Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 14-1
Minimum Test Hole Volumes Based on
Maximum Size of Included Particle [1]
Maximum Particle Size
Minimum Test Hole Volumes
in.
mm
cm
3
ft
3
1
⁄
2
12.7
1,415
0.05
1
25.4
2,125
0.075
1
1
⁄
2
38
2,830
0.1
one, or more, compacted lift(s). The procedure for calibrating the
sand must reflect this hole depth.
(1.6) Dig the test hole through the center hole in the base plate, be-
ing careful to avoid disturbing or deforming the soil that will bound
the hole. The sides of the hole should slope slightly inward, and the
bottom should be reasonably flat or concave. The hole should be kept
as free as possible of pockets, overhangs, and sharp obtrusions since
these affect the accuracy of the test. Soils that are essentially granu-
lar require extreme care and may require digging a conical-shaped
test hole. Place all excavated soil, and any soil loosened during dig-
ging, in a moisture tight container that is marked to identify the test
number. Take care to avoid losing any materials. Protect this mate-
rial from any loss of moisture until the mass has been determined
and a specimen has been obtained for a water content determination.
(1.7) Clean the flange of the base plate hole, invert the sand-cone
apparatus, and seat the sand-cone funnel into the flanged hole at
the same position as marked during calibration. Eliminate or min-
imize vibrations in the test area due to personnel or equipment.
Open the valve and allow the sand to fill the hole, funnel, and base
plate. Take care to avoid jarring or vibrating the apparatus while
the sand is running. When the sand stops flowing, close the valve.
(1.8) Determine the mass of the apparatus with the remaining
sand, record, and calculate the mass of sand used.
(1.9) Determine and record the mass of the moist material that
was removed from the test hole. When oversize material corrections
are required, determine the mass of the oversize material on the
appropriate sieve and record, taking care to avoid moisture losses.
When required, make appropriate corrections for the oversize ma-
terial using ASTM Practice D 4718.
(1.10) Mix the material thoroughly, and either obtain a representative
specimen for water content determination or use the entire sample.
(1.11) Determine the water content in accordance with ASTM Test
Method D 2216 (Chapter 4), D 4643 (Chapter 5), D 4944 (Chapter
13), or D 4959. Correlations to Method D 2216 will be performed
when required by other test methods.
(2) Water content specimens must be large enough and selected in
such a way that they represent all the material obtained from the
test hole. The minimum mass of the water content specimens is
that required to provide water content values accurate to 1%.
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