carefully extract the
cylinder and keep the soil inside
3-Adjust the bottom surface of the cylinder by scraping the excess
part of the cylinder
4-Find the weight of the soil inside the cylinder
5-By knowing the dimensions of the cylinder and the weight of
the soil, it is possible to found a moisture density for the soil by
dividing the weight of the soil into a cylinder size
5-Take sample of soil and it has water content (the container is
weighed empty and then weighed with the model and then placed
in the drying oven for an hour and then calculated weight again
and we find water content by dividing the weight of water to dry
weight
Calculation
a) Determination of bulk and dry density of soil
Mass of empty core-cutter(M1) = 930g
Mass of core - cutter + wet soil(M2 )= 2911g
Mass of wet soil(M 2-M 1 )= 2911 - 930 = 1981g
Bulk density b== (2911 930)/981.75= 2.02 g/cm3
Dry density of soil d = 2.02 /( 1 + (21.58/100))= 1.65

b) Determination of water content of soil .

Mass of empty container with lid(M 1 ) =9.8g
 Mass of container with lid and wet(M 2 ) =54.3g.
Mass of container with lid and dry soil(M 3 ) =46.4g
Water content,w =Mw/Md=(M2-M3)/(M3-M1)*100
=(54.3-46.4)/(46.4-9.8)*100
=21.85%
RESULT
a) Determination of bulk and dry density of soil.

1 Mass of empty core cutter(M1) g 930

2 Mass of core cutter+wet soil(M2) g 2911
3 Mass of wet soil(M2-M1) g 1981
4 Volume of core cutter(V) cm3 981.75
5 Bulk density b=M2-M1/ V g/cm3 2.02
6 Dry density of soil d= b/(1+w) g/cm3 1.65

b) Determination of water content of soil

1 Mass of empty container(M1) g 9.8
2 Mass of empty container and wet(M2) g 54.3
3 Mass of empty container and dry soil (M3) g 46.4
4 Water content=Mw/Md % 21.58
DISCUSSION
Core cutter method is used for finding field density of cohesive
or clayey soils placed as fill. The result of this experiment, that
bulk density, dry density and water content it is shown that the
soils is cohesive and clayey soils. From the experiment, the result
that we got are :

CORE CUTTER SAND REPLACEMENT

METHOD METHOD
BULK DENSITY OF SOIL 2.02 1.90
(g/cm3)
DRY DENSITY OF SOIL 1.65 1.61
(g/cm3)
The data is acceptable because the density value between the core
cutter method and sand replacement method have small different.
The different exist come from error balance reading and the hole
for the test core cutter and sand replacement method were make
far from each other. Types of error factors affect soil permeability
it is from when doing the test is environmental error, systematic
or equipment error.
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, the relationship between compaction effort and the
density of soil are the compaction is a process of increasing soil
density and removing air. The size of the individual soil particles
does not change, neither is water removed. There is usually no
change in water content.
The degree of compaction is measured by dry unit weight and
depends on the water content and compactive effort. The factors
will effect the compaction and density are nature and type of soil
such as sand, clay, grading or plasticity; water content at the time
of compaction, site conditions include with weather, type of site,
layer thickness; and compactive effort.The other two methods
that can be used are sand replacement method and
water displacement method. Each method is selected based on the
type of soil to be tested, as well as the limitation that may be
present in the soil sample to be tested.