CE 412

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1 : SOIL MECHANICS

LAB 1: SOIL SAMPLING

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………………...

2. OBJECTIVES……………………………………………………………………………………

3. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND…………………………………………………………..…

4. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT……………………………………………………………..

5. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES…………………………………………………………….

6. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS…………………………………………………………………..

7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECCOMENDATIONS………………………………………………

8. REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………………

9. APPENDICES…………………………………………………………………………………

A. INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS………………………………

B. PICTURES……………………………………………………………………………...

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LIST OF TABLES

TABLE 1 Details of Soil Sampling……………………………………………………………… .

OBJECTIVES

1. To learn how to get disturbed and undisturbed soil samples.

2. To be able to get and undisturbed soil samples.

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

Properly collecting soil samples is the most important step in any nutrient or soil amendment

management program. Soil sampling should reflect tillage, past fertilizer or soil amendment

placement, cropping patterns (and corresponding irrigation requirements), soil type (including

drainage and slope characteristics) and perhaps old field boundaries (such as old feedlots,

windrows, altered stream beds, etc.). Trends toward reduced and/ or zero tillage and technology

for variable rate fertilization (VRF) have especially demanded that soil samples be taken more

accurate fertilizer and soil amendments application. The most commonly used method for soil

sampling would be based on soil types. Fields are split into sampling areas that contain similar

soils. Hillsides are kept separate from bottoms since the soil types will vary. Soil survey maps, if

applicable, can help organize the soil types throughout the sampling are. Samples will not

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necessarily need to be collected for every soil type; however, similar soils should be kept

together. Sampling maps can be kept to note the locations of the chores for subsequent sampling.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENTS

 Cling Wrap

 Wax

 Denatured Alcohol

 Shovel

 Spade

 Measuring tape

 Crowbar (Bareta)

 Sando Bag

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES

1. Define field areas to be sampled.

2. Clear the area with a grass in 6 inches depth

3. Set 1.5x1.5 meter area in the field.

4. Measure a 0.2x0.3 meter in the center of the box created.

5. Use a soil probe or spade to collect soil sample (FOR DISTURBED SOIL SAMPLE).

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 6. Remain the 0.2x0.3 meter soil for the undisturbed soil sample.

7. Thoroughly mix the cores in a plastic bucket. Do not use metal or rubber containers.

Place mixed samples in the plastic bags.

8. Dry the samples through the sun or through the oven.

9. Ship samples to the lab promptly. If samples will not be shipped for several days, use

cling wrap to soil until they can be shipped to avoid changes in the chemical

composition of the sample that could alter the analysis.

ANALYSIS OF DATA

Type of Soil Sample Disturbed and Undisturbed

Depth of Soil Sample 0.35 m

Date and Time o Extraction August 21, 2017, 3:00-6:00pm

Location Cuta, Batangas City

GPS 13.750778 , 121.052598

Weather before the date of the experiment Cloudy

Weather on the date of the experiment Rainy

The amount of the disturbed soil sample was around 10 kilograms in total while the

undisturbed soil sample has a dimension of about 20x30x35 cm.

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 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

The Disturbed Soil Sample, excavated in Cuta, Batangas City, was blackish in color,

sandy and frizzy in texture. Since the weather during the soil sampling was rainy, the soil was

somehow saturated.