CE3A03 Geotechnical Engineering I Lab Instructions

CE 3A03 – Geotechnical Engineering I: Lab Instructions

Lab 4: Consolidation Test

1. OBJECTIVE

To perform a complete consolidation test on a sample of "undisturbed" clay provided.

2. EQUIPMENT

The following equipment is provided for each group:

• Consolidometer (including consolidation ring, porous stones, etc.), dial gauge, trimmer,
grease.

Please do not interfere with any other equipment.

3. INTRODUCTION

In the lab, the load will be applied by means of an air loading piston which is connected to a
precisely regulated air pressure supply, instead of the conventional dead weight lever system. The
air loading system has the advantage of being more compact, simple and convenient to use than the
lever system. The settlement of the soil specimen will be monitored by a displacement dial gage. A
sketch of the system is attached. Owing to the availability of laboratory space, the test will
continue for 2 days even though it is supposed to continue for 7 days.

Important: Study the loading apparatus and be sure you know how it works.

4. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Weight the consolidation ring. Set up and zero the dial gauge by placing the plastic insert inside
the ring, and make sure that the dial gauge mounting is tight. The thickness of the soil sample
(about 25 mm), and subsequent sample heights are determined by applying dial changes to this
value.

Lightly grease the consolidation ring, and push the ring into the clay sample provided, with the
sharp edges cutting. Trim the sample flush with both faces of the ring, and then use the plastic disk
provided to push the sample 1 mm below the cutting edge of the ring (this is equal to be thickness
of the lip on the perspex form). Then trim the other face of the again, and remove any excess soil
from the outside of the ring.

Assemble the apparatus with the porous stones, which should have been de-aired by boiling in
water for 5 to 10 minutes. Note that the top stone is tapered and is placed with small side up in
order to avoid binding should the stone tilt during compression. Very carefully center the top stone
and cap assembly on the sample (clearance is only 0.25 mm between stone and ring).
Fill the container with water from the reservoir and carefully place container with sample in
loading apparatus such that the sample is in perfect alignment with the loading ram.

1
CE3A03 Geotechnical Engineering I Lab Instructions

Crank the pressure regulator up very slowly until the loading ram is just about to contact the
loading ball. Make sure once again that the ball is in perfect alignment with the conical seat of the
loading ram.

Now increase the pressure with the regulator very slightly so that a small seating load is applied to
the sample. The pressure gauge may now indicate a small pressure that is required to overcome the
force in the piston return spring, and this is about 10 kPa. Set the dial gauge to zero again each
division represents 0.01 mm, and one rotation represents 1 mm of movement. Record readings to
the nearest 0.001 mm by estimated the last decimal place.

Now apply the first loading step from the table. Check that there is some movement of the dial
gauge and that the top stone is not jammed. Each load increment will be applied to the sample
for 24 hours. The first load increment is difficult to interpret. However, after one day at this load,
the sample void ratio will be at equilibrium with the applied effective vertical stress, so note the
dial gauge reading (and hence sample thickness) before putting the next load increment. The
sample may be left for longer if necessary (e.g. over the weekend). Be sure to keep the container
topped up with water.

Follow this loading program (Note: Another loading program may be provided at the time of the
test):

Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pressure Gauge Reading (kPa) 45 80 145 285 555 145 45
Total Stress on Soil (kPa) 75 150 300 600 1200 300 75

Note that the soil stress is not the same as the air pressure, since the diameters of the air piston and
of the sample are different. A 10% allowance is also made for friction on the side of the ring, and
for the initial pressure of 10 kPa needed to overcome the return spring. The area of the piston is
77.4 cm2, while the area of the sample is 31.7 cm2.

The desired value of the pressure gauge reading for any load increment should be arrived at by a
smooth yet as quick as possible cranking up (or down) of the pressure regulator. Under no
circumstances should the pressure be backed off to the desired value in case of an accidental
overshoot. If an overshoot does occur, take this larger stress increment as the correct value.

On days 1 (Monday or Thursday) and 2 (Tuesday or Friday), take dial gauge readings ¼, ½, 1
minute, 2, 4 and 8 minutes, etc., after the final value of pressure has been applied. Plot the readings
against the square root of time as they are taken, and continue until the graph has curved
sufficiently for t90 to be determined by the square root fitting method. This normally takes about an
hour.

On day 3 (Wednesday afternoon for Monday groups or Monday morning for Thursday groups),
take the final reading. Weigh the metal can provided and make sure it is numbered. Remove the
sample, taking care not to lose soil, and dry it in the can in the oven. When fully dry, weigh this
again and calculate the weight of dry soil Ms.

2
CE3A03 Geotechnical Engineering I Lab Instructions

5. REPORT

For each stress increment, calculate the coefficient of volume compression:

∆h 1
Mv =
h0 ∆σ

and the final voids ratio

e = (h – hs) /hs

where hs is the equivalent height of solids, which is calculated from

Ms
hs =
ρ wGs A

where A is the cross-sectional area of the sample 31.7 cm2, and h0 and h are the specimen thickness
at start and end of any stress increment (assume Gs = 2.7). At the end of the test, plot e against logt.
Estimate the value of the compression index Cc and the swelling index Ce and the preconsolidation
pressure (if possible).

For both day 1 and day 2, present graphs of settlement against the square root of time. Calculate
the coefficient of consolidation

T90 d 2 0.85(h / 2) 2
cv = =
t90 t90

and permeability k = cv mv γw for days 1 and 2. Calculate the initial, primary and secondary
compression ratios for days 1 and 2. Use the value of mv from that stress increment.

6. ADDITIONAL READINGS

• Text: 6.7 (Budhu), or 2.4 (Craig)

3
CE3A03 Geotechnical Engineering I Lab Instructions

Figure 1: Consolidation Apparatus at McMaster University

4
CE3A03 Geotechnical Engineering I Lab Instructions

Consolidation test
Analyst :
Test date:
Sample description:
Initial sample height = cm
Sample diameter = cm
Initial sample mass = g
Final sample mass = g
Final mass of dry sample = g
Initial dial reading = cm
Final dial reading = cm

Applied stress (kPa) Elapsed time (min) Displacement (cm)

0.0
0.3
0.5
1
2
4
8
15
30
60
120
240
480
960
1440
……