1. DETERMINATION OF FIELD DENSITY BY CORE CUTTER METHOD
AN ACTIVE LEARNING ASSIGNMENT ON
DETERMINATION OF FIELD DENSITY BY CORE CUTTER METHOD
Prepared By:
Tiwari Saurav D.
Guided By :
Prof. NEHA KAGRA
2014
GEOTECHNICS AND APPLIED GEOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE, DAHOD

2. Content Theory Application Items required Procedure Result Precautions
Reference

3. Theory:-
Unit weight is the weight of soil per unit volume is called unit weight or density. It includes the
whole soil mass, the solid particles plus all voids with or without moisture. It depends upon saturation ‘S’. since the dry unit weight of solids per unit of total volume of a soil mass is called
dry unit weight.
Volume = Ws/v gm/c.c.
Field density is defined as weight of unit volume of soil present in site. That is
Where, Density of soil
W = Total weight of soil
V = Total volume of soil

4. The soil weight consists of three phase system that is solids, water and air. The voids may be filled up with both water and air, or only with air, or only with water. Consequently the soil may be dry, saturated or partially saturated. In soils, mass of air is considered to be negligible, and therefore the saturated density is maximum, dry density is minimum and wet density is in between the two.
Density or unit weight of soils may be determined by using the following method:
i. Core cutter method
ii. Sand replacement test
iii. Rubber balloon test
iv. Water displacement method
v. Gamma ray method

5. Application:-
Therefore density of soil deflects most of the properties of soil. Density of soil in place is
compacted soil and used as quality control measured of earth work in embankment in place
soil density of natural soil helps to determine bearing capacity, calculation of settlement as well as for stability analysis of natural slops.

6. Item required:-
1. Cylindrical core cutter of steel mm long and 100 mm in width a metal thickness of
3 mm at one end.
2. Steel trolley 2.5 cm high and 10 cm internal diameter with wall thickness 7.5 mm.
3. Steel hammer.
4. Steel rule.
5. Straight edge.
6. Balance.
7. Container.

7. Hear we use core cutter method, the equipment arrangement is shown as fallows,
Dolly
Rammer
Cutter

8. Procedure:-
1. The inside dimension of core cutter was measured accurately to 0.25 mm and calculated
its volume.
2. The mass of the core cutter without trolley was measured accurately.
3. Exposed the small area about 30 sq.cm for test levelled that surface put the trolley on the
top of the core cutter and drived the assembly into the soil with the help of hammer with
the top of the dolly about 1 ½ cm above surface.
4. Dry weight the container from the surrounding soil and allowed some soil to project from the lower and of the cutter with the help of straight edge.
5. The mass of cutter face of soil was measured.
6. Kept some sample of soil for water content determination in the oven.
7. Repeat the test of the three location neat by end get the average density.

9. OBS.
NO.
DETERMINATION NO.
1ST READING
2ND READING 1
Mass of core cutter wet soil
(gm)
2645gm
2580gm 2
Mass of core cutter (gm)
930gm
970gm 3
Mass of wet soil
1715gm
1670gm 4
Volume of core cutter (MR)
cm³ 5
Bulk density P = ¾ g/cm3
1.68 kg/m³
1.58 g/cm² 6
Bulk unit weight Y = 9.81 P
16.48 kg/m³
15.5 kg/m³

10. 7
Container no. A B 8
Mass of contain + wet soil
66 gm
37.3 gm 9
Mass of contain + dry soil
58 gm
34.5 gm

11. Precautions:- RESULTS:- 1.Percentage of water content = 24.35 %
2. Dry density of soil sample = 1.28 gm/cm³
3. Dry weight of soil sample = kg/m³
Precautions:-
i. Steel dolly should be placed on the top of the cutter before ramming it down
into the ground.
ii. Core cutter should not be used for gravels, boulders or any hard ground.
iii. Before removing the cutter, soil should be removed around the cutter to
minimize the disturbances.
iv. While lifting the cutter, no soil should drop down

12. REFERENCE:-