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Sand replacement method is used to determine..
Water content
Dry density
Specific gravity
Liquid limit
Dry density
The sand replacement method is a standard field procedure used to determine the in-situ dry density of compacted soil layers. It involves excavating a small test hole, collecting the excavated soil, and filling the void with calibrated sand of known density.
The sand replacement method is a standard field procedure used to determine the in-situ dry density of compacted soil layers. It involves excavating a small test hole, collecting the excavated soil, and filling the void with calibrated sand of known density.
╧БdтАЛ=VMdтАЛтАЛ тАФ where ╧БdтАЛ is dry density, MdтАЛ is dry mass of soil, and V is the volume of the excavated hole.
V=╧БsandтАЛMsandтАЛтАЛ тАФ where V is volume, MsandтАЛ is mass of sand filling the hole, and ╧БsandтАЛ is bulk density of sand.
The principle is based on the displacement of a known volume of standard sand (typically clean, dry, uniformly graded Ottawa sand). By calculating the mass of sand required to fill the test hole and knowing its bulk density, the volume of the hole is determined. The dry density is then calculated by dividing the dry mass of the excavated soil by the volume of the hole.
Used primarily for coarse-grained soils.
Not suitable for very soft, saturated, or highly organic soils.
Standardized under IS 2720 (Part 28).
Requires calibration of sand density in the laboratory prior to field use.
Reliable for soils containing gravel/stones where core cutter method fails.
Simple equipment setup and operational procedure.
Time-consuming due to multiple weighings and calibrations.
Density of sand changes with humidity and vibration, requiring frequent re-calibration.
Quality control in road construction (earthwork).
Compaction verification for embankment and foundation bed preparation.
Water content is typically determined separately using the oven-drying method.
Specific gravity is a laboratory test (pycnometer or density bottle method).
Liquid limit is a consistency limit test performed on the soil fraction passing the 425-micron sieve.
B is correct тАФ The sand replacement method is used to determine the in-situ dry density of soil.
Always ensure the sand used is clean, dry, and free from fines, as even small moisture variations will significantly affect the bulk density calibration and lead to errors in volume calculation.