A H M 531 Consolidation test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

Reg.No:0002804 .
Title Of Project :Consolidation Test .
Group. No: S2 .
Date-Day: 3/1/2002 Sunday.

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A H M 531 Consolidation test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

 Objective:

In this project will describe the procedure

for dimensional laboratory consolidation
test .
To determine the coefficient of
consolidation ( Cv ) by practice and
calculation and to obtain (Pc)
porconsolidation pressure .

Theory:
/
Tv = (Cvxt ) (HD2) .
Hs = ( Ws ) / (A(Gγw )) .

Definition:
Tv =Time factor .
Cv = coefficient .
t = Time which you need it .
HD = max. length of path .
Ws = wt. Of solid .
Gγw = density of solid .

Sample Identification:
• We should use saturated sample of clay to find
the rang of it’s effective from compressibility .

Equipment:

Consolidation unit .
Specimen .
Wire saw .
Balance , sensitive to (0.01)g .

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A H M 531 Consolidation test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

Stop watch .
Moisture can .
Oven .

Procedure& Calculation:
Prepare a soil specimen for the test . The specimen
is prepared by trimming an undistributed natural
sample obtained in shelby tubes . The shelby tube
sample should be about (1/4) in to (1/2) in layer in
diameter than the specimen diameter to be prepared
for the test .
Collect some excess soil that has been trimmed in a
moisture can for moisture content deformation.
Collect some of the excess soil trimmed in step (1)
for deformation of the specific gravity of soil solids ,
(Gs) .
Determine the weight of the consolidation ring (W1) .
Place the soil specimen in the consolidation ring
.Use the wire saw to trim the specimen flush with the
top and bottom of the consolidation ring . Record the
size of the specimen .
Determine the weight of the consolidation ring and
specimen (W2) .
Saturate the lower porous stone on the base of the
consolidation .
Place the soil specimen in the ring over the lower
porous stone .
Place the upper porous stone on the specimen in
the ring .
Attach the top ring to the base of consolidometer .
Add water to the comsolidometer to submerge the
soil and keep it saturated . In the case of the fixed
ring consolidometer , the outside ring (attached to
the top of the base ) and the stand pipe connection
attached to the base should be kept full with water
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A H M 531 Consolidation test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

.This needs to be done for the entire period of the

test .
Place the consolidometer in the loading device .
Attached the vertical deflection dial gauge to
measure the compression of soil .It should be fixed
in such away that the beginning of its release run .
the dial gauge used should be calibrated to read as
(1) small div. =(0.0001 )in .
Apply loads to the specimen such that the
magnitude of pressure, P , on the specimen is (1/2)
ton/ft2 .Take the vertical deflection dial gauge
reading at the following times , t , counted from the
time of the load application ,
(0,0.25,1,2.25,4,…….,9) min,……..,24 hour.
The next day ,add more load to the specimen such
that the total magnitude of pressure on the
specimen become (1 ton /ft2) . Take the vertical dial
gauge reading at similar time intervals stated in step
(4) .
Repeat step
(15) for soil pressure magnitude of (2 ton /ft2 ).
At all the end of the specimen and determine its
moisture content .

General describe of consolidation unit :

The consolidation unit consists of a consolidometer

and a loading unit .the consolidometer can be either(i)
a floating ring consolidometer or (ii) a fixed ring
consolidometer . the floating ring consolidometer
usually consists of a brass ring in which the soil
specimen is placed . One porous stone is placed at
the top of the specimen and an other porous stone on
the bottom .The soil specimen in their with the two
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A H M 531 Consolidation test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

porous stone is placed on a base plate .A plastic ring

surrounding the specimen fits into a groove on the
base plate . applied through a loading head that is
placed on the top porous stone .
In the floating ring consolidometer , compression of
the specimen occurs from the top and bottom towards
the center . The fixed ring consolidometer consists
essentially of the same components ex: a hollow base
plate , two porous stones, a brass ring to hold the soil
specimen , and a metal ring that can be fixed tightly to
the top of the base plate . The ring surrounds the soil
specimen .A stand pipe is attached to the side of the
base plate . this can be used for permeability
determination of the soil . In the fixed ring
consolidometer , the compression of the specimen
occurs from the top towards the bottom .the
specification from the loading devices of the
consolidation unit very depending on the manufacture
. During the consolidation test , when load is applied
to a soil specimen , the nature of variation of side
friction between the surrounding brass ring and the
specimen are different for the fixed ring and the
floating ring consolidometer .
a- brass ring .
b- porous stone .
c- base plate .
d- plastic ring .
e- loading head .
f- metal ring .
g- stand pipe .
h- dial gauge .

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A H M 531 Consolidation test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

Consolidation Of Clay :
The settlement of clay layer under a static load may
still exhibit a curve similar to that in figer (1) , but the
nature of the settlement process is more difficult to
analyze for clays than for sands . A static load on a
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A H M 531 Consolidation test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

sandy soil compresses the sand rapidly a static load

acting on a clay soil may settle very slowly .

Result & analysis:

Note :

(1 ) Kg load ------- (transfer to device) ------- (11)Kg

(1)Kg ------------------- (0.5) Kg
sample is wet .
Diameter of sample = diameter of ring =(75) mm =
(7.5) cm .
Height of ring or sample =(19) mm = (1.9 )cm .
Wt. Of ring only = (120.3) g .
Wt. Of ring +sample in beginning of test = (299.5)
g.
Wt. Of ring + sample at end of test = (292.5) g .
Wt. Of ring + dry sample at the end of test =
(263.5)g .
Answer :
1. wt. Of sample in beginning of test only =
(299.5 –120.3 ) = 179.2 g .
2. wt. Of sample at the end of test = (292.5 –
120.3 ) 172.2 g .

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A H M 531 Consolidation test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

3. wt. Of dry sample at the end of test = (263.5 –

120.3 ) =143.2 g .
4. W%
--- at beginning
=((179.2-143.2)/(143.2))x100 = 25%
--- at the end
= ((172.2 –143.2)/(143.2))x100= 20%
5. (Hs) = (Ws) / (Ar.Gsγw)
= (143.2) /( (π/4)(7.5)2(2.7)) =1.201 cm .
6. (Hvf) = (μwf)/(Ar)
= (292.5-263.5)/( (π/4)(7.5)2 )=0.657 .
7. ef = (Hvf)/ (Hs)=0.55 .
8. Hvi = (Hi-Hs)
= (19-12.01)=6.99 mm =0.699 cm .
9. eo = (Hvi / Hs)= 0.58 .
10. Adjusted = original x 0.01 =9 x0.02 =1.8 .
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Kg =
D50 =(Do+D100)=(10.45+10.8)/2 = 10.625 mm .
ΔH = (Ho - Hs)(0.01) = (10.3-9)0.01 =0.0183 mm .
H =(19-(0.0183/2)) = 18.991 mm .
Cv= (0.197(18.991/2)2)/(200) =0.0888 mm2/sec .
Δe = (ΔH/Hs) = (0.0183/1.201)=0.015 .
e = ( eo – Δe )= (0.58 – 0.015)=0.565 .
ΔHTotal = (13.68 – 9 )(0.01) = 0.0468 mm .

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By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

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Pressure (P) Final dial Change Final Height of Δe eo e Ht(av) Cv in
Or Kg/cm2 reading in length specimen voids during
Do D10 D50 t50

ATOOMUS
0 double
length Htf (Hv) cm consolidatio sec
mm n drainag
e
0 0 Kg/cm2 9.0 19 0.5
8
0.0183 0.699 0.01 0.5 18.9955
5 65
1 0.5 Kg/cm2 10.83 18.991 10.4 10.8 10.6 200 8.88x10-2
5 3
Consolidation test

0.0057 0.6981 0.00 0.5 18.9895

47 60

9
2 1 Kg/cm2 11.4 18.988 10.7 11.4 11.0 120 3.55x10-2
25 6
0.0082 0.6978 0.00 0.5 18.986
68 53
4 2 Kg/cm2 12.22 18.984 11.3 12.0 11.7 500 3.55x10-2
6 5 1
0.0058 0.6974 0.00 0.5 18.982

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48 48
8 4 Kg/cm2 12.8 18.981 12.1 12.7 12.4 110 1.6x10-1

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55 3
0.0088 0.6971 0.00 0.5 18.979
7 41
16 8 Kg/cm2 13.68 18.977 12.7 13.5 13.1 335 5.3x10-2
5 3 4
0. 0.4eo
A H M 531

23
A H M 531 Consolidation test By: Mu'men Al-Otoom

Discussion & Conclusion:

the settlement of clay layer under a static load may
still exhibit a curve similar to that in figer (1) , but the
nature of the settlement porous is more difficult to
analyze for clays than for sands . A static load on a
sandy soil compresses the sand rapidly a static load
acting on a clay soil may settle very slowly .

Errors :
Errors by taking the dial gauge reading .
Errors due to human factor .
Errors due to approaches .

Notes :

(1 ) Kg load ------- (transfer to device) ------- (11)Kg

(1)Kg ------------------- (0.5) Kg
- division of dial reading is (0.01) mm .
- if sample is not saturated will happen
swelling when add water then the size is
bigger and dial reading is change .
- Hdp (longest path for drain ) =(H/2) because
we used double drain by tow porous stone .
-The each of load movement after (24)hour
because Karl Tarzaghi refer to full dissipate
finish in (24)hour .

.
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