Contents

Contents........................................................................................................................1
1. THE DETERMINATION OF THE GRAIN SIZE DISTRIBUTION IN SOILS BY
MEANS OF THE HYDROMETER ...............................................................................2
Objective:..................................................................................................................2
Description:...............................................................................................................2
2. Flow Chart.................................................................................................................3
3. Apparatus..............................................................................................................4
4. Method..................................................................................................................5
5. Results..................................................................................................................6
5.1. Test results.........................................................................................................6
Coarse sand:.........................................................................................................6
Fine sand:..............................................................................................................6
Silt: ......................................................................................................................6
Clay: ....................................................................................................................7
Percentage silt + clay in total sample:...................................................................7
Percentage passing the 0.075mm sieve in total sample:......................................7
5.2. Calculations:.......................................................................................................7
6. Interpretation of Results........................................................................................8
7. Recommendations................................................................................................8
8. Conclusion............................................................................................................8
9. Appendices...........................................................................................................9

1. THE DETERMINATION OF THE GRAIN SIZE DISTRIBUTION IN SOILS BY

MEANS OF THE HYDROMETER

Objective:

To determine the soil distribution of the various particle sizes using a hydrometer, and
analyzing this information on completion.

Description:

This method covers the quantitative determination of the distribution of particle sizes in soils
by means of a sedimentation process (downward movement of small suspended particles by
gravity), based on Stokes Law, by using a specially calibrated hydrometer.

2. Flow Chart

Aim:

To determine the soil distribution of the various particle sizes using

a hydrometer

Apparatus:

Balance sensitive to 0.1g.

A canning jar, wide mouth, about 1000ml capacity.
A bouyoucos cylinder.
A bouyoucos hydrometer.
A dispersing apparatus with paddle.
A stop watch.
Thermometer sensitive to 1C.
Sodium silicate.

Weigh 100g of fine soil,

add 400ml of distilled
water and 40g sodium
hexametaphosphate, stir
well and let it stand for
2hrs.

Remove hydrometer and place

cylinder in temperature bath of
20C.

Shake cylinder until suspension is

obtained. Return cylinder to water
bath and start stop watch.

Mix contents with dispersing

apparatus for 15min. and pour
suspension in cylinder.

Test Procedure:

Fill cylinder with 1205ml distilled

water and place hydrometer inside
the cylinder.

Take reading after 18sec, shake, and

then take reading after 40sec. After 1hr
take reading again with hydrometer
and temperature with thermometer.

3. Apparatus

Balance sensitive to 0.1g.

A canning jar, wide mouth, about 1000ml capacity.

A bouyoucos cylinder.

A bouyoucos hydrometer.

A dispersing apparatus with paddle.

A stop watch.

Thermometer sensitive to 1C.

Sodium silicate.

Pen and paper.

4. Method

Weigh out 100g of the soil fines.

Place soil fines into canning jar.

Add 400ml of distilled water and 40g hexametaphosphate to canning jar.

Mix contents thoroughly with a dispersing apparatus for approximately 15 minutes and
pour this suspension into the Bouyoucos cylinder.

Fill the cylinder with distilled water to the 1205ml mark with the hydrometer inside the
cylinder.

Remove the hydrometer and place the cylinder in a constant temperature bath at 20C

When the content is at 20C, shake the cylinder end over end until a homogenous
suspension is obtained.

Return the cylinder to the water bath and start the stopwatch.

After 1 Hour, the hydrometer is inserted and a reading is recorded to the nearest 0.5.
Simultaneously the temperature of the content is also recorded using a thermometer.

A 40 second reading is then done following the same procedure done in the previous
step along with the temperature.

Lastly, an 18 second reading is taken in the same way along with the temperature.

The readings are then recorded as follows:

1 hour reading

C (Clay)

40 second reading -

F (Silt and Clay)

18 second reading -

E (% passing the 0.075mm)

5. Results

5.1. Test results

Time (sec)
18 seconds
40 seconds
1 hour

Actual Hydrometer
Reading
60
60
10

Temperature (C)
21.5 C
21.5 C
21.5C

Effective Depth,
L (cm)
6.5 cm
6.5 cm
14.7 cm

The soil mortar is divided into four fractions (expressed as percentages of the soil mortar)
Coarse sand:
P1 =

Sm S f
Sm

Sm = % soil mortar in total sample

Sf = % soil fines in total sample
P1 =

36.604 20.794
= 0.432 %
36.604

Fine sand:
P2 =

S f (100 F )
Sm

F = 40 second hydrometer reading

P2 =

20.794(100 60)
= 22.723 %
36.604

Silt:
P3 =

S f (F C )
Sm

C = 1 hour hydrometer reading

P3 =

20.794 (60 10)

= 28.404 %
36.604

Clay:
P4 =
P4 =

CSf
Sm
10 20.794
= 5.681 %
36.604

Percentage silt + clay in total sample:

P5 = F

Sf
100

P5 = 60

20.794
= 12.476%
100

Percentage passing the 0.075mm sieve in total sample:

P6 = E

Sf
100

E = 18 second hydrometer reading

P6 = 60

20.794
= 12.476 %
100

5.2. Calculations:

D=

L
t

18s

0.013484

6 .5
= 0.0628 mm
0 .3

40s

0.013484

6 .5
= 0.04210 mm
0.6667

60min

0.013484

14.7
= 0.00667 mm
60

6. Interpretation of Results
The results indicate that the soil sample is not very well graded.

7. Recommendations

My recommendations are that the hydrometer should be replaced as it is clear from carrying out
the practical that the hydrometer is defective.

8. Conclusion

The hydrometer test measures the density of these grains and their terminal velocity as they fall
through the solution. These values allow the diameter of the soil grains to be calculated, thus
providing the percentage of particles in the sample that exceed a given size.

9. Appendices

Figure 1: Filling the test sample