TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

MANILA CAMPUS

SOIL MECHANICS &

EARTHQUAKE
CT324-M
BETCT-3EF

DRY PREPARATION OF DISTURBED SOIL SAMPLES

ASSIGNMENT/SEATWORK/PLATE NO. 3

SUBMITTED BY:

________________________________

Tejerero, Vincent R.
TUPM-21-0333

SUBMITTED TO:

ENGR. ARIEL B. MORALES, ED.D.,M.ENG.

DATE SUBMITTED:
April 5, 2024
Experiment No. 3
DRY PREPARATION OF DISTURBED SOIL SAMPLES

1. Objective(s):
The activity aims to impart the standard preparation of disturbed soil samples.
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
The students shall be able to:
• prepare disturbed soil samples for future laboratory experiments.
• distinquish unacceptable practices in preparation of soil samples

3. Discussion:

The method of dry preparation of soil samples is used to prepare soil samples in various laboratory
experiments such as moisture content determination, particle size analysis and in determination of
Atterberg limits. It is proper that the samples be prepared in an orderly manner to avoid compromising the
results of the laboratory experiments because of errors in the preparation. Proper preparation also will
allow sufficient amount of samples for each laboratory experiment.

4. Resources:

1. Triple Beam Balance

2. Oven with temperature control
3. Pans
4. Standard Sieves #4 and #10
5. Rubber Mallet or Rubber-covered Pestle
6. Mortar and Rubber Pestle
7. Trowel
8. Sample Splitter

5. Procedure:

1. Allow the soil sample recovered from the field to dry thoroughly on room temperature. Using a
mortar and pestle, break up the aggregations thoroughly. Select about 75 grams of the sample for
the conduct of moisture content determination.
2. Separate the test sample using Sieve No. 10. Break up again the soil fraction retained in Sieve #
10 to break the grains thoroughly. Separate again the grinded soil into two fractions using Sieve
#10.
3. Determine the weight of the fraction retained in Sieve #10. Wash the soil fraction of all fine
material, dry and weigh. Record the mass as the mass of the coarse material.
4. After being washed and dried, sieve the coarse the material using the Sieve No. 4 and record the
mass retained.
5. Thoroughly mix together the soil fraction passing Sieve No.10 on the previous sieving operations.
Using a sample splitter, select a portion of approximately 120 g for the Particle size analysis.
Select a portion passing Sieve # 40 of approximately 200 grams in determining the soil constants.

Course: BET CT Experiment No.: 3

Group No.: Section: 3EF
Group Leader: ILAGAN, ANNE SHERINA Date Performed:
Group Members: GODOY, JHON ALBERT D. Date Submitted: APRIL 5, 2024
2. TEJERERO, VINCENT Instructor: ENGR. ARIEL B. MORALES
3. PINGOL, BENJAMIN III
4. MABBUN, ROY LAWRENCE
5. GRIARTE, KRISEL

6. Data and Results:

Sample # Weight (g) Purpose Description

Particle Size
1
Analysis
2 Soil Constants

7. Conclusion:

Samples of disturbed soil can be prepared dry to reveal the distribution of grain sizes and other
engineering properties. Nevertheless, it is crucial to stress that the disturbance of the soil
structure and the need for appropriate sample homogeneity must be carefully taken into account
during the preparation stage.

BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT

CRITERIA SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
Members do not Members occasionally
Manipulative Members always
demonstrate needed demonstrate needed
Skills demonstrate needed skills.
skills. skills
Members are unable Members are able to Members are able to set-up
Experimental
to set-up the set-up the materials the material with minimum
Set-up
materials. with supervision. supervision.
Members do not Members occasionally Members always
Process Skills demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted
process skills. process skills. process skills.
Members do not Members follow safety
Safety Members follow safety
follow safety precautions most of
Precautions precautions at all times.
precautions. the time.
II. Work Habits
Time
Members do not finish Members finish on Members finish ahead of
Management /
on time with time with incomplete time with complete data
Conduct of
incomplete data. data. and time to revise data.
Experiment
Members have
Members do not know
defined Members are on tasks and
their tasks and have
responsibilities most have defined
no defined
Cooperative of the time. Group responsibilities at all times.
responsibilities.
and Teamwork conflicts are Group conflicts are
Group conflicts have
cooperatively cooperatively managed at
to be settled by the
managed most of the all times.
teacher.
time.
Clean and orderly
Clean and orderly
Messy workplace workplace with
Neatness and workplace at all times
during and after the occasional mess
Orderliness during and after the
experiment. during and after the
experiment.
experiment.
Members require
Ability to do Members require
occasional Members do not need to be
independent supervision by the
supervision by the supervised by the teacher.
work teacher.
teacher.
Other Comments/Observations: Total Score

9. References
Murthy, V.N.S. (2011). Textbook of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Singapore: Alken
Company

American Society for Testing and Materials (1998). Dry Preparation of Samples for Particle Size Analysis
(D-421). Pennsylvania: ASTM International
 TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
MANILA CAMPUS

SOIL MECHANICS &

EARTHQUAKE
CT324-M
BETCT-3EF

WET PREPARATION OF DISTURBED SOIL SAMPLES

ASSIGNMENT/SEATWORK/PLATE NO. 4

SUBMITTED BY:

________________________________

Tejerero, Vincent R.
TUPM-21-0333

SUBMITTED TO:

ENGR. ARIEL B. MORALES, ED.D.,M.ENG.

DATE SUBMITTED:
April 5, 2024
 Experiment No. 4
WET PREPARATION OF DISTURBED SOIL SAMPLES

1. Objective(s):
The activity aims to impart an alternative method for preparation of disturbed soil samples.
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
The students shall be able to:
• prepare disturbed soil samples for future laboratory experiments.
• distinguish standard practices in preparation of soil samples

3. Discussion:

The method of wet preparation of soil samples is an alternative method used to prepare soil samples in
various laboratory experiments such as moisture content determination, particle size analysis and in
determination of Atterberg limits.

For cases wherein removal of fine-grained soil that are attached to coarse particles is difficult, wet
preparation is more appropriate than dry preparation. This is also applicable for coarse-grained particles of
the sample are soft and pulverize readily.

4. Resources:

1. Triple Beam Balance or Digital Weighing Scale.

2. Oven.
3. Pans with at least 300 mm f and 75 mm deep.
4. Standard Sieves #10 and #40.
5. Funnel.
6. Filter Paper

5. Procedure:

1. Allow the soil sample recovered from the field to dry thoroughly on room temperature. Using a
mortar and pestle, break up the aggregations thoroughly.
2. Select about 120 grams of the sample for the conduct of particle size analysis. For the
determination of Atterberg limits, set aside the soil fraction passing Sieve No. 4 and weigh about
150 grams of the sample. Select a portion of about 50 grams for the determination of moisture
content.
3. Separate the material set aside for the Particle size analysis into two portions using Sieve #10.
Set aside the portion passing Sieve #10 as washing is to be performed on the portion retained
4. The portion retained is to be soaked in a pan until particle aggregations become soft. Place the
Sieve #10 on a clean pan. Allow the soaked soil with water to flow to the sieve until the height of
the water is about 12.7 mm above the mesh of the sieve. Crumble any lumps observed on the
sieve using the thumb or the fingers. Transfer the washed material on a clean pan before placing
another increment of soaked material into the sieve.
5. Dry the materials retained on Sieve #10 and add the material on Procedure no. 3. Set aside the
material for use in the Particle size analysis.
6. Remove most of the water in the washings by allowing it to pass through a funnel fitted with a filter
paper. Remove the moist soil in the filter paper and allow to dry at a temperature not exceeding
60oC. Combine the soil with material obtained in Procedure No. 3.
Course: BET CT Experiment No.: 4
Group No.: Section: 3EF
Group Leader: ILAGAN, ANNE SHERINA Date Performed:
Group Members: GODOY, JHON ALBERT D. Date Submitted: APRIL 5, 2024
2. TEJERERO, VINCENT Instructor: ENGR. ARIEL B. MORALES
3. PINGOL, BENJAMIN III
4. MABBUN, ROY LAWRENCE
5. GRIARTE, KRISEL

6. Data and Results:

Sample # Weight (g) Purpose Description

Particle Size
1
Analysis
2 Soil Constants

7. Conclusion:

The wet preparation method allows us to evaluate parameters like soil consistency,
moisture content, and grain size distribution by accurately simulating real-world soil conditions.
We were able to see how deliberate disturbances, like sieving and mixing, affected the structure
and characteristics of the soil samples.

This experiment, taken as a whole, emphasizes how crucial it is to comprehend soil

behavior in engineering and construction projects. We can make educated decisions about slope
stability, foundation design, and site suitability by thoroughly analyzing soil samples using wet
preparation techniques. This will ultimately lead to the development of safer and more effective
infrastructure.

8. Assessment (Rubric for Laboratory Performance):

BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT

CRITERIA SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
Members do not Members occasionally
Manipulative Members always
demonstrate needed demonstrate needed
Skills demonstrate needed skills.
skills. skills
 Members are unable Members are able to Members are able to set-up
Experimental
to set-up the set-up the materials the material with minimum
Set-up
materials. with supervision. supervision.
Members do not Members occasionally Members always
Process Skills demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted
process skills. process skills. process skills.
Members do not Members follow safety
Safety Members follow safety
follow safety precautions most of
Precautions precautions at all times.
precautions. the time.
II. Work Habits
Time
Members do not finish Members finish on Members finish ahead of
Management /
on time with time with incomplete time with complete data
Conduct of
incomplete data. data. and time to revise data.
Experiment
Members have
Members do not know
defined Members are on tasks and
their tasks and have
responsibilities most have defined
no defined
Cooperative of the time. Group responsibilities at all times.
responsibilities.
and Teamwork conflicts are Group conflicts are
Group conflicts have
cooperatively cooperatively managed at
to be settled by the
managed most of the all times.
teacher.
time.
Clean and orderly
Clean and orderly
Messy workplace workplace with
Neatness and workplace at all times
during and after the occasional mess
Orderliness during and after the
experiment. during and after the
experiment.
experiment.
Members require
Ability to do Members require
occasional Members do not need to be
independent supervision by the
supervision by the supervised by the teacher.
work teacher.
teacher.
Other Comments/Observations: Total Score

9. References
Murthy, V.N.S. (2011). Textbook of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Singapore: Alken
Company

American Society for Testing and Materials (1999). Wet Preparation of Soil Samples for Particle-Size
Analysis and Determination of Soil Constants (D-2217). Pennsylvania: ASTM International
 TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
MANILA CAMPUS

SOIL MECHANICS &

EARTHQUAKE
CT324-M
BETCT-3EF

PREPARATION OF UNDISTURBED SOIL SAMPLES

ASSIGNMENT/SEATWORK/PLATE NO. 5

SUBMITTED BY:

________________________________

Tejerero, Vincent R.
TUPM-21-0333

SUBMITTED TO:

ENGR. ARIEL B. MORALES, ED.D.,M.ENG.

DATE SUBMITTED:
April 5, 2024
 Experiment No. 5
PREPARATION OF UNDISTURBED SOIL SAMPLE

1. Objective(s):
The activity aim to orient the students the concepts involved in the extraction and preparation of
undisturbed soil samples.
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
The students shall be able to:
• Understand the principles regarding the extraction of undisturbed soil samples.
• Acquire engineering judgment in deciding when to extract undisturbed soil samples in a soil
investigation.
• Understand the importance of achieving an undisturbed sample to represent the condition of the
subsurface.

3. Discussion:

Sample disturbance is attributed to be caused by the thickness of the sampler and its diameter. A sampler
with a bigger diameter will minimize the disturbance during extraction. Meanwhile a relatively thick
sampler would cause sample disturbance. It is important to minimize sample disturbance as it could
influence the result of certain laboratory experiments.

4. Resources:

1. Thin-walled sampler
2. Spade or shovel
3. Hand auger
4. Hydraulic jack
5. Paraffin wax

5. Procedure:

A. For extraction of undisturbed soil sample

1. Select a site which is predominantly clayey. Clear the site using a spade or a shovel. Using a
hand auger, drill the soil until the required depth is achieved to begin the sampling.
2. Lower the thin-walled sampler to the bottom of the borehole and apply a continuous pressure
to advance the sampler in a rapid downward motion.
3. Determine the length of advance. Minimize the length of advance to about 10 to 15 diameter
of the tube.
4. Carefully withdraw the sampler from the soil formation as to minimize disturbance of the
sample. The tube can be slowly rotated to shear the material at the end of the tube, and to
relieve water and/or suction pressures and achieve a better recovery. For soft soil formation,
a delay before withdraw of the sampler (typically 5 to 30 minutes) may improve sample
recovery.
5. Measure the overall sample length. Seal the lower end of the tube using a paraffin wax.
6. Repeat procedures 1 to 5 until 3 samples are obtained.

B. For removal of undisturbed soil sample

1. Using an especially made hydraulic jack, extrude the sample in a swift, continuous speed.
2. Record the observations in a field log book.
Course: BET CT Experiment No.: 5
Group No.: Section: 3EF
Group Leader: ILAGAN, ANNE SHERINA Date Performed:
Group Members: GODOY, JHON ALBERT D. Date Submitted: APRIL 5, 2024
2. TEJERERO, VINCENT Instructor: ENGR. ARIEL B. MORALES
3. PINGOL, BENJAMIN III
4. MABBUN, ROY LAWRENCE
5. GRIARTE, KRISEL

6. Data and Results:

Sample # Length (cm) Weight (g) Description

1
2
3

7. Conclusion:

Establishing perfectly undisturbed soil has several advantages. Careful handling is

necessary to capture the soil's structure and water content. In order for these to occur, we need
to make sure that the soil doesn't go through too much stress during the collection and testing
procedures.

8. Assessment (Rubric for Laboratory Performance):

BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT

CRITERIA SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
Members do not Members occasionally
Manipulative Members always
demonstrate needed demonstrate needed
Skills demonstrate needed skills.
skills. skills
Members are unable Members are able to Members are able to set-up
Experimental
to set-up the set-up the materials the material with minimum
Set-up
materials. with supervision. supervision.
Members do not Members occasionally Members always
Process Skills
demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted
 process skills. process skills. process skills.
Members do not Members follow safety
Safety Members follow safety
follow safety precautions most of
Precautions precautions at all times.
precautions. the time.
II. Work Habits
Time
Members do not finish Members finish on Members finish ahead of
Management /
on time with time with incomplete time with complete data
Conduct of
incomplete data. data. and time to revise data.
Experiment
Members have
Members do not know
defined Members are on tasks and
their tasks and have
responsibilities most have defined
no defined
Cooperative of the time. Group responsibilities at all times.
responsibilities.
and Teamwork conflicts are Group conflicts are
Group conflicts have
cooperatively cooperatively managed at
to be settled by the
managed most of the all times.
teacher.
time.
Clean and orderly
Clean and orderly
Messy workplace workplace with
Neatness and workplace at all times
during and after the occasional mess
Orderliness during and after the
experiment. during and after the
experiment.
experiment.
Members require
Ability to do Members require
occasional Members do not need to be
independent supervision by the
supervision by the supervised by the teacher.
work teacher.
teacher.
Other Comments/Observations: Total Score

9. References
Murthy, V.N.S. (2011). Textbook of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Singapore: Alken
Company

American Society for Testing and Materials (2000). Thin-Walled Tube Sampling of Soils for Geotechnical
Purposes (D-1587). Pennsylvania: ASTM International